Today I’m excited to reveal the cover of a forthcoming 2021 picture book for one of my fellow bookish friends, Jessica Sinarski. You may be familiar with Jessica’s book Riley the Brave and her resource and training platform, Brave Brains. Her forthcoming book, What’s Inside Your Backpack? scheduled to publish February 4, 2021.
Publisher: National Center for Youth Issues
On Sale Date: February 4, 2021
Written by Jessica Sinarski illustrated by Joanne Lew Vriethoff
Reading Level: 4 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Pages: 32
Synopsis
All around us, children are carrying backpacks that are heavy with more than just textbooks. Each day, they also bear the weight of difficult life experiences and intense feelings.
Zoey Harmon just wants to feel light-hearted and carefree. Unfortunately, she keeps getting weighed down by pesky “books” in her backpack, like Worry and Shame. Much to her surprise, she’s not the only one! Zoey learns that the adults in her life deal with difficult feelings too! Luckily, they have some ideas that can help her set aside the books she’s not meant to carry. Will it be enough to help her unload the heaviest book of all?
While there are no quick fixes for all of life’s complex problems, What’s Inside Your Backpack? highlights some of the ways we can nurture resilience in body and mind. Using the metaphor of books and bookmarks, author Jessica Sinarski offers gentle, effective strategies to help children impacted by trauma. By sharing their burdens with people they trust, kids can lighten their load and realize just how strong and courageous they really are!
About the Author
Jessica Sinarski, LPCMH equips parents and professionals to be healers for hurting children. Weaving user-friendly brain science into everything she does, Jessica ignites both passion and know-how in audiences. Extensive post-graduate training and 15+ years as a clinician, consultant, and parent educator led her to create BraveBrains, a resource and training platform for home, school, and community. She is also the author of the Riley the Brave picture books.
Jessica partners with school districts and child welfare agencies across the country to better incorporate effective trauma-sensitive practices into their work. She also shares her expertise as a contributor to magazines, blogs, and podcasts. When not writing and training, she continues to work as a bilingual therapist and clinical supervisor at an innovative adoption support agency. Jessica lives in Delaware with her husband and three busy boys. Find her on Instagram.
The Giveaway!
Jessica is giving away two copies of What’s Inside Your Backpack? to two lucky winners. Enter for your chance to win one of two copies below. Good Luck!
would love this for the grandbabies