Phoenix author takes love of books, animals to teach children life lessons

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A valley woman spent years traveling the country teaching young children about bullying. Now, she's focusing on teaching them about animals at the zoo.

"Mosasore wasn't a fish you see, he had to breathe air just like you and me."

Susan Stoltz has found a way to combine her love of animals and literature.

"He's considered a reptile that lived in the ocean," Stoltz said.

The author is touting a new series of books about the critters at the Phoenix Zoo where she works.

"Our books are concentrated around animals, mostly a message for kids in almost every book we do, whether it be bullying or whether it be being yourself," Stoltz said.

There's Eddie the Stingray who goes the wrong way, a lesson to kids to always be themselves.

And Seymour the naughty goat who gets into trouble. The message there is that you're loved even if you're a little mischievous.

"The keepers from the Phoenix Zoo write in them about how they care for them and how challenging that can be, so it's a lot of fun all the way through the book," Stoltz said.

Stoltz owns her own publishing company. She's working with other authors on publishing more books kids can learn from.