Cover Image: Butterflies In Me: An Anthology Bringing Awareness to Mental Health

Butterflies In Me: An Anthology Bringing Awareness to Mental Health

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Member Reviews

Butterflies in Me is a collection of 4 stories of children suffering abuse, anxiety, ADHD, and loss or death who utilize mental health services to aid and improve their situations and outlook. The stories emphasize the importance of asking for help. These are stories children who experience trauma can identify with, which they may not find among their peers.

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This is a very important book that offers hope and healing for kids suffering from mental health problems. It's about kids who are "special, strong and did nothing wrong." It calls attention to the stress and oftentimes overwhelming emotions that many kids are facing in their daily lives causing them to feel helpless and trapped. They are unable to escape to a happier and safer place to grow up in.

Four children are highlighted who are immersed in situations that are beyond their control to remedy... domestic violence, ADHD, depression and a sense of hopelessness. The stories are told in simple, understandable language enriched by realistic colourful illustrations. This book inspires kids to confide in a trusted adult who will be able to provide support and give help to them. The adult can assure them that it is NOT their fault and that help is available.

"Butterflies in Me: An Anthology Bringing Awareness to Mental Health" is a wonderful resource for guidance counselors, psychologists, and teachers. It would be a wonderful addition in a classroom and a school library. The book provides hope to those suffering and lets kids know they are not alone. I highly recommend this book.

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In a culture that praises positivity and shuns sensitivity as a sign of weakness, Butterflies in Me is the warm hug of acceptance that children need to navigate through the perils of feeling different. Denisha Seals does an incredible job of compiling realistic, complex situations that so many children face with the understanding that while life can be hard, children are strong, resilient and never at fault. Working in a public school, adding the pandemic onto preexisting traumas, I can attest that this is the book all children need to know they are never alone. I loved that while there were not empty promises of problems evaporating, there was hope that they will get better and that there is always someone in their corner to care.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

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"I am special, strong, and I did nothing wrong." is the theme of this book. It's a wonderful gem of a book featuring a diverse cast of characters, and it attempts (and seems to succeed) at being culturally sensitive to different belief structures.
The book tackles heavy issues like abuse (and PTSD), physical differences (and social anxiety), immigration, loneliness, adjusting to school culture/ rules (and ADHD), and death and grief (and depression).

Through the stories of the children included, it encourages readers to seek help from parents, therapists, and school administration, and to be honest about their worries and hurts. It also reassures them that there is nothing wrong with suffering from mental illness - that they are not at fault, and that they can be free: "Fly, butterfly, fly."

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This book is an amazing resource for parents, teachers and anyone else dealing with a child with anxiety. The book contains 4 stories about childhood mental health issues. The illustrations are wonderful as well and I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with any of these issues. With the world being what it is these days, we need books like this to help our kids and to let them know what they are feeling isn’t wrong or their fault.

Thank you NetGalley and The publisher for a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review.

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I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Butterflies in Me is a very current and important book for children about mental health. Not only does it explain about topics relating to what some children are going through but it emphasises to the child that they have done nothing wrong.
Mental health is at crisis point today especially since Covid19. There was little support before the epidemic never mind during and after it. Mental health can affect anyone of any age and in a world such as today we all need kindness, support and encouragement. This book offers all of these things - for children.
The topics covered in this book are anxiety, depression, loss, ADHD and domestic violence.
I encourage any parent of a child experiencing any of these things to share this book with their child and encourage a safe place to share it in. Schools would immensely benefit from this book too!

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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sharing this DRC in exchange for an honest review.

An important and brilliantly illustrated book! Written in first-person, this anthology covers anxiety, depression, PTSD, and ADHD in childhood. The writing style reminded me of the educational reading material from my elementary school days: more telling than showing, and as a result, a bit flat. It left me wanting more dialogue, more showing. But upon reflection, perhaps the point is to touch upon scenarios without risking triggering young readers. Perhaps this style demonstrates giving voice to the characters, children from various backgrounds, who bravely narrate their experiences, ranging from domestic violence, bereavement, or adjusting to a new country. I appreciate how the author seamlessly conveys the importance of therapy and other support systems.

Overall, a good book to initiate mental health conversations with young ones, and therefore a worthy addition to any classroom or home library. I hope the children who read this feel validated and empowered, that they internalize the important message conveyed in the powerful refrain "I am special, strong, and I did nothing wrong."

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Butterflies in Me, is an incredibly powerful book for children. It addresses mental health in an approach that will speak volumes to the young readers and create important conversations with a supporting message that “you’re not alone.”

This book captures different stories about mental health in childhood, which is a developmental topic that needs to be addressed more often.

As an educator, this book hits close to home as our job isn’t always easy when connecting with students. Butterflies in Me brings awareness to a deeper meaning behind feelings and mental health.

I think it should be in every school and is good for elementary age children and older students. I’ll be recommending this book for my school’s library and our school’s social worker.

The illustrations were captivating and touching as well. Beautiful and important book for all to read.

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This is an immensely important book about children who are "special, strong and did nothing wrong".

A book with fascinating illustrations, discussing various mental health issues affecting children. The language of the stories is honest and simple, and they help you get a better understanding of the feelings and emotions of vulnerable kids. A truly uplifting and inspiring book, and I do hope it arrives to those children and young adults who need it most.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boy Town Press for an Advance Reading Copy.

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This is a must have book I would recommend to older kids to read. It's about tolerance, one's self acceptance. Nicely written.

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This collection includes stories of four children who experience various challenges--domestic violence, anxiety, ADHD, and depression, among other things. The stories are matter-of-fact and don't shy away from the traumas experienced by the children, but they're told in a kid-friendly way. It's especially good that each of the children eventually confides in a trusted adult is supported and given help (and that the readers get to see exactly what that help entails).

This would be a wonderful resource for guidance counselors, school psychologists, and resource officers as it would be very helpful for kids in similar situations to read a story that puts into words what's happened to them and reminds them that they're not the only one.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

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