New Release

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New Release 〰️

A Blue Kind of Day

A poignant picture book debut about depression, sensory awareness, and the power of listening.

Coen is having a blue kind of day.

His family tries to cheer him up. His dad wants to go outside and play, Mom tells her funniest joke, and his little sister shares her favorite teddy. But nothing helps. So one by one, they get quiet and stop trying to rush Coen’s feelings. After some time, space, and reassurance, Coen can show them what he needs.

With sensitive text and stunning illustrations, A Blue Kind of Day explores what depression can feel in the body and shows us how to support the people we love with patience, care, and empathy.

There is an authors note (from Psychologist Rachel Tomlinson) to help parents, caregivers, educators and anyone who works with children insights into how depression appears in children and some ways to support the people the love who might be having a blue kind of day.

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Reviews for A Blue Kind of Day

Kirkus Starred Review

Blue is not just a color.

Coen, a young Indigenous Australian boy, is having a difficult day. His body is coiled and tense, his feelings are “a deep, murky kind of blue,” and bed is the only place he finds relief. Mum says that “it can’t be that bad.” Dad thinks fresh air will do the trick. “What’s wrong with you?” his little sister, Junie, innocently demands. Coen feels “like a lost kite: loose in the breeze, with feelings that tangled like string”—and tangled Coen wants to be left alone. His family doesn’t understand. Then, little by little, Coen begins to respond to his parents’ and sibling’s loving patience and their assurance that his blue feelings won’t last forever. Author/psychologist Tomlinson deftly delves into the “muddled-up” moods of childhood depression with sympathy and compassion. With emotive descriptions such as “it was a slumping, sighing, sobbing kind of day,” the text invites readers to empathize rather than advise a child who is very much in pain. Mordey’s illustrations incorporate character design based on her own family, bringing a special warmth to this depiction of a racially-mixed household and their tender interactions. The limited palette of gentle blues, pinks, and apricot allows viewers to focus on the family members’ emotions. The author’s note further encourages families to recognize the different ways children process emotions and provides suggestions for helping children work through these overwhelming feelings. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A loving tribute to the power of loved ones’ support during trying times.(Picture book. 4-9)