Will You Hold My Story?
I had the opportunity to interview Kathy Joy about her new picture book Will You Hold My Story?, illustrated by Brianna Osaseri. Here is what she had to say:
What is the idea or inspiration behind your picture book?
When I became widowed in 2008, my counselor encouraged me to seek out trustworthy friends who would “hold my story.” She said I should specifically ask, “Will you hold my story?” so that my friends would understand I was inviting them in to help me process my loss. I needed them to simply sit quietly with my pain. Her words became the seed for my book.
What message do you hope to convey to your readers?
That we should not try to carry heavy burdens (emotions) all by ourselves; there are others who can help us. And even though the other people are carrying burdens (stories) of their own, it is exactly those stories that help them understand our stories, too.
At times, adults may appear as if they don’t care about the worries of a small child, when in fact they do care. They may be distracted, but they will make time for another story that needs to be told. And sometimes it’s the nonverbal companionship of a dog that soothes and comforts.
My goal is for young readers to feel validated that their feelings are important and that emotions can have a place to rest in the heart of a good listener.
The book is for children’s ages 5-12, and there are two more books coming in this series.
Thank you, Kathy Joy for telling us about your book.
To connect with Kathy Joy, you can find her at: www.coffeewithkathy.cafe
Her book is available on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Will-You-Hold-My-Story/dp/
We all have stories to share. Let’s find ways to hold each other’s stories!
Crystal Bowman
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