by Joseph Coelho
illustrated by Robyn Wilson-Owen
 
Everyone thinks the protagonist of this story is shy, quiet, still. But, she insists, she can talk “the stars out of the milky way”, “orchestrate the stampede of sea storms” and “run riot”. When she wants to. But, she explains to her dad, That was the “before-I-was-sad me”; she doesn’t feel like being or doIng those things anymore. Will talking things out help her feel differently? 
 
As lyrical a text as you would expect form our current (2024) Children’s Laureate and with warm, cotton-wool-soft, illustrations. While implicitly a story about a family who has lost a parent, this narrative would also support exploring  a range of swooping emotions provoked by challenging life events. Mixed race family (white mum/PoC dad).  Age 4-7, Paperback 24pp
 
Themes: Mental Health and Wellbeing