In her quest to bring lessons from the Fruits of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22-23, to both children and adults, Shelleen Weaver has published five books known as "Fruit Fables." The latest, "Clamord is Kind," is focused on kindness.

Told in rhyme, the book begins with the lines, "There is a place that nature hides, where marsh and forest trees collide, where streams are clear, and sky is wide." In this marsh setting, Weaver tells the tale of a boisterous mallard who seeks to join his fellow fowl in song. Alas, Clamord's beautiful noise is not appreciated. "Clamord is an oblivious disrupter, and he was annoying. He interfered with the birds' space," noted Weaver, who added that Clamord did so unintentionally. While the story explores how a member of society who does not quite measure up is ostracized, it concludes with the hero using his own talents to help those who have shunned him, and seeing his acts of kindness are celebrated by his new feathered friends.

In the book's dedication, Weaver gives thanks to her now-13-year-old son, Adrian, whose nightly demands for bedtime stories when he was very small led to the creation of her fables. "(Adrian) forced me to hone the craft (of storytelling)," shared Weaver. She asked Adrian to jumpstart each night's story by giving her an animal and the animal's name to inspire her creativity. "I have no idea where he came up with the name 'Clamord,'" recalled Weaver, but she noted that her son always asked that the animal be a dog. "I thought to myself, 'Clamord is not a dog. He sounds like a clamorous mallard duck,'" pointed out Weaver.

As a conscientious mother, Weaver said she could not let her fables be just about fun. "(Adrian was) making me work to tell a story, but if I (was) going to work, (he was) getting a lesson (wrapped in the story)," explained Weaver. "I was using it as an opportunity to shape him because I'm a mom." To aid parents who read her books to their children in using the lessons contained therein, each book ends with "Let's Chew On It," a series of questions that examine the concepts in the book. Questions following Clamord's tale ask about the birds' attitudes toward other creatures joining in their symphony, their response to Clamord's attempts to sing, and how Clamord seized an opportunity to use his skills to show kindness. The questions conclude with, "What skills or abilities do you have that you could use to show kindness?"

Weaver's previous books have each explored a Fruit of the Spirit. Her first book, "Love Bird," about a bird that rudely repeats everything that is said to him, came out in 2020. In late 2021, Weaver released "Glub Glum's Ship Flip," about a fish she called "a bottom feeder" with "victim mentality pessimism." "Sir Beaver Finds the Missing Peace" tackles workaholism with poetry that evokes pictures and lessons for adults and children. "Grizz Bear & Skippy Cricket," released in January, tells the tale of a ferocious and impatient bear whose winter hibernation is interrupted by an bothersome cricket.

As with all Weaver's "Fruit Fables," the book uses Cody Wood's illustrations, which anthropomorphize the creatures with clothing and humanlike expressions. "I love how (Wood) put a turtle in a turtleneck," said Weaver with a chuckle.

More information about "Fruit Fables" is available under "Books" at http://www.shelleenweaver.com. Readers who sign up for email updates will receive Clamord coloring pages, a song from one of Weaver's albums - she's also a recording artist - and her fruit salad recipe called "Amish Delight."