Welcoming, thoughtfully paced, and emotionally resonant.
Most of us have memories from childhood. Some are worth remembering, events that make us smile when we reflect. Other memories are not so great, moments that left us with damage that we are still trying to repair. But can you remember what it felt like to be a child? To experience the world with only starry-eyed optimism? To wake up refreshed and ready to overcome anything in your path? Life throws a lot at us and we often lose our childlike wonder and resilience at an early age. But those qualities exemplify the right mindset and healing potential of When I Remember by Laura Linn Knight. An imaginative and poetic picture book that touches us individually, this approachable volume is crafted to heal the heart. The nourishing poetry whispers to the grieving soul, holding up a mirror to our traumas. Then, just as your core self is primed and ready for help, the author presents soothing guidance and comfort with universal appeal. Reparenting tools are presented and demonstrated, including journaling, engaging in playful mindfulness, and tuning into somatic cues. Understated artwork delivers an appropriate ambiance that makes it easier to acknowledge our inner hurt while focusing on the future.
With its gently rhyming poetry and whimsical illustrations, this book may seem simple at first glance, but crafting something so welcoming, thoughtfully paced, and emotionally resonant is no small achievement. While this tender book is not a deep dive into neuroplasticity, cognitive behavioral therapy, or other techniques used to heal our bodies with compassion, Laura Linn Knight offers a beautiful starting point, an opportunity for anyone in any state of pain to begin a journey toward joyfulness. These straightforward strategies are rooted in well-documented science, can be applied in many areas of stress management, and are delivered with simplicity, imagination, and kindness. The artwork is stunning and makes you feel more than poetic verse ever could on its own. Wonderfully clever, this book stars each reader as the protagonist, depicted as a bird traveling through life and its inevitable pains and losses. The bird naturally embraces some of the tools shared later in the book, providing visual clues in delightful fantasy scenes that can help audiences imagine themselves in a happier space. A self-guided meditation that allows readers to get what they need exactly when they need it, When I Remember is a truly one-of-a-kind self-care manual.
