Kugs, Hisses and Ickles! was inspired by a lively conversation I had one day with my grandson. Our animated chat ran amok with deliberately mispronounced words and a lot of laughter, and there was just no way I could let it go without 'memorializing' ...hence, Kugs, Hisses and Ickles! Aside from any giggles stirred by the book, I hope this little story inspires any child who reads it to see something deeper... that no one is perfect and there is nothing wrong with that. We are all wonderful in our own way. I want children to know that we can love and be loved despite our differences, whether they are in our speech, our looks, how we dress, our talents, our family or anything else. The idea is to see past all that to the person who lies beneath. So, if my wish comes true, maybe the children who read this book will be a little sweeter, a little kinder, and little more tolerant, and will pass it all on to others.