What can one person do when a war feels impossibly far away and yet deeply human at the same time?
For West Michigan educator and author Kelley Peel, the answer became clear through a simple but powerful idea. Build a connection. Then invite others into it.
That idea is now taking shape through Seeds of the Sun, a children’s book that is doing more than telling a story. It is helping support a school community in Ukraine while giving local families a tangible way to care, connect, and act.
A Story That Carries More Than Words
At its heart, Seeds of the Sun is a story about curiosity, culture, and connection.
The book follows Charlie, a young fox from Michigan, who visits his cousin Sophia in Ukraine. Through shared meals, landscapes, and traditions, the story bridges two places that feel both different and familiar. From sand dunes to sunflower fields, from maple syrup to nalysnyky, the story invites children to see the world through both wonder and empathy.
But the story does not stop on the page.
One hundred percent of proceeds from the book go directly to support a Ukrainian school community led by educator Tetiana. Those funds are already making a difference, helping provide computers and resources so students can continue learning in the midst of war.
Students in Ukraine with new computers purchased from proceeds from Seeds of the Sun.
“These Are Children”
For Peel, this work is personal.
“These are children,” she said. “And they are living under bombardment.” Even as we spoke, she was in contact with Tetiana, receiving updates from Ukraine. The next day, Peel shared an update with me that while we were having that conversation, students had taken cover in hallways while their fathers remained on the front lines.
It is a reality that is difficult to fully grasp from a distance, but impossible to ignore once it becomes personal.
“It feels almost inadequate to say that these small efforts might help,” she said, speaking about the work behind Seeds of the Sun and the support it provides to Ukrainian students. “Maybe they are minuscule. But they are what I can offer and I don’t know what else to do.”
Kelley Peel and Tetiana connect over Zoom following our interview, even as Tetiana and her students took shelter in a bunker that same day.
Turning Story into Impact
Through book sales and community support, Peel and her network have already helped fund multiple computers for Ukrainian students, replacing outdated equipment and opening doors for continued education.
The impact goes beyond technology.
Students who receive that support are not just gaining tools. They are gaining connection. They know people across the world are thinking of them, rooting for them, and investing in their future.
That matters.
“They do not want to be forgotten,” Peel said of the Ukrainian community.
Students in Tetiana’s class during a Zoom session with Kelley Peel. “Most were smiling, curious, excited. But one boy—there was something in his eyes that stayed with me.”
Bringing the Story to White Lake
That connection will come to life locally during Ukrainian Storytime at the White Lake Community Library.
The event invites families to experience the story together through reading, crafts, and Ukrainian food. It also offers something deeper. A chance for local children to engage directly by asking questions that Ukrainian students will answer through video.
It is not just an event. It is an exchange.
A way to move from awareness to relationship.
More Than a Book
While Seeds of the Sun is the current focus, it reflects a broader body of work from Peel, who spent decades in education before turning to writing.
She is the author of five children’s books, all rooted in emotional awareness, mindfulness, and personal growth. Her stories are designed not just for children, but for the adults who read alongside them.
“They’re more than bedtime stories,” she said. “They’re emotional wellness tools.”
Her background as an educator and her work in mindfulness shape each book. Whether exploring anger, comparison, or resilience, her stories aim to give readers language and tools to better understand themselves and others.
That same philosophy carries into Seeds of the Sun. It is a story about place, but also about empathy. About recognizing shared humanity across distance.
Kelley Peel’s collection of five children’s books, stories that blend mindfulness, emotional growth, and connection across every age.
Why This Story Matters Now
In a world where information is constant and overwhelming, it is easy for distant crises to feel abstract.
Peel’s work challenges that.
When children in West Michigan see children in Ukraine not as headlines but as peers, something shifts. When families realize their support can lead directly to real change, something becomes possible.
Connection replaces distance.
And action replaces helplessness.
Students in Tetiana’s class during a Zoom session with Kelley Peel.
How the Community Can Help
Peel is not asking for grand gestures. She is asking for participation.
Buying a book is one of the most direct ways to help. Purchasing copies for your family, for classrooms, or to share with others helps extend both the story and its impact. Some community members have even begun buying books in bulk to pass along, turning a single purchase into something that reaches many.
Every book sold contributes directly to supporting students in Ukraine.
Attend the storytime. Share the story. Ask questions. Spread the word.
“I would appreciate any connections you have to help spread this,” she said.
Because in the end, that is what this effort is built on. Not scale, but connection.
And the belief that even small acts, when rooted in empathy, can matter more than we think.
Ukrainian Storytime at White Lake Library event information
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