"The Little Caterpillar" is the fourth book in a collection of books aimed at heightening awareness in children and adolescents. This book follows TLC (The Little Caterpillar) on a day like he could not have anticipated. We get to witness the happenings of his day as if we were TLC himself. The illustrations lure your mind into the space where "transformation" seems plausible, even necessary, in the messed up world of bugs who are only and always competing with each other on a branch. The reader, young and old, will get a sense for their participation in the mico- and macrocosm which the author creates in this short book. The book sprinkles melancholy with humor, and uses poetic language, to make deeply valid points where we human beings feel like we're never good enough, not fast enough, or strong enough, to keep up with the other bugs. It draws on the common human experience of feeling "left out." The book aims to help the reader come into contact with just how much horizontal comparison goes on between us and how that behavior, verbal and otherwise, really short circuits the process of inner growth which our inner being craves. Mr. Bates thinks that the power of a good story, with deeply relevant and resonant themes, can grip his reader, and especially in a very short book, create the inner possibility that the reader her or himself will experience liberating insights and a new way of looking at things: i.e., a transformation. The other books in the Full-Fillment Series are the elementary school books titled "The Little Bucket" (2014) and "The Little Bucket: Deep Space Meeting." (2015) These books are totally written in rhyme and lead children to thinking about full-fillment and from where it comes and who is ultimately responsible for their full-fillment. These books help children look inside. Mr. Bates aims to help children discover the courage to set healthy personal boundaries, to be an active participant listener, to express their feelings appropriately and finally experience the power of empathy, to receive and give. His third book, "Zombies R A Problem" (2017), is more of a middle school book which takes the young reader on the journey to discover the ominous virus called "affluenza." The Apocalypse is fed by zombies who have been infected and who never get enough. A poetic description of the zombies is that their "brains are soft and juicy, like a big mush melon inside. The zombies brainwaves have all stopped. Yep, the zombies brains been fried." Critical thinking in this age of "digital overwhelm" is difficult to stimulate, but we must begin with relevant themes and call them into question and even poke fun at them in an Apocalypse. Mr. Bates thinks that using the contemporary image of a zombie is helpful in this sense since it is easy to understand that the zombie is a brainless killing and eating machine. The virus puts humans on autopilot, and like a zombie. to only eat and consume and call that 'life.' Humans like this end up with a "shopping cart" mentality, always and only ever thinking about the next thing wanted or needed. He also thinks that we are most influenced to realize the truth of our lives, when we encounter relevant and resonant themes as they are attached to metaphors that provide "aha" moments! Zombies and the Apocalyptic times we live in are perfect metaphors. They put a little "umph" in his message. We must catalyze critical thinking or forever just be consumers and never feel like our life is full-filled or that we are complete. Art helps stimulate critical thinking and his book "Zombies R A Problem" he puts the culture in the crosshairs of his art. The Full-FIllment series of books are artistic and insight/metaphor based. They don't tell you things or give you information. They show you things in hopes of deepening conversation, feeling more love, and experiencing life in a richer, more full-filling way. Pick One Or All!