Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? is an empowering book written by Mollie Openshaw and illustrated by Linda Phelps.
This inspiring story follows an inquisitive young girl - Mollie's granddaughter and muse for the book - as she grows to understand the values of K.I.D. - Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity. Children will learn how they can embrace their own differences and celebrate the beautiful variety of humanity as a whole - by adopting the K.I.D. values championed in this brilliant book.
Follow along as the impact of this story grows and evolves. You will always find the latest update here at the top of the page, followed by the previous article in chronological order. While this is a sponsored article, the opinions expressed are my own.
JANUARY 2025
Back and Forth
Mollie and I enjoyed our last meeting of the year back at Sweet Bean - where our collaboration started almost a year ago. Here's a look back at Mollie's year as Gam Gam, and what's to come!
-2024-
January - Mollie and I met in person for the first time. Her passion for spreading the message of being kind, including others, and celebrating each other's differences was contagious!
February - The first edition of this article was published, and the word about "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" being more than a book was out!
March - Mollie handed out free copies of her book at 2 Community Resource Room events with Valley Oak Children's Services.
Mollie participated in the Butte County Local Childcare Planning Council's Spring Early Learning Conference: REFUEL TO GO FORWARD as a vendor and made new connections.
Gam Gam and Macaroni KID Chico joined forces for Spring KID Day (We're doing it again in 2025)!
She spent 3 days in Oakland participating in the Child Health, Education, and Care Summit - hosted by First 5 California.
Mollie hosted a Make and Take workshop for care providers through VOCS.
April - Mollie and I both participated in the VOCS Annual Children's Faire and had a wonderful time connecting with the community!
May - Gam Gam went on tour to multiple schools to read her book, do hands-on activities with the kids, and encourage them to accept themselves and others with kindness! She gave a free copy of her book to each elementary school in Chico Unified.
Mollie was featured in an article for Chico Enterprise Record, spreading more awareness of Gam Gam's mission.
Mollie got to be the Keynote Speaker at Valley Oak Children's Services' Provider Appreciation Event at Stoble Coffee.
June - Mollie spent her break from school presentations working behind the scenes by having conversations with leaders of clubs and organizations, getting meetings with people in education, and creating proposals.
July - Mollie created a decorated planter box activity for assisted living facility residents (featuring Dot, Buzzy, and Flutter garden stakes) and presented it to the Oroville Rotary.
August - She gave a free copy of her book to everyone who attended Enloe Health's annual Mother's Stroll event.
September - Mollie presented her Diamond Project at the Region 2 Early Learning Summit PreK-TK Let's ALL Play at Win River Casino in Redding.
She held an interactive read-along, craft, and Author Q&A session over Zoom for Quality Start Los Angeles through one of their agencies, the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles.
October - Mollie presented her Diamond Project workshop at the California Childcare Conference in Sacramento.
She drafted 3 more books, one for each of the critters and their respective values: Dot (kindness), Buzzy (including others), and Flutter (celebrating differences).
November - Mollie delivered twenty copies of her book to VOCS for their Literacy Library, which offers books for parents and children to enjoy.
She also landed her book on the shelves of Made in Chico in time for Christmas Preview downtown. It's a very special place to her, and is even featured in her book!
December - Gam Gam hosted Storytime with Santa at Barnes & Noble, where she read Christmas stories and her own book aloud to the kids - with complementary hot cocoa and candy canes for all. Santa and Mrs. Claus were there to take pictures with the children and find out what was on their wish list.
Mollie collected and delivered over 150 donated items - mostly pajamas, but also pullovers, jackets, sweatshirts, and socks - to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the North Valley for her annual PJ Drive. It was a huge success!
Mollie went through a collection of gifts she purchased back in the day from Woof n Poof and held a Stocking Stuffing gathering. She donated the 30 stockings to Grace Community Church, knowing she could count on them to distribute the stockings to those who needed a boost this holiday season.
What a year!
Looking forward to 2025...
Mollie is working hard on pulling together all the different pieces needed for her YouTube channel Talk with Gam Gam! She will be creating 2 minute videos where she has conversations with kids about kindness, including others, celebrating differences, the Golden Rule, and more values that empower children to accept themselves and others as they are.
She hopes to do more guest speaking, keynote presentations, workshops, and storytimes. Keep an eye out for more family-friendly events in collaboration with Macaroni KID Chico, Valley Oak Children's Services, rotary clubs, and more.
Gam Gam is passionate about spreading her message of K.I.D. values to the young, old, and everyone in between this year! I'm excited and honored to share the adventures to come with you all.
Want your own copy of the #1 book for Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity? Head to amimixed.com to order. *This is not an affiliate link. While I've been compensated for my time in bringing more awareness of Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? to local families with this ongoing article, I am happy to recommend the book to everyone! I genuinely adore it, and I know you will too.
FEBRUARY 2024
Just the Beginning...
I had the privilege of meeting with Mollie and Linda at Sweet Bean Coffee House to hear about some "exciting news" over a delicious Honey Buzz Latte. Before, I had only spoken with Mollie over the phone, back in October when she was getting ready for the Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? Book Release Extravaganza.
She hosted it at the Chico Children's Museum and gave everyone free admission for the whole day, including special activities and face painting! That alone should tell you the kind of heart and energy Mollie has, and the type of person she is. Her event was just what the Macaroni KID calendar needed, and I was happy to spread the word in my newsletter as well. Free events are my favorite!
Over 300 children attended the Book Release Extravaganza event hosted by Mollie Openshaw at Chico Children's Museum
Mollie reached out to me again, in January, to meet her and Linda in person for the first time, and asked me to pick the place. Maybe I should have picked somewhere I'm familiar with, but I'd been dying to try the new Sweet Bean Coffee House my friends have been raving about. Little did I know, Mollie and Linda have been holding meetings there already and are great friends with the owners! It already felt like serendipity.
If there were any nerves going into this meeting, they all dissolved as soon as I walked into Sweet Bean. The coffee house is bright and spacious with an airy botanical feel. I could see everything from the entrance including the happy staff, beautiful decor, abundant seating, where to order, and Mollie and Linda sitting across from each other at a 4-person table, deep in thought, wearing their Am I Mixed t-shirts.
The Honey Buzz Latte was calling my name, and the barista said it's the most popular coffee order. That's all I needed to hear! I was so relieved to get a delicious drink because Sweet Bean already has everything else going for it: square footage, an accessible location with plenty of free parking, a patio with tables and big shady umbrellas, an adorable theme, a well-rounded food menu, and - the best thing of all for us busy mamas - a drive thru!
Sweet Bean Coffee House is located at 3010 Floral Avenue, Suite 135 - at the corner of Floral Avenue and Eaton Road.
Meeting with Mollie and Linda went way better than I'd imagined, and not just because the location exceeded my expectations! As it turns out, I'd already met Linda years ago when she and her family owned Bricks 4 Kidz on Forest Avenue. We both felt a twinge of nostalgia when I pulled up a picture from my son's 6th birthday party in October of 2018.
The Campfire was just 10 days later and ultimately led to the closing of Linda's business and my son's favorite place to play. I'm elated to know Linda is still here in Chico and has a new passion in growing Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? with her great friend, Mollie. Mollie greeted me with a hug and I could tell right away that this was the start of a wonderful, collaborative friendship!
I had adjusted to the new surroundings, gotten my caffeine, met the team, and was ready to hear the exciting news! Or so I thought. I mean, what do most authors do after they've published a book? In my mind the news is going to be another book, another event promoting the book, maybe they want to host an event together for a storytime? Well yes, but that's a small part of bigger things to come.
They've already taken several opportunities to speak about and present the book - which has been well received - and plan to do even more. Their latest big step is getting Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? into Chico classrooms. In fact, right before our meeting, Mollie and Linda had gone to Neal Dow Elementary School to present 12 copies of the book to CUSD Elementary Librarian, Tammy Janos, to be distributed to all of the elementary schools in the Chico Unified School DIstrict.
The big news is bigger, and the main takeaway - Gam Gam, Am I Mixed is more than a book! Mollie and Linda have big plans for elaborating on the characters and themes to create something more immersive. The book is really going to be a tool to spread the values of Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity far and wide!
As Mollie and Linda's ideas and plans become events and programs, Macaroni KID Chico will be here to bring you the latest scoop so you don't miss a thing! Bookmark this page to learn more about how you can get involved and help your children embrace their individuality with K.I.D. values!
My first in-person meeting with Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? Author Mollie Openshaw and Illustrator Linda Phelps. Joined here by Sweet Bean Coffee House owner Ronda Moore.
MARCH
It's All About the Kids
Author Mollie Openshaw is going to keep me busy, y'all! She has big plans - not just for her inspiring book, but for the kids of this community! That's why she's so passionate about collaborating and making connections. As she so eloquently puts it, "It's all about the kids."
Another meeting at Sweet Bean down and my heart (and datebook) is full. We focused on some really special upcoming events we can attend together that you won't want to miss! We even added our own event to the calendar for those of you sticking around for Spring Break! Mollie and I decided to host Spring KID Day at DeGarmo Park the Monday that Spring Break begins. We will bring fun stuff for the kids, coffee for the parents, and cookies for everyone. Let's connect while the kids play and celebrate kindness, inclusion, and diversity - special storytime included!
A KID-centered team wouldn't be the same without the community education, resources, impact, and programs of Valley Oak Children's Services. Mollie and Linda met with them recently in preparation for an upcoming Gam Gam class for providers! "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" Make and Take
At this event, providers will get to make and take finger puppets of characters from the book - Dot the ladybug (Kindness), Buzzy the bee (Inclusion), and Flutter the butterfly (Diversity) - plus a stage, and use them to help children identify kindness and inclusion techniques.
 Image credit: Valley Oaks Children's Services |
Valley Oak Children's Services is hosting their Annual Children's Faire this April in Downtown Chico City Plaza. If you are at all interested in learning about local resources, activities, events, and organizations for kids (of course you are, you're utilizing Macaroni KID Chico!) you will want to be there. The Am I Mixed team and I will be there too! Make sure you stop by our booths and say hello!
Here's a recap of the events I mentioned:
Chico: Spring KID Day
March 18
Chico: "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" Make and Take
March 30
Chico: Annual Children's Faire
April 6
They're all about the kids. Teaching them the virtues of Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity needs to start as soon as possible! You are never too young to learn kindness from a positive role model.
APRIL
Building Momentum
I thought I was busy - as a work-from-home mom with 3 children I probably am, to be fair - but Mollie has put things into perspective. This woman is passionate, driven, and focused!
The month of March was quite the tour for Gam Gam and she is picking up speed in spreading her message of kindness, inclusion, and diversity. You won't believe what she's been up to!
As many of you know, we had our 1st Annual Spring KID Day at DeGarmo Park and it was a huge success! I really enjoyed seeing Mollie in action - introducing herself and her book, meeting and connecting with local families, reading "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" aloud while engaging with the kids - she was in her element!
I am so grateful to have gotten to co-host that event and learn from her example. Thank you Mollie! Special thanks also goes to Vivid Creations Chico for the face painting marathon. And, of course, big thanks to those of you who came and had fun with us! I look forward to doing it all again next year.
Spring KID Day was my only gig, but one stop of many on the trail Mollie is blazing. Just 3 days before, she had been in Sacramento at the California Quality Early Learning (CQEL) Spring Conference to advocate for inclusive classroom and workplace environments with what looks to me like a TEDtalk - PowerPoint and all.
I love the contrast between the professionalism in this Facebook post and the pictures above with her bunny ears! She knows her audience.
Twice in March (before and after Spring KID Day) Mollie and illustrator Linda Phelps signed and handed out copies of their book at Valley Oak Children's Services' Community Resource Rooms. These are monthly events held at multiple VOCS locations across Butte County where parents, educators, and childcare providers can get art supplies, craft kits, and other resources for free! How cool is that? You should go sometime too, and bring the kids. Here's a link for the next one in Chico: Community Resource Room
The same morning as the Resource Room in Chico, Mollie had yet another booth at the Butte County Local Childcare Planning Council's Spring Early Learning Conference: REFUEL TO GO FORWARD. I'm telling you, she's a powerhouse!
Meeting with Mollie in person at Sweet Bean Coffee House just wasn't in the cards this time around. I got the lowdown of her most recent activities over the phone - from Oakland! She spent 3 days there at the Child Health, Education, and Care Summit - hosted by First 5 California, celebrating 25 years - getting her message out there and making connections with leaders in education and childcare.
Mollie will be spending part of her Easter weekend at VOCS for a Make and Take workshop for providers. As you might remember from before, she and Linda have put together a finger-puppet kit teachers can use to demonstrate kindness, inclusion, and diversity for their students, featuring characters from the book like Dot, Buzzy, Flutter, and even Gam Gam herself.
What a month!
While it's all about the kids, Mollie knows that getting her book, and its inspiring message, into the hands and hearts of as many children as possible is going to require getting the word out to the grownups, in more ways than one. Luckily for us visual learners, Linda made an infographic of all the amazing things Gam Gam Am I Mixed has to offer:
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When Mollie told me just a few months ago that this was "more than just a book," I thought I had a pretty good grasp on what she meant. Now, I can see that the big picture is as big as Mollie can make it - she's got momentum, connections, and the most precious motivation!
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Hoping some of her go-go-go might rub off on you? I know I could use some! Don't forget, you can come meet Mollie (and me!) the first Saturday of April at the VOCS Annual Children's Faire! We'll be there together leading a craft, handing out some critters, and spreading the word about both Am I Mixed and Macaroni KID Chico! Dozens of other great local family-friendly resources will be there, too. It's going to be a blast!
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MAY
Gam Gam is On the Go!
The time and energy Mollie has put into getting the word out about "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" is paying off!
Her calendar is filling up with readings in classrooms, keynote speaking opportunities at conferences, interactive activities for clubs, and even a special KID Week coming up!
All of this work is to spread the profound message found in KID values. Mollie has known since the very beginning that her book was going to be a tool for a higher purpose.
Teachers, care providers, administrators, and others in the fields of education and childcare will be well-equipped and inspired to show children how essential it is to be kind, inclusive, and to embrace diversity - in others and in themselves. Children look to us adults to show them the way!
The opportunities Mollie has had so far have gone really well. She's getting requests to return, because this profound message is for everyone!
Mollie has the energy and the tools to engage in meaningful conversations with children, spark their imaginations, and help them feel good about themselves and how they treat others. Gam Gam is in demand!
Has your student come home raving about "Gam Gam Am I Mixed?" yet? I can honestly say mine has! Additional readings are on the calendar to give more kids at her school the opportunity to experience Mollie's powerful message.
Check out how much fun Gam Gam had with the kids at Richvale!
Are you a teacher, PTA/PTO member, administrator, care provider, or concerned parent in the greater Chico area? Do you participate in events, clubs, and conferences with a childhood, family, or education focus?
You can help Mollie inspire even more kids and the adults in their lives! Request a visit at amimixed.com/visits to book Gam Gam for your next storytime, presentation, conference, or club activity!
JULY
Catching Up and Branching Out
We didn't run an article update for June, but I assure you, Mollie is still motivated and passionate about her message of Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity for all. She's been just as busy as ever, and won't be slowing down any time soon!
What was the rest of May like? Mollie covered a lot of ground! She read to all the children at Chico Christian Preschool and shared her book's powerful message with them!
She was featured in the Chico Enterprise Record, spreading awareness about K.I.D. across our community.
Mollie was re-invited to read her story to the kids at Chico Country Day Preschool, inspiring them to love and accept themselves and others exactly as they are.
The next day, Mollie got to be the Keynote Speaker at Valley Oak Children's Services' Provider Appreciation Event at Stoble Coffee. What an honor!
Then she went to Citrus Elementary and read to Ms. Lexi and Ms. Stephanie's first graders and do an activity with them. She has given all the elementary schools in Chico copies of her book, and these teachers even got aprons!
With school out, Mollie saw June as an opportunity to do more work behind the scenes - having conversations with leaders of clubs and organizations, getting meetings with the right people to help spread her message of K.I.D. far and wide!
Mollie is creating proposals and setting up meetings with a company that makes educational materials. She hopes to create K.I.D. Kits with affirmations, conversation starters, plush toys of the characters from her book, and more!
Oroville Rotary has asked her to return on July 29th to do a demonstration of an activity that can be presented to residents of assisted living facilities.
She'll be helping them make decorative planter boxes and reading to them her book, of course! It's an opportunity to share why K.I.D. matters to everyone of all ages.
Coming up in August
You can find Mollie at The Enloe Mothers Stroll Event on August 3rd! She'll be doing a book signing and a reading, plus gifting a PDF version of the book to all attendees! Click the link above to reserve your spot.
Stay tuned for more details about these and other upcoming events with Gam Gam!
On the Horizon
What else is in the works? Oh, just a really cool Podcast for grown ups called Gam Gam Talks! It'll be an opportunity to have adult conversations about her core values - Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity - as well as hear stories and experiences of exclusion and unkindness, and how to navigate life with these types of challenges all around us.
And for the kids - because it is ALL ABOUT THE KIDS! - a YouTube channel is also on the table called Gam Gam Kids. You won't want to miss it!
AUGUST
Making Connections
Did you make it to the annual Enloe Mother's Stroll event on August 3rd? Mollie was there connecting with local moms and had an amazing time! She had the opportunity to read her book to all the families, and it was an extra special storytime because she had two of her students from Butte there to translate her powerful story into Spanish. Each attendee also got a copy of her book to take home for free!
Earlier that same week, she met with Oroville Rotary Club to iron out more details of their collaboration. Together, they will be presenting and distributing 10-20 planter boxes with garden stakes of her characters - Dot, Buzzy, and Flutter - to independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities in the Oroville area. Gam Gam loves connecting generations and engaging with the community! She wants everyone to know that the KID values are for all ages and stages.
Next month Mollie has some really exciting events on her calendar, one in Redding and one for Los Angeles!
On Saturday September 7th, Mollie will be a Presenter at the Region 2 Early Learning Summit PreK-TK Let's ALL Play at Win River Casino in Redding. Kick off the school year with a day of learning, food, and play!
This is another event where every attendee gets a copy of her book! Her presentation is called The Diamond Project - Shining Bright For Every Child, and will include an acrylic "diamond" to take home. It's a reminder for educators, parents, guardians, and care providers to shine bright for the children in their lives!
You'll want to sign up early for this next one. Mollie will be presenting the Read Together, Create Together "Gam Gam Am I Mixed" Read Aloud FREE over Zoom for Quality Start Los Angeles through one of their agencies, the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles. She met them in Oakland at First 5's Child Health, Education, and Care Summit back in March!
I say sign up early because everyone who registers will receive a free copy of her book in advance. During the Zoom call, Mollie will be reading her book aloud, leading a coloring activity, sharing her story of becoming an author, and answering questions. Include your little ones and have their favorite crayons ready! The zoom call will be from 6:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, September 12th.
NOVEMBER
Behind the Scenes
The past two months have been A LOT, personally, and meeting with Mollie during that time just wasn't in the cards. It totally filled my cup to see her smiling face today! I wish I could bottle her bubbly, positive energy and keep it with me to apply as needed.
I really enjoyed hearing about how her events went in September. She attended one in Redding at the Early Learning Summit where she presented her Diamond Project and got a standing ovation! I would have loved to see that. Then she did an interactive read-along over Zoom with the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles. It was a huge success that gave her some new ideas. Whether she's interacting with CEO's, parents, or small children, Mollie can demonstrate the value of her message to anyone!
Mollie is really excited to be delivering twenty of her books to Valley Oak Children's Services. They have a Literacy Library, and Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? will be on the shelves among other lovely books for parents and children soon!
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On October 28, Mollie is presenting her Diamond Project workshop at the California Childcare Conference in Sacramento. Her goal is to encourage educators, care providers, and parents to Shine Bright for Every Child. We're all "diamonds in the rough" that need polishing so we can be our best selves for the children in our lives. The Diamond Project workshop has three parts:
- Shine Check-in - a self-reflection on self care
- Shining Together - how KID values have a ripple effect that starts with individual action
- Diamond Circle - learning from others to strengthen personal growth
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One thing I'll be carrying with me from our meeting is that when things slow down, it's an opportunity to ruminate, reflect, and catch our breath. It's a blessing! Mollie hasn't been doing back-to-back events each weekend like she was in the spring. She's had more time for other Gam Gam related fun, like spending time with her granddaughter Bellah, the inspiration of it all.
On each page of her book, Gam Gam is responding to Bellah's question, "Gam Gam, am I mixed?" with "Yes you are my darling, you are mixed with [__________]" Imagination and wonder, bravery and courage, creativity and passion, a giving heart, etc.
Bellah is starting to display more and more of these attributes as she grows, and Gam Gam is there to witness it. Mollie wants to encourage all of us to take notice of our kids' qualities as they grow and develop into themselves.
Luckily for us, this has also afforded Gam Gam some time to come up with new ideas and adventures for Dot, Buzzy, and Flutter. Three more books - each featuring a critter and their contribution to KID values - are on the way!
Mollie has had more time to reflect on and appreciate the magnitude of the support and encouragement she has received from the community. She loves collaborating, connecting people, and spreading her positive message, and thanks you for reading about her journey as Gam Gam.
DECEMBER
The Holiday Spirit
Mollie has some really special events going on this month, perfect for holiday fun and in the spirit of giving. I'm excited to tell you all the details!
Every year, Gam Gam organizes a Pajama Drive for the Boys & Girls Club of the North Valley, and each year she surpasses her goals. Last year she had a goal of 75 Pajama sets, and the club received 132! Please consider donating new pajamas in sizes 5T all the way up to Adult XXL.
Not only is she collecting pajama donations, but she's also donating 10% of all her "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" book sales from Amazon to the club as well!
Send her a message here to coordinate your PJ drop-off.
I highly recommend bringing your PJ donation with you to Gam Gam's Storytime with Santa on December 14th!
She and Santa will be at Barnes & Noble from 2:00 - 4:00 pm with hot chocolate, candy canes and a special giveaway.
Storytime is at 3:00 pm, and if you haven't heard Mollie read this book aloud to a group of children, you are missing out on pure magic!
If you've seen the book's beautiful pages, you know that it features a lot of Chico locations that are near and dear to Mollie's heart. She was ecstatic to share the news that her book, which features Made in Chico, is now available for sale AT Made in Chico! It's officially her favorite location to sell "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" to her community.
Mollie is so grateful for Made in Chico, all the people who have already purchased her book this holiday season, the opportunity for storytimes and special events, and your pajama donations!
I am grateful for Mollie's friendship, the powerful message of her book, and future collaborations with her. We are in the process of planning more events together, and I look forward to sharing the details with you when they are ready.
As you do your gift shopping this holiday season, consider purchasing a copy of "Gam Gam, Am I Mixed?" for a child in your life from Made in Chico, and support local!
Want your own copy of the #1 book for Kindness, Inclusion, and Diversity? Head to amimixed.com to order. *This is not an affiliate link. While I've been compensated for my time in bringing more awareness of Gam Gam, Am I Mixed? to local families with this ongoing article, I am happy to recommend the book to everyone! I genuinely adore it, and I know you will too.
