Quieting Hazel’s Heart

I welcome any creative work that gives parents a tool to talk to their children about something difficult to articulate, and Kirsten L Henry has done this with her new book Quieting Hazel’s Heart. I can’t remember with great accuracy the first time I felt anxious or had a panic attack, but as something that plagued me for the first half of my life, I certainly can remember the comfort that came from a friend sharing their experience of them with me and making me realize that I wasn’t alone. I’m gratified to see that books like this one are out in the world now, helping children to understand the complicated feelings they are starting to develop as they reach school age. Throughout Quieting Hazel’s Heart, both the author and illustrator Cennet Kapac do a wonderful job of portraying Hazel as a normal and happy young girl who is dealing with a normal yet daunting feeling of anxiety about being away from her mother whilst at school. These emotions can be difficult to talk about for children who don’t yet have the right words to express what it is they’re feeling, and who don’t have the life experience yet to know what is and isn’t normal. But by reading Kirsten L Henry’s work, the tools for understanding and expression are expertly shared in a way that makes them accessible to the target audience. Although my niece is currently too young for this book, I’ll be holding onto it until she’s at the age where separation anxiety is an issue as I truly believe it will help her with those feelings.

Andy Hutchings

Reviewer for Reader's Favorite