# Laura Stack on *Howie the Unusual Bear*: Courage, Friendship, Inclusion, and Embracing What Makes You Different

Laura Stack on Howie the Unusual Bear: Courage, Friendship, Inclusion, and Embracing What Makes You DifferentIn this episode of The Neil Haley Show, presented with support from Books to Life Marketing, Neil “The Media Giant” Haley welcomes educator and bestselling children’s author Laura Stack to discuss Howie the Unusual Bear: The Heartwarming Journey of Courage, Friendship, Embracing What Makes You Different. Drawing on a lifetime in education, Stack created Howie to show children that being different is not something to hide—it can become a strength.Stack spent much of her career as a special education teacher, helping students with learning disabilities succeed in traditional classrooms. After retirement, she moved to the mountains but never truly stopped teaching. She continues substitute teaching from kindergarten through high school while enjoying hiking, skiing, her animals, boating, and an adventurous lifestyle.Writing has been part of her life since childhood. When she was bored, Stack would research animals, plants, and other subjects and create her own books. Retirement finally gave her the opportunity to turn that lifelong interest into published work.Howie the Unusual Bear grew directly from what Stack continues to see in schools. Today’s classrooms are filled with children expressing themselves in many different ways. Stack wanted a story encouraging young people to accept who they are rather than changing themselves simply to satisfy somebody else’s expectations.Howie is not an average bear.Instead of allowing isolation to define him, he builds his own log cabin, grows a garden, creates a library, snowboards, and develops friendships with the animals around him. He creates a life that makes him happy while still hoping to find someone who truly understands him.Stack says she can personally relate to Howie. As a child, she was not always part of the popular crowd and sometimes had to entertain herself. Those periods helped develop her creativity and love of writing.For Stack, the book’s message goes beyond simply telling children to “be nice.” She believes learning to respect differences is an important part of emotional development. When children feel accepted, they can focus more on learning rather than worrying that their appearance, interests, personalities, or differences will make them targets.The conversation also addresses bullying. Stack believes unfamiliarity can sometimes create fear and exclusion. Her goal is to encourage children to replace that fear with curiosity, understanding, friendship, and respect.Friendship is another important part of Howie’s journey. He discovers that connection does not require everyone to be the same. Stack says teachers can help create those relationships by encouraging compassionate students to include classmates who may otherwise feel isolated.Neil and Stack also discuss the importance of dreams.Her earlier children’s book, Once Upon a Boy, follows a lonely child whose wishes begin coming true. The story ultimately becomes a lesson about believing dreams are possible while also understanding that achieving meaningful goals requires effort.Stack has tried to live that principle herself. She dreamed of retiring in the mountains, traveling, owning a boat, and becoming a writer—and eventually created that life. Her adventurous side has even taken her skydiving and swimming with sharks.She and Neil agree that children should not be limited simply because they do not fit neatly into traditional academic expectations. Some students may thrive in college, while others may discover their future through trades, technology, art, woodworking, automotive work, photography, or other skills.The important thing is helping young people discover what they can do instead of defining them by what they struggle to do.Their conversation also turns to the changing classroom. Neil and Stack discuss AI and the possibility of using technology to personalize education for individual...