Cape Coral, Florida, 22 July 2018 – Elementary school teacher Jaclyn Howell turns the classic concept from rags to riches on its
head in her new award-winning book ‘From Riches to Rags’. With the help of the bible, she depicts a powerful story to help young children learn to forgive each other.

“I have seen an increase of entitlement, bullying, and the need to learn the powerful message of forgiveness in schools,” Howell says. “Most kids are taught to memorize Bible verses but are not taught to fully apply them to their lives in good times and bad.”

Howell presents a Bible verse as introduction to each chapter to help her young readers apply the learnings of the Bible to everyday situations. The main character in the book, Serene, is someone who needs to be humbled in the worst way. Lacking God in her life, she incessantly struggles to turn away from her hollow and selfish ways.

“Like the teachings of John, ‘the desire for possessions and worldly arrogance is not from the Father but is from the world’,” Howell says.

As Serene goes from riches to rags, she discovers the life that God intended her to live.

“‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’ from Luke is always a good guiding principle. There is always a reason for what is going on. Serene has to deal with having a father who works all the time and being motherless.”

Howell teaches 3rd and 4th grade in elementary school and has seen an increasing need for help and guidance for the children.

“So many children today come from broken homes and have a tough time coping with everyday life changes and decisions. They don’t know how to deal with aggression or conflict,” the author explains.

Howell, who also dealt with bullying herself growing up as a young girl, is a fierce believer that resentment and hatred is not going to change a bully’s way.

“It’s better to forgive them as a person rather than condone their actions. It is possible to turn things around and forgive the people that hurt us,” she says.

In the book, Serene’s victim Samantha has to learn the difficult feat of forgiveness – which leads her to find Christ and change her ways and learn how to live a meaningful life.

“My message is about how to forgive others and learn to seek others for help and just talk about it. It could be a teacher, a guidance counselor or a pastor from a church. Hopefully that person listening will help guide them on the right path,” Howell concludes.

The book ‘From Riches to Rags’ is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online book shops and has been awarded with three Purple Dragonfly Awards.

About the Author
Jaclyn Howell is a Cape Coral teacher who has taught third and fourth grade for over 14 years. She recently released her debut novel ‘From Riches to Rags’, a children’s story from ages 8 and up. The book received three Purple Dragonfly Book Awards. Howell is passionate about helping children deal with difficult situations and learn how to communicate and forgive. She is also an active member of her local church community. You can visit Jaclyn’s official website here: www.jaclynhowell.net

About the Book
‘From Riches to Rags’ turns the tables on the classic from rags to riches story. Serene was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, looks down upon others who has less than her or who don’t meet her standards, feels entitled to get what she desires from others, and gets away with countless bullying antics at school since her father knows what strings to pull to get her out of trouble. Serene needs to be humbled in her world to fill the endless void she is trying to fill. How will she turn from her vacant and selfish ways if she doesn’t have God in her life? Does she need to lose everything and go from riches to rags to find her purpose in the life that God intended for her?

Courtesy of Spiers Communication