Wanda Cavaliere, Creator of Nicky Moonbeam is a former elementary school principal and teacher. She created Nicky Moonbeam, The Man in the Moon as a child of seven. As a child, Wanda was afraid of the dark. To calm her fears, her father, Edward Clifford Askins, told Wanda and her twin, Fonda that God hung the moon, "as a Night Light in the Sky" for all the "children of the world." After all the children were in bed, The Man in the Moon would stretch his long moonbeam arms around the earth to give each child a hug before they crossed into dreamland whispering, "DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK." Wanda holds a B.S. degree in History, Political Science, and Sociology from Austin Peay State University. She received scholarships to work on her Master's degree at Kent State University and Middle Tennessee State University with emphasis in Early Childhood Curriculum and Special Education. Wanda was selected as an Outstanding Young Women of America, 1980, and prior in l976 for her contributions to children, and in l971, selected as an Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America. Nicky Moonbeam Saves Christmas is the first in the series of, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark! Currently, Wanda is a National Sales Director in the Pharmaceutical and Human Nutrition industry. Wanda and her husband, Chris live in Mission Viejo, CA with their two Greyhounds.
