After meeting you and sharing tears with you, your book has made a difference in my life. I found it funny how a children's book could have such a big impact on a grown woman. I never expected that. The play was amazing and I cried during rehearsals and the live performance. I especially liked the question and answer part at the end. I felt that really helped the children to understand the true meaning of the story. The strong meaning behind this book can be used in so many ways. Unfortunately, I was not able to bring my children to the play, but as soon as I was home, we sat down together and read the book. After reading, I asked both of them which penny they would rather be. My seven year old son said the tarnished penny. When I asked why, he said because he has so much fun, I would love to take a ride in the dryer. He thought the shiny penny was boring and he had no life. My eight year old daughter had the same response, she wanted to be the tarnished penny. When I asked them how the story made them feel, they both said they felt sad for the shiny penny. They expressed that they were thankful that they have a fun, exciting life and they are not stuck in a box all the time. I am looking forward to sharing The Luckiest Penny with other friends and my children's classmates. I want to personally thank you for taking the time to share your book with us. It was a great experience and I look forward to helping bring the story to other schools.
The Luckiest Penny.....think about that for a min, can a penny be lucky? What does this mean to you? Well for me it all came to light when I had the pleasure of reading the book and the honor of meeting the author ot The Luckiest Penny. Deborah Weed you have written an inspirational book that has so much meaning to all individuals of all ages, it has forever changed the way many people think and act. To be a part of the Musical performed at this years NYSOTA state conference was amazing and we need to continue to keep the momentum going with more performances, which we are currently working on at the Elant campuses for our residents staff and their families. To have the Luckiest Penny musical performed on Sunday October 23 rd 2011 after a very busy emotional weekend was like the cherry on the sundae for me. As I watched and looked around at the faces of people of all ages and saw smiles, tears and pure joy it really hit me and I knew then that this was the only way we could have ended this weekend. Each and every person that was there to witness it are I am sure forever grateful for having had met you and from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for what you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dearest Deborah, It was a pleasure meeting you during the NYSOTA Conference. You are truly an inspiration to me. You are an intelligent, kind and warm soul with the largest heart that I have ever encountered. When you hugged me the first time, it was such a true honor, that my heart melted. Actually you hugged me twice, and taking the special moment to embrace us all, was amazing and grateful. The connection you made with my classmates and I, will be remembered forever. I think your book is magnificent and I bought one for my two sons. Every night I read them a book before bedtime, and by now I could probably recite your book word for word by memory, because they just enjoy it so much. Every time I read them the story I always have to read the special message you personally wrote to them, before, and after the story. We also speak of how my youngest son's memory of you was, during the end of the play with the interaction you had with the children to answer your question of self worth, and he went up and spoke of his adventures riding bikes. I just wanted you to know that he talks about that every time we read your book, and as his mom, I know he will carry that memory forever, which I am so grateful and proud of. At the end of the story, we also discuss what is important and meaningful to the boys in their life. I am grateful to bond with them over the incredible story which is more than a story, it is a humbling, true, life lesson. I truly hope and pray that your book is found in the schools and homes all over the world because so many children need such a wholesome story to have in their lives. I think the play was an amazing portrayal of your book and I am blessed to have been apart of it. Just being there, sharing the moment with you, was surreal for me. I wish you nothing but the best and much success in your endeavors. You deserve every moment of it. Hopefully, our paths can cross again in our lifetime, as you are a positive role model in my life and my family's life. Thank you for all that you have done, and continue to do. I wish your book all the success it deserves as well. Thank you very much for your undivided time that weekend, and now. Sincerely, Krystal Poidomani
It was a pleasure meeting and speaking with you at the NYSOTA Conference last month and getting that big hug. I actually got two of them from you and it was wonderful! You are an inspiration to people of all ages and truly enjoy life with your wit and upbeat personality. Thank you for writing such a heartfelt book and for helping turn it into an amazing play for all to enjoy. I purchased a copy of your book for my niece and nephew and they love it. It was such a joy watching all the smiles on the faces of the audience and singing the songs from the play all week long.
also wanted to tell you how reading, owning, and watching The Luckiest Penny has impacted me. I am a former pre school teacher. For my last two years, I had incorporated an "I am special" theme into my curriculium. As a result, I learned that several of my former students, have/had low self esteem. At first I was shocked, then I was elated. I realized, being able to discuss my observations with these children's parents could be beneficial to their self esteem development. Being able to love and appreciate yourself is foundational to this. Leaving this experience behind was sad for me because I knew I was making an impact on all those children in my care. Experiencing you, your book and the play has really touched my heart and I am now "thinking" of a way to be able to share this beautiful message with those pre school children. I am excited knowing that I have, in the pages of your book, a beautiful story to share with them. I visit my former place of employment often, and am looking forward to reading this story again and again and again. I will share my experiences with you again.
I just wanted to thank you for coming and being kind enough to share your play and vision with us. I am still singing the songs from your play! I would love to see your play grow and gain notoriety. I thought that it had an entertaining sequence of scenes and a great message of self worth. This is the kind of message that is important to the occupational therapy field. I feel this way because some people may have self esteem issues due to disabilities or conditions in their lives. Your story lets all those that read it know that it is okay to be who you are. Since the message is clear in your book and play, it can do nothing but benefit those that experience your tale of two pennies.
One word, inspirational. When I first met you it felt like I had known you for a few years. You brought me in like I was your best friend. Your happiness, thoughtfulness, caring and kindness throughout the whole weekend of the NYSOTA conference was on my mind. But then I thought to myself; a penny is all it takes. Your book taught me that self-worth comes from the inside, that the adventures that you take is what creates your self-worth. The play was just as inspirational as you. I believe that this play needs to be shown everywhere possible, to every one of all backgrounds and ages. Everyone is worth something, and everyone is capable of believing that they are indeed a lucky penny! Thank you for making this amazing opportunity possible, you are such a beautiful individual and by meeting you, I too am a lucky penny!
When Flo first told us about meeting you in Florida, and the book and musical you created, you could tell she was overjoyed because she explained it with such excitement. That evening I went home and looked up the musical on Youtube and thought it was brilliant. The message is presented in such a simple way, yet it is extremely powerful. We did in fact all pull it together and it turned out to be beyond what I imagined! David did such an amazing job getting everything together, the actors were adorable, and the music topped the production off. I liked the fact that the set and costumes were simple because it really made the actors shine and didn't distract the audience away from the message that was being presented. The Luckiest Penny Musical really was the perfect ending to a long, but extremely enjoyable weekend. Thank you so much for allowing us to use your book and have the production at SUNY Orange. I will continue to spread the word of The Luckiest Penny and look forward to involvement in the future.
Dear Deborah, I can identify with the themes in this story because one of my daughters has an auditory processing disorder and some issues with sensory integration. Now at age 15, she has learned to compensate for her deficits, but things were far from easy for all of us when she was a toddler and young child. Although I loved her and valued all that she was, it did not change the fact that I had a child who was very different from others her age. It was reaffirming and uplifting to see the less-than-pristine penny sing the glories of what made him different, and I love that this story can resonate with people of all ages and abilities. The very young can recognize how lucky Henry was to have had so many adventures, and to have been purchased for someone who sees him as “perfect” just as he is. An older audience can appreciate that each penny has worth, and we, as individuals all have worth as well. They can be coached to always remember and appreciate their self-worth, and to look for the value in others. I love this book and its message, and my class had so much fun experiencing it live on stage. Thank you again for coming to our conference, for your generosity towards our mission, and for the reminder that regardless of our differences, we are all perfect.
Dear Deborah, I wanted to take the time out and not only thank you for letting us put on the musical but to tell you how I felt about it. I just wanted to say that I thought the Luckiest Penny musical was amazing. The cast was great and the way it was executed was perfect. I thought David and the cast did a great job preparing for the musical, the boys enthusiasm and great acting skills definitely showed throughout the entire production. I also thought that the music added in by Dr. Hannes made the musical seem more alive and give it more feeling. I also recognized that the setting and stage of the musical was very well organized and put together. Going into the musical, I had an idea of what the setting and stage was going to look like. To be honestly, I was quite nervous because everyone in class w as throwing out different ideas. After seeing it put together, I realized how simple, yet, how creative it was. The stage was set up and put together perfectly, the setting mocked the storyline, and all of the costumes fit each character based on their description. Overall, I really enjoyed watching it and I am excited for it to go on the road for children around this area. Both the story and musical hold such a strong moral concept that should be instilled in all of us.
Deborah, I wanted to express to you again how amazing it was to spend time with you during the conference. From the moment we chatted on Facebook, to us embracing in a hug, I knew this was going to be a special weekend! I’m glad we got to spend some alone time and get to know each other. The play turned out spectacular, but your energy after the play brought tears to my eyes. The excitement you brought to the children was overwhelming! I loved how you asked questions and sang songs with them. I am glad that I got to share the play with Hope and she was able to meet you. It is special to share your book with her. I feel very blessed to have met you and I know we’ll be friends for quite some time! Lots of love and luck, Jennie Kissinger
Dear Deborah Weed, I just would like to take a moment to thank you for sharing your wonderful play, The Luckiest Penny, with our community. It was a joy hearing the words of your play come to life on Sunday, October 23, at the end of the New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference. The dialog between the two pennies was impeccable, and I did indeed have tears in my eyes by the end. The story line can speak to, and is inspiring for all ages. Now is a wonderful time to spread the joy of this play. I can definitely picture, in my head, a full version performance of this play in the future, and I would love to be apart of it. I was informed that we are going to put on a full version of the play in the spring and I can definitely help David with the choreography. I used to dance ballet, jazz, and many other dance forms since I was very young. Getting the word out about this book and the play (most importantly) to middle school and high school students is so important these days, especially with the increase of bulling. Spreading the knowledge of how important self-worth is is very important to motivate and inspire people to do great things. Thank-you again, it was lovely meeting you. I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the future. Warm Regards, Melissa M. Caputo
Dear Deborah, It was such a pleasure to have met you this past weekend ! You are such a sweet person. I had been looking so forward to seeing the performance of The Luckiest Penny ! I was also so happy to be able to share it with my children and my husband. We had read the book prior to the performance and we were so happy to see it done live. The kids were even singing the song PU, PU, whatta ya gonna do? On Monday after the show. I love the message of The Luckiest Penny and think that having it done live is a wonderful way to relay that message. Thanks So much, Shauna Smith
Dear Debra, I wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful experience of meeting you, and allowing the OTA students to share your book with others through music. I was blown away by the wonderful songs, and the beautiful message your book conveys. The question and answer with the children afterwards was delightful. Thanks for a wonderful evening. You are truley gracious for allowing the OTA program to use proceeds to help with CART. Thanks again. Sincerely, Lauren Gleason
Dear Deborah Weed, I want to start off by personally thanking you for allowing the Suny Orange COTA Club to perform “The Luckiest Penny” musical for you as well as our community. “The Luckiest Penny” had a simple yet playful concept, for both kids and adult, to understand. As the play got underway, I saw the children start to sing and dance in their seats and I got excited because you could tell they were enjoying the play, as much as I was. The reactions from the children made the play a success not just for us, the COTA Club, but for you as an author. The fact that you wrote a book that had fun and energetic musical lyrics that corresponded with the emotions of the characters was great. It further explained, to the audience, about how the two pennies were feeling at specific moments in the story. The play was entertaining but at the same time relayed the theme, of self-worth, to the audience. Another thing, that was a phenomenal idea, was to use two young kids as the pennies that way the kids, in the audience, could relate to the characters. Also what impressed me the most was, at the end of the play, you interacted with the children by a question and answer session. You wanting to find out what is truly important to the kids illustrated what type of person you are. You are an amazing, genuine, charismatic person who has a big heart and wants to teach, not only kids but adults, that everyone has self-worth and beauty. An individual’s life experiences shape that individual; that is what makes every person different and just because you do not have the same experiences as the person next to you does not mean you are not beautiful. You are an inspiration to me but also to the people you come in contact with on a day to day basis. I am looking forward to spreading your musical to others in the community who were not able to attend this wonderful production. Thank you again Deborah and I wish you happiness and “luck” in the future. Sincerely, Rachael Skinner
The Luckiest Penny is a terrific childrens book, and becomes so much more with its message! Thumbs up
Thank you so much for a wonderful book. I read it last night to my 6 year old son and he loved it, I had to read it 3 times before he would to go to bed. Great Story!
Debbie, Congratulations on your wonderful website! It's inviting, charming and delightful. I wanted to kick up my heels just like the girl in the picture and order a book right away! I was truly impressed with the thoroughness of data available. Between the write ups. impressive reviews, excitement over an all American Penny Hunt, options to interact in your guestbook, and your gracious statements and possibility to stay connected by joining the Luckiest Penny Club and audio samples, you've got everything covered. I Hope your book makes it to the New York Times Best Seller List for Children's Books. It's a winner!
As a lover and collector of children's books, The Luckiest Penny is sure to endure for generations.
I like the colorfulness of the website. Content is good, too--very nicely written. I love the illustration but would like to see it shirnk enough on the non-home pages so you know you have reached your destination when clicking on other pages (you have to scroll down now to realize you are not on the intended page. Minor point, but that's my 2 pennies worth! Love it, and kudo's for the New York performance, and kudo's to you for getting out your inspirational message.
I LOVE the website!! Not only are the colors and pictures brilliant, but it is so thought provoking...just like the book...and just like YOU...BRILLIANT! And kudos to the musical in New York in October!! You go girl! And the penny hunt...I never give up pennies without checking the year anymore!! You never know... I'm feeling lucky!!
Went through each page and everything seems to be working properly! The colors are bright and happy...just like you!!! I'm intrigued by the "Penny Hunt"...can't wait! I think the site is eye catching and beautifully illustrates what YOU & the book are all about! LOVE IT!
Great, great site! Very inviting. The words are very warm and tender. Your photo is gorgeous, fabulous...beautiful just like you. The bio is impressive. Easy to navigate through. You did a great job, just like you do on everything you set your heart to. Congratulations. Good luck on your upcoming "The Luckiest Penny" production next month in New York. My best wishes to you, Charlotte
I love the website!!! It is fun and so interesting! Is there anything you can't do? I mean you continually take my breath away. I am so proud.
extraordinary impressive impressive fantastic grand I love it!!!!!!!!!
To the shiniest penny of all...may you soar to the stars...You are truly a bright star in this world... May your path be lit with joy always... xox fredda
hi!!!