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Mare is ten, and she is finding out that growing up isn't always easy. Friendships get complicated, words can hurt, and facing a hard situation takes practice. She is the heroine of Mare and the Whispering Forest of Words, a children's book for ages 8 to 12 by mindfulness teacher Per Norrgren and Patricia, a professor of applied sciences. It is published in Dutch.
"The idea came from Per Norrgren, a highly experienced mindfulness teacher and supervisor. He is the emotional safety brain of our book."
Calm, Built Into the Plot
Throughout Mare's adventures, Patricia and Per placed simple exercises for handling big emotions. Children come across them as part of the story, in the hope that some of them stick.
"Perhaps they will remember Mare taking a few deep breaths when they feel nervous, or find their own way to feel calmer when emotions become overwhelming."
The book also has a companion website with reading quizzes, and children need to have followed the story closely to answer them.
"We want children to discover that all emotions are welcome, that their feelings matter, and that they have the ability to help themselves and their friends to navigate difficult moments."
Illustrating Mare
Neolemon was the first illustration tool Patricia and Per had ever used.
"We tried nothing before, and using Neolemon was great fun direct from the start."
Illustrations in a chapter book do a different job than in a picture book: they open chapters, set the mood, and show what Mare is feeling.
"Watching Mare and her world transform from words on a page into expressive, animated characters was incredibly special. Every little detail, from a facial expression to a warm, magical atmosphere, helped us bring the emotions behind the story closer to the children who will experience it."
"Lovely Tool to Create Characters and Emotions"
That was the title of their Trustpilot review. In a book about feelings, the faces had to carry them.
"One of the most enjoyable parts of the process was experimenting, refining, and discovering new creative possibilities. It gave us the freedom to explore how a story could become something children could not only read, but also see, feel, and connect with."
They summed it up this way:
"Neolemon helped us turn something deeply personal into something we could share with others."
Seeing Mare Come to Life
"We were absolutely thrilled! Seeing our story finally come together was such an incredible and emotional moment. Everything we had imagined and worked towards suddenly became real, and it was even more beautiful than we had hoped. We were beyond excited and couldn't stop smiling!"
Mare en het fluisterbos van woorden is available on Amazon.nl, and the companion site is at mare.deepermindfulness.org. Patricia and Per are already planning a second children's book, about an eight-year-old girl.
What Patricia and Per's Story Shows
Patricia and Per came to Neolemon with the story already written. They needed pictures that showed Mare's feelings clearly enough for a child to recognize their own. They hope Mare's greatest adventure carries on in the everyday lives of the children who read about her.
For another book written for parents and children to share, read about Bohdan Borutskyi, a father of four who wrote The Valley of Sky Lanterns for parents and children.
Ready to Start Your Own Story?
If this story has inspired you to bring your own story to life, Neolemon can help you get started. Create your characters, give them the expressions your story needs, and keep them consistent from the first chapter to the last.
