Wessington Springs, SD – 6th Nov, 2026: Author Susan Olson today announced the pre-launch of Hope and Faith: Park Adventures, a gentle picture book that follows two puppy friends on a day at the park, spotting colors, animals and small surprises along the way. The release date and formats will be announced soon. Families can sign up for early news at the official pre-launch site.
The story opens with a question every parent knows: Hope asks, “Can we go to the park?” Faith says yes, and off they go. On the way they spot a yellow butterfly, play with a red ball, and watch a blue bird. By the pond, a big green frog jumps high, and the two friends play with it before moving on to orange and purple flowers. On the walk home they meet a brown squirrel, and the day ends with two tired, happy friends saying “Good night!”
Short, rhythmic sentences and a clear color in nearly every scene make the book a natural fit for read-aloud time. Young children can point out colors and animals, predict what comes next, and join in on repeated phrases, while early readers can build confidence on simple, familiar words.
“I wrote this book for little ones who are just learning to read, and for the grown-ups reading beside them,” said Olsen. “Hope and Faith are based on my own little dogs, and I wanted every page to feel like a happy walk to the park, with colors and friendly animals to spot along the way. If a child finishes the book feeling proud that they could read it, I’ve done my job.” — Susan Olson
The official pre-launch site is live at www.SusanPowellOlsonbooks.com. It features a “Coming Soon” announcement, highlights from the book’s colorful moments, and a newsletter signup for families who want release news.
About the Book
Hope and Faith: Park Adventures is a picture book for ages 2–6 about two puppy friends and a day outdoors. It encourages color recognition, curiosity about nature, and a love of shared storytime.
About the Author
Susan Powell-Olson was born and raised on a South Dakota farm, where as a child she used her imagination to play and have fun. She struggled with reading at an early age and discovered as an adult that she has mild dyslexia. Today she is passionate about creative writing, storytelling and helping young learners read. She uses sight words and basic colors in her stories to help build a child’s foundation in vocabulary, while keeping each story colorful and fun enough to hold children’s attention.