Honey Girl & Bella: A Hero's Journey is the tale of two chickens who decide they must find a treasured golden pendant stolen from their beloved Lady.  Honey Girl and Bella venture into the deep forest full of danger and surprises, foes and friends. Along their “Hero’s Journey” they discover their own cleverness and bravery. Also when the chickens return they will have to deal with Ralf, the bullying rat. 

Honey Girl & Bella: A Hero's Journey is a delightfully written and illustrated book for children at the 3rd grade reading level. Wonderful for read-aloud, and loaded with vocabulary and situations to challenge and entertain independent readers. Look for the ways we show examples of empowerment and facing bullies, overcoming obstacles, making friends outside one's normal sphere, seeing leadership as a function of heart, accomplishing a goal in the face of doubt and opposition.

Illustrations are entirely hand-cut colorful paper. Search each page for extra critters, sometimes hidden.

This is the story of farmyard chickens that respond to the need to fix two big problems: a bullying rat in the farmyard, Ralf, who seems to be the source of a lot of arguments and hurtful rumors; and suddenly Raven has reached into the kitchen window and snatched Lady's golden heart pendant, then flown off with it. The story unfolds with wise old Manx cat suggesting to Honey Girl that after Old Rooster retired the farmyard needs a new leader – and it could be her. Reluctant at first, Honey Girl insists she hasn't a single idea how to do that. When Honey Girl and her friend Bella assert they want to get the heart back for Lady, Manx cat encourages Honey Girl to find courage, face risk, and return as a leader. Now the pair of chickens go on their quest and meet obstacles and enemies and make friends with an unlikely group, a flock of crows.

The Hero's Journey could be described as a set pattern of steps that need to be taken to bring transformation to an individual and ultimately to all the people. The stories of Greek heroes, tales from ancient India, Viking myths and even modern literature and movies such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars – all show that the Hero's Journey can be as much a story telling tool as it is a template for all of our life experiences.

There are many steps along the journey each individual or group would take in order to succeed. In Honey Girl & Bella: A Hero’s Journey we simplified and focused on just these seven steps: 1. At first reluctant, Hero responds to the calling, and then: 2. Hears the message of a mentor; 3. Has a supernatural dream/vision; 4. Overcomes obstacles and foes; 5. Experiences a personal transformation;  6. Enlists an unlikely ally; 7. Returns with the treasure and brings great change to the homeland. 

The authors and illustrators of "Honey Girl & Bella: A Hero's Journey", Linda and Robert Sickles, worked together on all parts of this book. They live in Olympia, Washington.

Linda, a retired school teacher who most of all loved teaching literacy to elementary school children, is also the author of "The Lives of Pearl", based on her grandmother's life.  

After years of drawing, woodworking and musical instrument making, Robert recently worked as a graphic artist for advertising agencies. The decision to illustrate this book in cut paper was made in a typically defiant response to frequent suggestions that it should be done in watercolor. This is a first-time effort in this medium. Awe inspiring examples of the work of many other advanced artists who sculpt and illustrate with only paper can be be found in a simple internet search.