Little Ant is too busy to do a favor for the weevil, and he doubts the weevil would ever be able to repay him anyway. But when his friend the stick insect is snatched by a dove, Little Ant learns that you never know when you might be in a position to help a friend. This story is a reimagining of Aesop's classic fable, “The Ant and the Dove,” and teaches that one good turn deserves another. Little Ant and the Dove aligns with the following Social Emotional Learning (SEL) themes: friendship, kindness and empathy, social awareness/relationship skills, persistence, problem-solving, and understanding the consequences of actions. ABOUT THE SERIES The Little Ant books are reimaginings of Aesop's classic fables, teaching timeless lessons like "appearances can be deceiving" and "one good turn deserves another." Brought to life by Tina Perko's vibrant and whimsical illustrations, the stories follow Little Ant as he navigates through the challenges and frustrations of growing up. Little Ant's adventures provide him with opportunities to build character and learn valuable lessons about friendship , kindness , empathy , teamwork , courage , and the importance of being yourself . The story conveys a good message to readers about friendship, helping, and doing favors for each other without expecting anything in return. The illustrations are charming and they make the characters come alive and the scenes vivid to readers. ~ Readers' Favorite The beautiful illustrations are the perfect compliment to the thoughtfully told stories...the author and illustrator create a fanciful world in which Little Ant encounters situations that allow him to grow in ways he never imagined. The Little Ant books are a must-have series. ~ Red Headed Patti, Online Magazine for Families I've been reading this series to my grandchildren since discovering them about a year ago and we are always excited when a new one is released...The beautiful illustrations that we find in each book add understanding and interest to the lesson being taught. I cannot praise this author enough as it is not very often that you read a children's book and say WOW! ~ Sweet Southern Savings This story gently teaches friendship, kindness, compassion and that one good turn deserves another. So wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated. The Little Ant and the Dove is another superb addition to the Little Ant book book series. ~ Shed Time Stories with Issy, YouTube My favorite thing about Little Ant is that he doesn't always manage to be his very best self; but he's a good ant at heart, and he learns from his mistakes. As someone who shares many of Little Ant's flaws, I find this very reassuring! Getting Little Ant's first story into print initially seemed like a daunting task. But Tina's amazing artwork gave me the confidence to keep going. She perfectly captures Little Ant's character and has brought him, his insect friends, and his whole world to life. My favorite books have always been those that give me a place to be ― another world that I can visit from time to time ― and Tina's artwork creates just such a world for me. I hope you and your young readers will come visit us there! S.M.R. Saia Little Ant is too busy to do a favor for the weevil, and he doubts the weevil would ever be able to repay him anyway. But when his friend the stick insect is snatched by a dove, Little Ant learns that you never know when you might be in a position to help a friend! S.M.R. Saia is the author of two book series for children: the Little Ant Books (read aloud stories for ages 3 to 5) and the Gertie in the Garden books (garden-themed early reader chapter books for ages 6 to 9). Her professional experience in the book world includes owning a corporate book fair business and freelancing as a self-publishing coach. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. For the past several years she has worked developing English Language Arts Worksheets for K - 12, using creative strategies to present, teach, and provide students with an opportunity to practice grade-appropriate Language Arts concepts and skills. Tina Perko was born in Ljubljana in 1971. She holds a Masters degree in fashion design from Instituto Marangoni in Milano, Italy. For the last 10 years she has been illustrating picture books and writing stories. She has also been a contributor to children's magazines. Today, Tina is a well-established Slovenian illustrator with many books published. She is represented by the Swiss Milan Illustration Agency (MIA) and works for clients worldwide.