First Children's Book Coming Soon to Kickstarter

A few years ago, my then four-year-old nephew tripped and fell, and broke his thigh bone. Through my sister's experiences with this incident which involved a lot of miscommunication with other adults and the medical services, I was sucked into what it all must have meant to the little boy who was in pain, trying to communicate about his experience and where it hurt, and what it meant for him when most of the adults simply would not listen because "what does a 4 y/o know about medicine anyway"? 

Even though I was miles away (my sister's family lives in New Zealand), the situation sucked me right back into my own childhood, when I broke four bones in my right foot after jumping off a climbing frame. I was 9 at the time and the experience also proved how important communication with parents can be, since my father didn't think I needed x-rays because I put on a brave face and walked on the injured foot.

Between these two moments from my life and with Kristi Shimada's medical background and interest in raising awareness about holistic healing, I realized that our society doesn't really equip children to talk about injuries or how to communicate about their bodies when they're sick or hurt. 

And with that realization came the seeds for Bearly Injured, a story in which Kitsumi and Kumako learn the value of speaking up and explaining what they are feeling, whether that's emotional or physical, because when it comes to the body and what we experience our ability to communicate is key. At the same time, this magical realism story reminds adults how important it is to listen. Children can understand way more than we give them credit for, and when we're talking about their bodies it's even more important to empower them.

Bearly Injured, an illustrated children's book fostering holistic healing and speaking up. Cover Art by Eko Setiawan

After Kumako falls out of a tree, her twin sister Kitsumi worries about what to do. Kumako wants her to stay quiet and not tell their parents about the incident, but Kitsumi can see the pain in her sister's eyes. It takes courage to speak up, especially when everyone thinks you're a dreamer, with your head in the clouds.

For Kumako, the pain isn't so bad. She's sure it's just a bruise, but there's no mark on her leg where it hurts. However, the pain isn't anything like a friend said it was when she broke a bone. Kumako doesn't want to worry her parents unnecessarily and thinks it's best to keep going, especially since she wants to continue with her track and field training, something she loves, but is only allowed if her grades are good. While it takes courage to speak up, there is also a bravery in listening to the body and understanding what it's telling us about injuries.

Kumako and Kitsumi must go on an adventure to the world of healing where their guide, Karasu, takes them on a journey to remember.

Follow the Kickstarter campaign for updates so you don't miss out on this beautifully illustrated book!