"Author Marisol Paramo was 7 years-old when she penned Bella to life. Paramo creates a world within her story where questions are welcome, beauty is abundant and transformation (spoiler alert) is encouraged. In the very first sentenceof her story we meet a caterpillar named "Bella." Immediately, we are drawn to Paramo's freshness of perspective. Challenging the existing notion that caterpillars are not beautiful until they become butterflies. From the very beginning, Paramo acknowledges the inherent value of her 16-legged protagonist ... while foreshadowing Bella'seventual metamorphosis.As a dad, I've read my fair share of children's books and I can say with some certainty that there are a significant number of adult children's book authors who don't execute the foreshadow with as much skill. And that's just thebeginning. Bella finds friends along the way. Friends who are different. Friends whose differences Bella admires. Friends who are a reflection of all the things Bella wants to be. Friends who are open to Bella's questions, because they know that the more she inquires about them results in her learning more about herself. The optimism and innocence of this world view, should be encouraging to parents and inspiring to children at a time in our country where difference is slowly becoming persecuted in-stead of celebrated. Paramo's values shine through in her extendedmetaphor of a beautiful young girl ... who happens to be a published author ... finding her wings". - Hakim Bellamy - Author, Albuquerque's Inaugural Poet Laureate, Dad