Mountaineers Books
Most middle-school art teachers have really small budgets. Lida Enche, author and illustrator of Pacific Northwest Nature: Coloring for Calm and Mindful Observation, teaches about 250 students a year with only $1000 for supplies. That doesn’t go far, so we thought we’d reach out to our community to give her a hand by donating copies of this new adult coloring book from Mountaineers Books.
Lida’s new book is a lot of fun, and when you buy one for yourself or a friend, Mountaineers Books will donate one to her students.
“Approximately seventy percent of my wonderful students live at or below the poverty line,” Lida says, “so they aren’t in a situation where it’s easy to go into a bookstore and buy one.”
David T. Denny International Middle School, where Lida is the art teacher, is located in southwest Seattle. While nearly every school has an underfunded art program, schools in higher income areas can receive thousands of dollars in additional funds from fundraisers - a more daunting challenge for schools in other neighborhoods.
“Our motto is ‘We All Belong’”, Lida says, “and everyone here works hard to make our Denny Dolphins feel like they belong, feel heard, supported, and loved.”
Lida teaches sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Her goal is to give 150 books to students who really want one. “I tell my students that making art can increase our feelings of well-being. I’m also hoping that coloring and learning about these images of native flora and fauna can provide them with an imaginary escape to a place of calm, peacefulness, and natural beauty.”
Buy One, Donate One:
You buy a copy of Pacific Northwest Nature on either mountaineers.org or mountaineersbooks.org and use the code DONATEONE at checkout, and you'll also donate one copy to Lida's school for each order we receive now through June 4 ( and Mountaineers members receive 20% off their purchase at checkout!).
The book is available starting in May, but can be pre-ordered now at mountaineersbooks.org.
Our Buy One, Donate One offer ends June 4 so that students can have their coloring books before the school year ends. Lida receives no royalties for the donated books. Together with Lida, we thank you for your support and for spreading the word about her incredible work of art we can all enjoy!
