What Do a Traveling Tiny House, a New Children’s Book & a Tiny House Village have in Common? Find out in a recent episode of Tiny House Expedition Radio!
Eight months ago in southern California, Christian and I first met Kevin Polk and his life partner and children’s author, Susan Bernardo. It was the beginning of a synergistic relationship around a shared passion, building community.
We are traveling North America to discover and document the community experience of the tiny house movement. The most epic of road trips, a tiny house road trip. When Susan met us and toured our tiny home, she was filled with inspiration. “Has anyone ever written a children’s book about tiny houses?!”
During the same time, we were interviewing Kevin about his new ambitious housing project, Makes A Village. This project applies permaculture principles to the issues of affordable housing and unemployment.
Since we first met, Kevin and team have designed and mostly built their first prototype tiny home that is going to a woman who lost her home in the Lake County, CA, fires last year. Makes A Village recently held a tiny house exhibit at the LA County Fair. What’s more, he has made exciting headway with local municipalities in Southern California, including Riverside County, in search to find land for his first tiny house village. Stay tuned and follow Makes A Village for updates.
Susan has also since written The Big Adventures of Tiny House, the first ever tiny house on wheels children’s book. This a story about an old farmhouse that gets recycled into something new, Tiny, a little house with a big heart and wheels! Several passages are directly inspired by our DIY tiny house, like our counters “made from fallen down trees” and our adventures across the country. The tiny house community itself, also inspired the story of Tiny’s search of the true meaning of home.
[pullquote align=”normal” cite=”Excerpt from ‘The Big Adventures of Tiny House'”]He could be a home anywhere, because home wasn’t a place. Home was a feeling, a smile on your face. It was friendship and singing and a full happy heart. It was sharing good meals, and where you hung up your art. Whether you anchored in place, or decided to roam, What called to your heart could still be called home.[/pullquote]
Now Susan and her partner and illustrator, Courtenay Fletcher are crowdfunding to publish this heartwarming book. They reached their Kickstarter goal with a week to spare! There new goal reach 150 backers by end of their campaign on October 18, so they can donate 150 books to A Window Between Worlds. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating and supporting a network of transformative arts programs that empower individuals and communities impacted by violence and trauma.
[pullquote align=”normal” cite=”Alexis, Tiny House Expedition”]The Big Adventures of Tiny House is a story of adventure and community, and most importantly a fresh take on the meaning of home. Susan beautifully captures the spirit of the tiny house movement— a pioneering lifestyle centered around meaningful experiences and friendships. This is sure to become a classic, beloved by tiny house enthusiasts of all ages.[/pullquote]
A portion of book sales will go to benefit Makes A Village’s first tiny home community. A charming tiny house book with a BIG purpose.
[thrive_highlight highlight=Hear an excerpt read aloud by Susan on our very own tiny porch!t=’light’][/thrive_highlight]
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