In The Jade Palace: Saving Mother Turtle, readers enter an enchanted coastal kingdom where two young princes discover they can read secret messages written by the ocean — messages invisible to everyone else. When the tide leaves behind a mysterious call for help, the brothers step beyond the safety of palace walls and into the wider world, where they must protect a mother turtle in danger. Along the way, they learn that true leadership is not about power, but about empathy, responsibility, and listening to those who cannot speak for themselves.

Featuring vibrant illustrations by Daris Bleu, this thoughtfully told fantasy blends adventure with environmental awareness and gentle moral reflection. Ideal for libraries and families alike, the book invites young readers to consider stewardship of nature, kindness, and courage in the face of uncertainty.

But The Jade Palace began long before it became a children’s book.

Author Lisabeth Donohue describes publishing a story as an act of vulnerability — sharing not only imagination, but lived experience. During some of the most difficult years of her life, navigating breast cancer alongside her mother, the Jade Palace became a deeply personal sanctuary. It was a place of meaning and stillness when real-world headlines felt overwhelming. The ocean, steady and constant, offered reassurance: no matter what happens in our world, the tide goes in, and the tide goes out.

Lisabeth first wrote about this sanctuary in handmade journals gifted by close friends. The words were reflective, private, and filled with hope. Last Christmas, she decided to shape those reflections into a story for her grandsons — a tale that honors family, brotherhood, mateship, and care for the world around us.

She describes the book as an act of Kintsugi — repairing brokenness with golden seams. In this case, those seams are golden words and golden pictures. The result is a story born from struggle, resilience, and love — one that seeks to offer young readers comfort, inspiration, and a reminder that even in difficult seasons, sanctuary can be found.

The Jade Palace: Saving Mother Turtle is available on Amazon and other major online retailers.