CLAYTON, N.C. - s4story -- Heather Barbour Fenty, a children's book author born in Raleigh, North Carolina, is relaunching her two picture books—Sea, He Is Just Like You and Me and Sea, You Can Swim with Many Friends—with a heartfelt book reading tour across Barbados and North Carolina. The stories center on inclusion, friendship, and the beauty of our differences, brought to life through vibrant undersea adventures.

Fenty spent years living and teaching scuba diving in Barbados, where she met her husband. It was during that time—surrounded by the ocean and inspired by her family—that she wrote these stories. Now based in Clayton, NC, she and her family return to Barbados several times a year, making both places meaningful settings for this new chapter of sharing her work.

"These books are rooted in the belief that even though we're all different, we can still get along, support each other, and be friends," says Fenty. "I want to help children see that differences don't need to be scary—they can be something to celebrate."

The Caribbean-to-Carolinas reading tour kicks off in Barbados on Saturday, June 8, with two public events:

• 9:30 AM at La Cabane, Barbados
• 12:00 PM at Hibiscus Café, Barbados

Fenty will then bring her message of empathy and unity to communities across Clayton, NC, and neighboring towns, with planned readings at kids' consignment shops, family-owned boutiques, and local events throughout the summer.

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In Sea, He Is Just Like You and Me, readers meet Sunny the seahorse and Shaley the scuba diver—two very different characters who form an unexpected bond. In the companion book, Sea, You Can Swim with Many Friends, sea creatures of all shapes, colors, and abilities swim together in harmony—proving that diversity is something to dive into, not away from.

Both books are available now in paperback on Amazon and are recommended for children ages 3–8.

Dedication

I come from a large, blended family from Raleigh, North Carolina. Growing up, family values were instilled in me from an early age. My cousins were my best friends and our parents did everything together. For the longest time, I was the youngest cousin who was taken under the wings of my older cousins. One of our favorite things to do together was to spend most of our summers at LKG. We would waterski, "go tubing", ride jet skis, and swim until our fingers and toes were wrinklier than a California raisin.

We may not have known it then, but we were blessed. We were healthy, happy, and active children. Not everyone gets that chance. One of my lifelong cousin-friends now knows this more than anyone could. She has three children. Two born very prematurely and another born with heart issues and a form of Autism. We are thankful for all of their lives, but things aren't always as easy for them as they were for us on the lake all of those years ago.

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They face physical and mental challenges every day. And even worse, they face discrimination for being different. This book is meant to educate children and their families about all of our differences because no one person is the same, but all should be accepted no matter how different they may be than you and me.

This one is for you Castle family. You may not hear it often, but you are strong, and your perseverance is remarkable.

Author Bio

Heather is an adventurous, entrepreneurial & travel writing mom originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Business, and a graduate Web Design certification. She also has a Masters in Project Management from Western Carolina University. Her love of the ocean, art, and writing started at a young age. Heather's interests include travel, sailing, diving, writing about her adventures, and serving her Virtual Assistant, Content & Travel Clients from around the globe.

Media Contact

Heather Barbour Fenty
Instagram: @ItsJustBarbs
Amazon Author Page: https://itsjustbarbs.com/books-for-kids
Website: https://itsjustbarbs.com/