Characters from Bella’s World, The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed, and Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt

What is she really good at? Drawing amazing pictures (especially butterflies and flowers), solving problems, helping others, learning about nature, astronomy, and different cultures, baking with guidance, and being a loyal friend.

What does she love most? Drawing, butterflies, art supplies, butterfly gardens, Grandma Yetta’s hugs, everything purple, magical adventures, learning new things, helping friends, and bringing people together.

Her favorite color: Purple.

Her special job: She’s a Key Keeper. That means she protects a key that opens a door between our world and a world of magic where the domovoi live.

Her greatest strength: Her kindness and willingness to help others for no other reason then it’s the right thing to do.

Books she’s in: ALL 10 Bella Brown books – she’s the main character of the entire series.

Fun stuff about Bella:

• Her room gets SO messy she has to jump over clothes mountains.
• She draws thank-you pictures for people she loves.
• When her room is clean, she can run without tripping over toys.
• She has a magical butterfly locket that glows when magic is near.
• She can sweep up messes faster than you can say “Lickity-split-ala-ka-boom.”
• She’s been on amazing butterfly adventures around the world with Grandma Yetta.
• She overcame her fear of bees and learned to love them.
• She knows amazing facts about dragonflies and the moon.
• She loves learning about different holiday traditions from around the world.
• She’s not the fastest runner, but she has the biggest heart.
• She always stops to help others, even in the middle of a race.
• She turns conflicts into friendships through understanding.
• She makes the best cookies when she follows directions.
• She knows that the best finish line is the one you cross together.

Bella’s wisdom:

• “Drawing is fun and easy, but cleaning my room is hard.”
• “Friends matter more than finishing first.”
• “Sometimes the best finish line is the one you cross together.”
• “Like the bees we’re helping—each small act combined makes something amazing.”

What makes Bella special: She always chooses kindness over winning, learning over knowing, and helping others over helping herself. She’s a true friend who brings out the best in everyone around her.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Messier Than Messy Room, Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket, Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm. (Note: Mom does not appear in Books 4-10 of the Bella Brown series)

(Note: A different character named “Bella” appears as Billy’s sister in “The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed,” and their mother is heard but not seen in that book. Readers may decide for themselves whether these are the same characters or different people who happen to share the same names.)

Fun stuff about Mom:

• She takes pictures of special moments.
• She says “Wow!” when you do something amazing.
• She keeps her promises about fun trips.

What Mom says: “You really earned your trip to the butterfly garden.”

What makes her special? She can help you do anything by breaking it into tiny pieces, and she knows about magic and folklore. She also looks great in purple.

Why kids love her: She always knows what to say to make you feel brave and happy, plus she tells the best magical stories. She even thinks being painted purple is fun.

Her special secret: She used to be a Key Keeper too when she was young.

Her style: She loves wearing purple clothes like aubergine shawls and has natural purple hair.

Books she’s in: ALL 10 Bella Brown books – she appears in every single book in the series.

Fun stuff about Grandma:

• She calls Bella “Bubalah” (that means sweetheart).
• She gives the BEST hugs ever.
• She tells the best bedtime stories.
• She makes yummy treats that tasted like love.
• She met Papa Pip when she was Bella’s age.
• She has a cozy cottage with a beautiful butterfly garden.
• She creates and designs butterfly gardens around the world for the Lavender and Roses Society.
• She makes the best hot cocoa.
• She knows Bella’s favorite treats are purple-frosted cupcakes.
• She thinks being covered in purple paint actually suits her.
• She wears lavender perfume and aubergine shawls.

What Grandma teaches: Big jobs are easy when you do them one step at a time, and magic often hides in plain sight.

What makes him special? He’s open to making friends with creatures most people would find scary, and he’s willing to change his behavior when he realizes it’s affecting others.

His challenges: Keeping his room clean, not taking his sister’s things, and not sneaking cookies from the kitchen.

Books he’s in: The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed.

Fun stuff about Billy:

• He snores with loud “ZZZZZZzzzzzz” sounds that can blow monsters off beds.
• He bounces on his bed making “SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK” sounds.
• He’s always dropping his crayons, puzzle pieces, and his other toys.
• He sneaks cookies and giggles about not getting caught.
• He learns to apologize when he’s wrong.
• He keeps his promise about cleaning his room.

Billy’s growth: He learns that actions have consequences, that it’s better not to keep secrets from parents, and that sharing space means being considerate of others.

What Billy teaches: Sometimes the bravest thing is admitting when you’re wrong and making changes to be kinder to others.

What’s he like? Friendly, loyal, and always watching out for Bella. He’s the smallest in his domovoi family, but he has a big heart. He gets nervous and giggly sometimes. He LOVES making surprises for his friends, even when it causes trouble.

His special job: Keeping Bella’s house and family safe and happy.

His magic power: Shape shifting. He can change into different things, but sometimes he struggles to keep a shape or gets stuck. Like the time he tried to turn into an eagle, and turned into a dancing chicken for three days instead. And his mom appreciated all the eggs.

What makes him special? Even though he’s the littlest domovoi and his magic is still wobbly, he might become the BEST shape shifter ever.

What’s in his treasure bag: Candies that sparkle like gems, trinkets that shine brighter than fireflies, buttons, coins, and the sparkliest stardust of all.

Where does he live? Pip lives behind the stove like most domovoi, but he also travels back and forth to Dom, the magical domovoi world.

Books he’s in: ALL 12 of J.W. Zarek’s picture books – he appears in every single book either as a main character or hidden in background illustrations.

Bella Brown Series appearances:

• Books 1-3: Hidden in background illustrations
• Books 4-8: Main character
• Books 9-10: Hidden in background illustrations

Standalone book appearances:

• Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt (main protagonist)
• The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed (hidden in background illustrations)

Fun stuff about Pip:

• He’s the runt (smallest one) of his domovoi clan.
• His shape shifting gets mixed up sometimes, but he keeps trying.
• He makes tiny sneezes that echo from the fireplace.
• Papa Pip taught him to always keep the house neat and never leave a mess.
• His blue hair gets sad and turns periwinkle when he’s worried.
• He sometimes “borrows” things from Papa Pip’s magic shed without asking first.
• He knows Bella’s favorite color is purple and her favorite treats are purple-frosted cupcakes.
• He can tip-toe so quietly you can barely hear him.
• He appears in ALL of J. W. Zarek’s picture books.
• He’s always nearby, even when Bella doesn’t see him.
• He’s magic, but he’s also Bella’s friend.
• Kids who spot him have super-amazing eyes.
• In domovoi folklore, house spirits are heard more than seen – that’s why Pip loves to play hide and seek.
• His hugs feel warm as sunbeams.

Pip says: “The best gifts come from knowing what lights up someone’s heart.”

Your challenge: Look for Pip hiding in every Bella Brown book.

What is he like? Protective of his friends, organized, and surprisingly brave when it comes to defending his home. He’s the natural leader of his little under-bed family. He values order and cleanliness, and takes pride in creating a cozy home from lost items.

What makes him special? He can transform a chaotic collection of lost objects into a beautiful, organized home. He’s also surprisingly understanding and willing to see the good in others, even when they seem scary at first.

His special home: Fred has created a masterfully repurposed collection of lost items: chairs crafted from mismatched socks, bookshelves constructed from popsicle sticks, and tiny treasures like buttons and coins displayed like priceless artifacts.

What he believes: “Everything has its perfect place,” and that even the scariest situations can be solved through understanding and friendship.

Why kids love him: He shows that being different doesn’t mean being scary, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is try to understand someone who seems frightening.

Books he’s in: The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed (main character).

Fun stuff about Fred:

• He’s lived under the bed “forever and a day.”
• He arranges lost items in the most beautiful, organized ways.
• He gets genuinely upset by messes and disorder.
• He can climb beds like a mountain climber.
• He’s surprisingly light on his feet despite his size.
• He makes friends by sharing cookies.
• He gives wise advice about not keeping secrets from parents.
• He discovers that all monsters aren’t always monsters after all.

Fred’s wisdom:

• “The things I do for those lovable dust bunnies.”
• “Monsters aren’t always monsters after all.”

What makes Fred special: He teaches us that understanding and kindness can turn enemies into friends, and that sometimes the person you’re afraid of is just as afraid of you.

What makes him special? He has a magical key that protects the whole domovoi world, plus lots of other magical tools in his special shed.

His magical items: A magic paint roller brush that glows with violet light and can paint OR unpaint things, plus many other enchanted tools.

Why he’s important: His key keeps the doors between worlds safe from danger, and he teaches Pip important lessons about responsibility.

What he teaches: Always ask before taking things, fix your mistakes, and learn from them.

Books he’s in: Bella Brown Meets Pip the Domovoi, Bella Brown—Pip’s Perfect Purple Present, and Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun facts about Papa Pip:

• Grandma Yetta met him when she was 8 years old.
• He taught Pip to always keep the house neat and never leave a mess.
• His magical key is tiny but incredibly powerful.
• He trusted Pip with his most important treasure.
• He has a magical tool shed filled with enchanted items.
• He can appear and disappear in silver starlight.
• He knows that the best gifts come from knowing what makes someone happy.
• He’s proud of Pip when he fixes his mistakes and learns from them.

His special job: Leading dragonflies to protect the magical crystal at Earth’s core.

Why he’s important: He helps Bella on her most dangerous Key Keeper mission yet.

What he knows: Dragonflies have been protecting magic for over 300 million years.

Books he’s in: Bella Brown—Dragonfly-Dragonfly-Dragonfly.

Fun stuff about Zephyr:

• He can fly backward, forward, up, down, and hover like a helicopter.
• He knows that dragonfly wings can channel crystal magic.
• He gives Bella the silver whistle that can heal crystals.
• He calls Bella “young Key Keeper” with respect.
• He helps coordinate all the dragonflies to work together.
• He’s patient with nervous passengers like Bella and Pip.

What Zephyr teaches: Even the smallest creatures can make the biggest difference when they work together.

Fun facts about Alkonost:

• She announces the quest for the Sword Kladenets.
• Her song brings such happiness that listeners forget all troubles.
• In Slavic folklore, she represents JOY in the famous “Birds of Joy and Sorrow.”

Fun facts about Firebird:

• She announces the quest to secure her own magical feather.
• Her feathers are so hot they can melt stone.
• In Slavic folklore, the Firebird brings both blessing and trials.

Fun facts about Gamayun:

• She announces the quest to harmonize the Self-Playing Gusli.
• Her crown is made of living constellations.
• In Slavic folklore, she knows all secrets from creation to heroes’ fates.

• She announces the quest to master the Magic Tablecloth.
• Her realm exists between dimensions where reality constantly shifts.
• In Slavic folklore, she represents SORROW in the “Birds of Joy and Sorrow.”

Her powers: Controls weather and storms, sees across all time.

Books she’s in: Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun facts about Stratim-bird:

• Her wings contain actual ocean storms.
• One movement of her wing can create huge waves in the sea.
• She announces both the beginning and the ultimate final quest.
• In Slavic folklore, she’s the assistant to Stribog, the wind god.

His magical abilities: Earth magic – can lift heavy objects, create barriers, and control stone and soil.

What he learns: “I’m strong, but together we’re strongest.”

Books he’s in: Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun stuff about Boris:

• He boasts “Earth Clan strength will crush our competition.”
• He can lift massive stones but learns to use his strength to help rather than dominate.
• He keeps things steady when others provide the finesse.
• He laughs with relief when everyone’s hair stays safe from frizzing.
• He takes big bites of odd-shaped bread and enjoys simple pleasures.
• He watches his barriers turn to glass when magic gets too hot.
• He plants his feet firmly when the team needs stability.

Boris says: “Our clans will be so proud” and “Everyone’s hair is safe.”

What he learns: “I open fewer weird portals thanks to you guys.”

Books he’s in: Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun stuff about Cosmos:

• He states “Dimensional Clan magic reaches beyond worlds.”
• He can find when objects were placed and sync the team up.
• He opens precise portals and can find ice when needed.
• He sometimes accidentally opens portals to clowns.
• He forms a steeple with his fingers when thinking.
• He presses his fingertips together when concentrating.
• He can find “when” things happened in time.

Cosmos says: “I see possibilities you cannot imagine” and “It’ll be interesting.”

What he learns: His friends “keep me from getting distracted so much.”

Books he’s in: Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun stuff about Dash:

• He boasts “I’ll fly circles around you all.”
• He lightens objects to make them easier to move.
• He provides cooling breezes and food delivery services.
• He shudders at the thought of embarrassing dances.
• He grins when knowing no embarrassing dances will happen.
• He makes whirlwinds when he’s happy and relaxed.
• His “hurricane breeze” can sometimes be too powerful.

Dash says: “Air Clan speed beats everything” and “Think we’ll still be teammates? Forever.”

What he learns: “I don’t burn things as much when we work together.”

Books he’s in: Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt.

Fun stuff about Flint:

• He proclaims “Fire Clan power burns brightest.”
• He can warm metal and provide just the right amount of light.
• His fire can get “way hotter than expected” when he’s not careful.
• He volunteers to make things “just right” temperature-wise.
• He motions like an airplane diving when talking about crashes.
• He smirks when talking about his improved fire control.
• He provides heating for cooking and comfort.

Flint says: “We light the way to victory” and “As long as we don’t crash and burn… again, we’ll smoke the other teams.”

What is he like? Bold, protective, and always ready to stand up for his friends. He tries to be the tough guy but has a soft heart underneath. He’s the first to suggest that maybe Billy isn’t really attacking them.

What makes him special? Despite being made of dust, he has the heart of a lion and isn’t afraid to face danger to protect his family.

Books he’s in: The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed.

Fun stuff about Brutus:

• He swears in made-up words like “Fraggle-Frick-Frock.”
• He can hold cookies that look massive compared to his size.
• He mimics Fred’s posture when trying to look tough.
• He’s the first to suggest giving Billy a chance.
• He enjoys and eats cookies with “crumb-covered grins.”

Brutus says: “Maybe this Billy isn’t attacking us. Maybe it doesn’t even know we’re here. Perhaps we could learn to share this space.”

What is he like? Perfectionist, germophobe, but incredibly loyal to his friends. He’s constantly trying to clean and organize everything around him, even in moments of crisis.

What makes him special? He can find order in chaos and helps everyone stay organized. He’s also surprisingly wise about making peace with others.

Books he’s in: The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed.

Fun stuff about Ted:

• He wears bright yellow cleaning rubber gloves at all times.
• He arranges cookie pieces in precise patterns before eating.
• He obsessively dusts himself when nervous.
• He meticulously removes chocolate chips to eat separately.
• He straightens cookie crumbs into neat lines.
• He gets genuinely distressed when his tail gets stained.

Ted says: “Everything has its perfect place” and “My tail’s stained red and my foot hurts.”

What the dust bunnies teach together: Even the smallest friends can be the bravest when they stick together, and friendship means different personalities working as a team.

What makes him special? His cautious nature often helps the group avoid danger, and his questions help everyone think more clearly about situations.

Books he’s in: The Stomp-Clomp-Clump Monster Above the Bed.

Fun stuff about Gunnar:

• His glasses get fogged whenever he’s over-anxious.
• He practically dissolves into trembling when really scared.
• He nibbles cautiously at cookie edges.
• He calculates multiple escape routes when meeting new people.
• He dangles from spider webs trying to avoid sticky puddles.

Gunnar says: “What if it eats dust bunnies?” and “How’s this both sticky and slippery?”

What makes her special? She knows wonderful stories about Christkind and the Three Kings, and she’s great at making connections between different cultures’ traditions.

Her Christmas traditions: Christkind (the angel-child who brings gifts) and the Three Kings (Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar) who follow the star.

What she teaches others: How traditions from different countries can share the same beautiful spirit, and how Christkind and the Three Kings connect to other gift-giving traditions.

Why kids love her: She tells amazing stories about angel-children floating through windows and wise kings following stars across continents.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Candy Cane Curfuffle and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Elena:

• She knows that Christkind is an angel-child with golden hair and sparkling wings.
• She can trace the Three Kings’ journey from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• She understands how her traditions connect to her friend’s Marcus’s Santa stories.
• She helps make beautiful costumes and crowns for the parade.
• She’s generous with her craft supplies and helps classmates.
• She throws golden stars from her treasure box during the parade.

Elena says: “The three kings brought the first real treasures.”

Her Christmas traditions: The Christmas Witches – La Befana from Italy, Frau Perchta from the Alps, Frau Holle from Germany, and Ded Moroz from Russia.

What she teaches others: How winter magic comes in many forms, and how wise, powerful helpers can be just as wonderful as traditional gift-givers.

Why kids love her: She makes magic feel real and exciting, and she shows that powerful doesn’t mean scary – it means helpful and wise.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Candy Cane Curfuffle and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Emma:

• She knows that Christmas witches are wise winter guardians, not scary figures.
• She can tell stories about La Befana flying on her magical broom following the Three Kings’ star.
• She loves how Frau Perchta and Frau Holle bring winter’s beauty with their magic.
• She understands that Ded Moroz works with his granddaughter Snegurochka.
• She’s generous with craft supplies and helps Bella with costume materials.
• Her cape swirls with winter magic during the parade.
• She learns that all traditions teach kindness and wisdom.

Emma says: “Christmas witches command winter itself.”

What is he really good at? Remembering amazing space facts, making astronomy exciting for everyone, and knowing all about Santa’s history from Saint Nicholas.

What he loves: Everything about space, reading space books, learning about astronauts, watching the stars with his friends, and celebrating Christmas with Santa Claus traditions.

His Christmas tradition: Santa Claus – he knows all about how Santa started as Saint Nicholas and loves the magic of Christmas giving.

Why kids love him: He makes space feel accessible and exciting, he always has the coolest space facts to share, and he’s generous about helping others learn about his favorite traditions.

Books he’s in: Bella Brown’s Ten-Moon Mysteries, Bella Brown’s Candy Cane Curfuffle, and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Marcus:

• He wears glow-in-the-dark star pajamas that shimmer in moonlight.
• He knows that Apollo astronauts called the moon “brownish-grey” up close.
• He loves studying star charts and moon rock models.
• He brings space books on their camping adventures.
• He knows that real moon dust smells like fireworks.
• His grandpa taught him that meeting someone special happens “once in a blue moon.”
• He can explain how Santa evolved from Saint Nicholas to modern-day gift-giver.
• He helps his friend Elena understand Santa’s connection to her Three Kings tradition.
• He learns that different traditions can share the same spirit of giving.

Marcus says: “Santa brings presents to everyone.”

Her teaching style: Patient, inclusive, and focused on celebrating diversity while finding common ground.

Why kids love her: She makes everyone feel valued and helps them see how their different backgrounds make the classroom more interesting.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Candy Cane Curfuffle and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Ms. Kringle:

• Her name connects to Christmas/winter traditions, making her perfect for holiday stories.
• She organizes inclusive celebrations that honor all students’ backgrounds.
• She knows when to step back and let students teach each other.
• She provides art supplies and supports creative projects.
• She celebrates students’ learning and growth.
• She creates safe spaces for sharing and understanding.

Ms. Kringle says: “Each of you will share holiday traditions on our float.”

What is she really good at? Explaining scientific things in ways that make sense, like how eclipses work and why the moon changes colors.

What she loves: Learning about astronomy, sketching what she sees, taking careful notes, and sharing cool facts with her friends.

Why kids love her: She makes science fun and easy to understand, and she never makes anyone feel silly for not knowing something.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Ten-Moon Mysteries and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Sophie:

• She wears glasses that reflect all the different moon colors beautifully.
• She can explain complicated things like lunar eclipses and atmospheric effects.
• She loves drawing crooked moon sketches and learned that magic isn’t in perfect lines.
• She keeps detailed notes in their moon journal.
• She gets excited about rare astronomical events.
• She knows that the moon appears silver because of how sunlight reflects off its rocky surface.

Sophie says: “Each moon color tells its own story.”

What makes him special? He knows EVERYTHING about bees and loves sharing cool bee facts.

Why kids love him: He understands when you’re nervous and helps you feel brave.

Books he’s in: Bella Brown Visits a Bee Farm and Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Farmer Joe:

• He calls his farm “bee paradise”.
• He teaches kids that honey is really bee vomit (but in a fun way.).
• He knows that bees do a wiggle dance to talk to each other.
• He’s super patient with scared kids like Bella.
• He makes learning about bees exciting instead of scary.

What Farmer Joe teaches: Bees are amazing helpers, not scary monsters.

What happens to him: He gets chased up a tree by a tiny chihuahua named Spartacus who thinks he’s a real turkey hot dog.

Why he’s important: He shows how Bella’s helpfulness extends to everyone, even in the most ridiculous situations.

His funny predicament: Dangling from a tree while a tiny dog barks at him, thinking he’s actually food.

Books he’s in: Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Nikolai:

• His turkey hot dog costume is so realistic it fools a small dog.
• He gets stuck in a tree in one of the funniest scenes in the book.
• He’s worried about making Bella come in last, showing he cares about others.
• He’s part of the final celebration with all the helped runners.
• His costume includes detailed mustard and ketchup accessories.
• He apologizes for potentially making Bella finish last, showing his consideration.

Nikolai says: “Sorry, we might end up last” and “Thanks, Bella.”

What he shows us: Sometimes the silliest situations require the biggest help, and there’s no embarrassment in needing rescue.

What happens to her: She trips during the race and her costume gets twisted, but Bella stops to help her.

Why she’s important: She’s the first person Bella helps during the race, showing Bella’s natural kindness even when it means falling behind.

What Bella teaches her: A special double-knot technique that Mom taught Bella – one that never comes apart.

Books she’s in: Bella Brown’s Turkey Trot Tizzy.

Fun stuff about Sarah:

• She wears a creative green bean costume for the charity race.
• She gets tears in her eyes when she’s hurt, but bounces back quickly.
• She’s grateful for help and doesn’t take Bella’s kindness for granted.
• She gets right back into the race after Bella helps her.
• She’s part of the group that celebrates together at the end.

Sarah says: “Thanks, Bella!” (with a big smile).

What she shows us: Sometimes we all need a helping hand, and it’s okay to accept kindness from others.

Why he’s scary: He’s immortal, which means he’s been trying to get domovoi magic for a very, very long time. His dark magic spreads into our world too.

What he does: He tries to break into the domovoi world when it’s not protected by Papa Pip’s key, and he cracks the magical crystal that protects both worlds.

Why this matters: This is why Papa Pip’s key is so important – it keeps Sinti out and protects all the domovoi. Now Bella has to fix the damage he’s caused.

Books he appears in:

Bella Brown Series:

• Bella Brown Meets Pip the Domovoi (Book 4) – mentioned as threat but not shown
• Bella Brown—Dragonfly-Dragonfly-Dragonfly (Book 5) – mentioned as threat but not shown

Standalone Books:

• Pip’s Epic Treasure Hunt – appears as main antagonist (actually shown in the story)