A gentle story about a dog whose human has poorly feelings, for children aged 3+
Liza Stevens has an MA in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art, UK. She is a foster carer and has an interest in child development, including mental health and attachment disorders. She lives in East Sussex, UK.
The goal of this story is to explain to kids what depression is,
and to give them tools to deal with it. It's written in a way which
encourage questions, and gives opportunities for the kids to
express how they feel and what they think. The text is easy to
understand, with pretty illustrations... I really liked this book,
and highly recommend it!
*Reviews in Chalk blog*
Wow, this was a great book, perfect for children who have a parent,
or someone in the family, who is dealing with depression. This book
does a great job on showing the signs, and also shows what one can
do about it, or how one can help.
*Twirling Book Princess blog*
Not Today Celeste: A Dog's Tale about Her Human's Depression can be
a great tool for helping young children understand what depression
is, and cope with times when someone they love is suffering from
it. The illustrations are charming and offer soothing colors and
some smile worthy moments...
*Sharon the Librarian blog*
PreS-Gr 2-A canine's perspective on her owner's depression sparks
dialogue about mental illness in this picture book import. Celeste
is a happy dog who loves her human, Rupert. The young man provides
her with everything she could want, from treats and cuddles to
walks and plenty of playtime. Then one day, 'something different'
comes over Rupert, keeping him from enjoying his time with Celeste
and even getting in the way of his ability to care for her. Celeste
seeks out a neighbor, who approaches Rupert about getting help.
Stevens's use of a pet as a stand-in for a child's experience works
reasonably well-Celeste's inability to understand Rupert's problem
mirrors a child's distance from the adult world, and it is the
humans (adults) who take responsibility for addressing Rupert's
illness. Readers see Rupert attending a support group, but the text
focuses on Celeste's joy in returning to her routine with the owner
she adores. Throughout, the author underscores the importance of
understanding and naming emotions and implies that solutions for
mental illness are adult concerns. Cartoon illustrations use plenty
of white space to spotlight tender moments between Celeste and
Rupert, and varied font sizes highlight emotional vocabulary.
Rupert changes from full color to gray when he begins to feel
depressed, and while his color has returned by the end, the text
makes it clear that his depression hasn't gone away entirely. An
extensive note written by a mental health specialist offers
guidelines for sharing the book with young children and suggests
ways to continue the conversation. Occasional Briticisms may sound
odd to American ears but won't detract from the story. VERDICT A
solid starting point for talking about mental illness, but adults
should be prepared to clarify and deepen the discussion.
*School Library Journal*
In itself this is a moving story; but it also presents the tricky
topic of depression and how it affects others in a way (with dog as
storyteller) that allows children to think about the subject matter
through a narrative distancing device. All in all, a thoroughly
useful book, delightfully illustrated and subtly conveyed in both
words and pictures.
*Red Reading Hub, Jillrbennet's Reviews of Children's Books*
The delicate watercolour illustrations are a perfect match to the
perceptive text. There are few stories about depression for the
very young, and this is an outstanding production.
*Healthy Books*
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