Mollie and Ollie

As an elementary school teacher I have read my fair share of children’s books to kids.

It’s one of my favorite parts of teaching and in the elementary grades we read to kids everyday!

I love watching students interact with stories as I read aloud, and I try to be as animated as I can be, to bring the words to life for them.

The power of children’s books should never be underestimated; hidden messages intertwined within the pages of action, adventure, fairy tales, fables and more! Each story has something to say and if you leave your busy adult thoughts at the door and listen closely, you may very well come away equipped with a new tool you never knew you were missing.

That’s exactly what happened to me after a winter quarter teaching 2nd Grade.

Although my time was up in that classroom, all the stories I’d been reading with the kids buzzed inside my head and started dancing to the beat of my own ideas of what adventure should look and sound like. Enter the creation of Mollie and Ollie the Boarder Collies!

These loveable little pups were born out of a love for my own border collie, Jaxi, and inspired by my own adventures as an action sports athlete. The combination is brought to life by fun little rhymes that flow from page to page portraying the board sports Mollie and Ollie embark upon.

I’ve currently written four stories ranging from snowboarding adventures on the slopes of Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, to surfing trips to Byron Bay, Australia. Each story consists of the Boarder Collies and their friends embarking on all sorts of different board sport adventures, with encouraging messages that promote perseverance in the face of adversity, dreaming big, believing in yourself, facing your fears, working hard, and working together as a team.

Since their creation, I have enjoyed reading my stories to the elementary students I have worked with. However, with the Corona Virus shutting schools down across the country I have been inspired to make my stories into free Read-Alouds that are made accessible for all, via my YouTube channel: Navar Books! If you haven’t already, go check them out and let’s see if you don’t fall in love with these endearing little characters and find yourself smiling big for the rest of the day!