The Story Nook by Katalina
Welcome to The Story Nook by Katalina
A place for timeless children’s stories told through animals—or through children discovering who they are. This is where big feelings, quiet wisdom, and imagination live side by side.
Each story opens a door to something quiet that lingers.
Some follow animals on symbolic journeys; others follow children navigating identity, heritage, and truth.
There’s grief. Laughter. Frustration. Stillness. Joy. Shame. Curiosity. Confusion. Courage.
Some feelings flicker. Others stay. They move from quiet to bright, soft to sharp—just like childhood.
Max and Sam Series
Sam and Max are siblings—curious, different, and always in the middle of something that matters.
Sam notices what others miss. Max charges ahead with heart and intensity.
Along the way, they meet animals who offer quiet wisdom and help them make sense of things like anger, loss, self-acceptance and belonging.
Sam and Max are ready for adventure, but they don’t expect to meet Turbo, a young turtle with a big problem—he’s lost his song.
Turbo left his pond to explore the world, chasing wonder - sparkling rivers, fields of fireflies. But the farther he goes, the more his song fades away, leaving him feeling lost. Turbo the Turtle and the Lost Song is a heartfelt tale of adventure, discovery, and the quiet magic of realizing where
you truly belong.
Sam and Max are always bickering, and when one fight over a colored pencil spirals out of control, Sam storms off, frustrated and upset. But something magical happens when she stumbles upon a pair of bees working in harmony.
This heartwarming tale teaches children how cooperation and understanding can turn even the biggest disagreements into moments of kindness and growth.
Sam and Max used to hike the mountain trails with their beloved dog, Theo. Now, with Theo gone, the world feels quieter and emptier. The siblings remember his loyalty, his big heart, and the little quirks that made him family.
With tenderness and honesty, Theo Was Here helps children and families navigate the pain of losing a pet. It shows that love doesn’t disappear—it stretches, makes room for new memories, and stays with us always.
Lev is a porcupine who knows exactly how the world sees him—sharp, strange, and better off unseen. So he hides. Until one summer day, two kids with snacks and open hearts wander into his quiet corner of the forest.
What begins as a simple meeting grows into something deeper, as Lev, Sam, and Max explore what it means to look different, feel different, and still want to belong.
A gentle and powerful story about self-acceptance, friendship, and the quiet strength of being exactly who you are.
Stories of Identity
These books are for middle-grade readers who are starting to notice the world—and their place in it. With honesty and heart, they explore what it means to belong, to question, to feel different, and to take pride in their identity.
When Moishe’s Star of David slips out during gym class, the world around him changes. The stares.
The comments. The lies—
He doesn’t understand all of it. He only knows it hurts.
At home, surrounded by memory and tradition,
he asks his mother the question no child should have to ask:
Why do they hate us?
She does not offer comfort
She stays with him in the question.
A story about what it means to be Jewish— and the quiet strength of holding onto it.
Ruth never thought much about her family's past.
Spain, sure. Catholic, sort of. But mostly, her world was school, sketchbooks, her best friend Taliah, and Friday dinners at Nona’s—where two tall candles were always lit, and no one ever said why.
Then Ruth finds a photo.
In the background: a pair of familiar candlesticks—and a silver cup with markings that look a lot like Hebrew.
What begins as a quiet question grows into something more:
a thread that stretches back through generations, carrying memory, tradition, and the soft echo of a story long kept silent.
Set in a town of sunlit sidewalks and cinnamon bakeries, Because She Noticed is a tender, luminous story about identity, legacy, and the quiet power of paying attention
Beyond The Kids' Shelf
"From Box to Home“is a comprehensive guide that delves into the art of transforming these ubiquitous steel structures into unique homes and living quarters. This book is a gateway for those seeking a glimpse into the possibilities that lie within these humble boxes, showcasing how they can be converted into comfortable and innovative abodes.
“From Box to Home” places a special emphasis on the realm of modular construction in a factory setting. While there are numerous approaches to transforming shipping containers into livable structures, this book focuses on the advantages and intricacies of factory-based modular construction.
Whether you are intrigued by the notion of living in a sustainable, eco-friendly dwelling or simply drawn to the allure of unconventional architecture, this book promises to captivate your senses
About the Author
Katalina Klein is a writer with a lifelong bond to animals—and a deep belief that they carry their own kind of wisdom.
She grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, where she fell in love with the fables of Jean De La Fontaine. In those stories, animals don't just entertain—they reveal something deeper, often saying what people can’t. They are a mirror of society, reflecting human strengths, flaws, and contradictions with clarity and precision. That early love of storytelling stayed with her.
Now based in Southern California with her husband and a spirited group of rescue animals—including a few headstrong turtles—Katalina continues to listen, learn, and write. Over the years, she’s cared for a pot-bellied pig, rabbits, abandoned dogs and cats, birds, and more—drawn by the quiet presence of animals and the distinct way each one of them communicates.
In her picture books, animals serve a deeper role: they help carry emotion in a way children can engage with—gently, safely, and without judgment. Big feelings become more approachable when they come through the voice of a turtle, a bee, or a porcupine. The result is storytelling that’s simple in form but layered in feeling—honest, quiet, and meant to last.
Excerpt from Turbo The Turtle And The Lost Song
Excerpt from Theo Was Here
Excerpt from Yeah, I'm Jewish
Excerpt from The Secret of The Bees
Excerpt from Lev The Porcupine
Excerpt from Because She Noticed
Get in Touch
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