Founder
Amanda Leemis
My name is Amanda, and I have a General Studies degree with minors in Dance and Religious Studies from Indiana University. I spent eight years as a professional model based in New York City before shifting my focus to early childhood education. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with preschoolers in Vietnam, South Africa, and across the U.S.—experiences that have deeply shaped my passion for helping young children learn and grow.
I love using my illustration skills to create fun, engaging activities that spark curiosity in little learners. My artwork has been featured in exhibitions throughout New York, including Greenpoint Gallery, Van Der Plas Gallery, and Coney Island Brewery. Whether I’m teaching in a classroom, volunteering in Sunday school, or playing with my nieces and nephews, I find so much joy in watching children discover new skills and expand their love of learning.
amanda [at] thehollydogblog [dot] com
Hollydog LLC
4466 Elvis Presley Blvd
Ste 103 #3024
Memphis, TN 38116
2025 Engaging Early Learning Summit
In June, 2024 I had the pleasure of speaking to the students at Oriole Park Elementary School in Wyoming, MI about the art of illustration and storytelling.
Hollydog’s Youtube is HERE!
Join Ms. Charise & Hollydog as they discover new things about the alphabet, colors, and shapes! Check out our brand new Hollydog puppet created by Blank Puppets! Our goal is to create an entire library of videos that are perfect for preschool!
My Hollydog Coloring Book!
We are beyond excited to have published our first ever coloring book! Break out the markers and crayons to color in 40 illustrations of the magical world of Hollydog.
Lead Contributor
Claire Law
Claire Law is our fantastic Lead Contributor covering a range of preschool topics including self-esteem, social/emotional learning, and fostering creativity. Claire has a background of almost 20 years of teaching experience. She now works as a relational psychotherapist, writer and trainer. Claire is passionate about supporting children’s and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Author
Charise Leemis
Charise Leemis is our Outreach Coordinator, plus my wonderful mom! Each year she engages with Project Night Night and puts together Hollydog bags for the shelter. She has a bachelors of arts from Wheaton College and has been teaching toddlers through 4-year-olds for the past 12 years. She currently works with ages 2-3 at St. Agnes Academy- St. Dominic School in Memphis, TN.
She’s amazing! Check her out: Women Making History
Holly-What?
Who is Hollydog?
Hollydog came into being when she was most needed, during the pandemic! Hollydog features in our books as a fun-loving, yet nervous dog. While sometimes things may frighten this puppy, it doesn’t stop her from building courage and sticking beside her best friends.
Remote learning for 3-5 year-olds seemed impossible during the pandemic, but my mom was determined to keep her little ones learning during that difficult time. She had me illustrate simple worksheets that she could copy and print to send home in take-home packets.
I decided to expand my reach by starting a website. I soon learned that more and more people were printing my worksheets. Creating free resources that build fine motor skills and boost creativity is my passion. Hollydog is the official mascot of the site!
For your convenience this post contains affiliate links.
I am an affiliate of Bookshop, Etsy, and Amazon which means when you purchase an item through a link on my site, I take a commission of that sale.
If you have questions about how to print our worksheets, or what software works best with our printables, see our Hollydog FAQ Page.