The Story Behind Bigfoot Bella
How a grandmother's love during a difficult time became an art collection, a children's book series, and a journey into Michigan's forests.
Every Great Story Has a Beginning
During the COVID-19 pandemic, families everywhere searched for new ways to stay connected.
For Karen Houghton Teeter, being apart from her grandchildren was especially difficult. Like many grandparents, she missed the hugs, the laughter, and the adventures they had always shared.
Wanting to bring a little joy into their lives, Karen began creating short videos featuring a gentle Bigfoot named Bella.
Bella wasn't the Bigfoot of legends.
She was kind.
She loved the forest.
She cared for animals.
She discovered hidden treasures.
Most of all, she reminded children that the greatest adventures begin with curiosity and kindness.
Those simple videos quickly became something the grandchildren looked forward to, and although none of us realized it at the time, they marked the beginning of a journey that would grow far beyond our family.
Bella Finds Her Way to the Canvas
After years away from painting, Karen began to feel the desire to create again.
What started as a quiet return to the easel soon brought an old friend back into her imagination.
Bella.
The gentle character who had first appeared in family videos was no longer just part of a story. As Karen painted, Bella began to take shape on canvas for the very first time.
That first painting marked the beginning of a new chapter.
It brought together Karen's love of storytelling, her passion for art, and the character who had already captured the hearts of her grandchildren.
Although Bella's adventures had started on video, she had now found a permanent home in paint.
Karen's first painting
of Bigfoot Bella.
From the Canvas to an Adventure Series
Karen's first painting of Bella marked the beginning of something neither she nor her husband, Denis, had anticipated.
As Bella came to life on canvas, Denis began imagining where her adventures might lead. The gentle character Karen had created for their grandchildren seemed perfectly suited to inspire children everywhere through stories of curiosity, kindness, and discovery.
Working together, they expanded Bella's world beyond the original family videos, transforming her into the central character of an ever-growing series of children's adventures.
Karen brought Bella to life through her imagination and artwork.
Denis built the adventures that allowed Bella to explore Michigan's forests, waterfalls, hidden treasures, wildlife, history, and natural wonders.
Together, they created the Bigfoot Bella Adventure Series—a collaboration that combines art, storytelling, and a love for the outdoors to encourage children and families to discover the remarkable places waiting to be explored.
The Adventure Begins!
The Bigfoot Bella Adventure Series was created to inspire children and families to explore nature, discover history, and appreciate the remarkable places that surround them.
Each adventure combines imagination with real locations, fascinating history, and meaningful lessons about curiosity, kindness, and conservation.
From the very beginning, Karen and Denis wanted these stories to be accessible to as many young readers as possible. That's why every Bigfoot Bella adventure is available in both a Standard Edition and an Easy-to-Read Dyslexia-Friendly Edition, thoughtfully formatted with specialized fonts, spacing, and page layouts that can make reading more comfortable for many children with dyslexia and other reading challenges.
The journey begins with these first three adventures.
Bigfoot Bella and the Hidden Falls
A journey through Michigan's forests where hidden waterfalls, woodland wildlife, and unexpected discoveries remind readers that adventure often begins just beyond the next bend in the trail.
Bella and Jack search Michigan's Upper Peninsula for agates, native copper, greenstone, Yooperlites, and other treasures while discovering that the greatest finds are often the memories made along the way.
Bella and Arya explore Michigan’s ancient Estivant Pines, journeying back through time to discover the story of the towering white pines and learning why these last giants are worth protecting.