Creative Team Behind Princess Rain and the Dragon
Helena Tauler Yates (author) and Wendy C. Crouch (illustrator) are the creative team behind Princess Rain and the Dragon. Helena is an award-winning songwriter (“Most Poetic and Profound Song of the Year” awarded in 2003 by the Songwriter’s Showcase of America) who loves to write lyrical kids’ stories and poems. Wendy is a freelance artist/illustrator who started her career early, winning a Scholastic Art Award at the age of sixteen and displaying work at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. soon after.
The duo are passionate about encouraging children to love learning and to fearlessly follow their dreams. In addition to publishing Princess Rain and the Dragon (the story of a child who finds the courage to face her fears), both women have worked as teachers of the arts and have also volunteered hundreds of hours to various civic youth organizations in their communities. Helena (a classically trained dancer) worked for years with the Civic Ballet of Volusia County, a nonprofit youth organization. Wendy, a Girl Scout leader, founded a successful art gala for Central Florida Girl Scouts that has inspired many young visual artists. In addition to this, the duo are also seasoned homeschooling moms and ardent home cooks who love to teach through cooking.
The team has found a way to channel all of their passions through their storybook series, monthly newsletter, website, and community outreach program. They have been bringing their first book Princess Rain and the Dragon to life in schools, libraries, for Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, and more. They are excited about their next book One Potato: Princess Rain and the Dragon Book II, which broaches the topics of hard work, mindfulness, and conservation. They have also created The Creative Dragon, a newsletter for the Renaissance kid from the imaginary kitchen and garden Princess Rain and Sir Sidney Dragon, which includes fun cooking projects and educational tidbits in subjects such as science, history, and health and wellness. They are currently developing a children’s cookbook featuring kid-friendly recipes based on their book series, and they are busy working on their other books, Sir Sidney Dragon (or How a Dragon Wound Up In a Little Girl’s Backyard), Princess Rain and the Dragon DISAGREE, and Sir Sidney Dragon and the Food Critic. In addition to this, the duo is also always updating their website with fun and free educational resources.
Look for more to come from Princess Rain and the Dragon!
