Maggie Smith, bestselling author of the viral poem "Good Bones" and the memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, delivers a lyrical and reassuring picture book perfect for calming active minds at bedtime (or anytime).
A Today Show Spring Pick!
At bedtime, when lights go out...sometimes thoughts stay on.
Scary things and worries flutter and flap around. It's so hard to sleep!
But a little imagination (and a lot of love) can create a cozy nest for happy thoughts--and sweet dreams for little ones.
"The cozy ideas will comfort nervous young readers and make a strong conversation starter for less-than-sure caretakers. 'Everyone worries, ' and barring a late-night banana bread craving, the soothing suggestions will surely bring somnolence on soft feathers. Fortitude against fluttering fears." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Offering a portrait of a family addressing a child's fears, this mindfulness-oriented work explores accessible techniques whose practice offers pleasure, too." -- Publishers Weekly
"The text is clear against the page, the vocabulary is simple, and the concept is one that children will not only understand, but will probably use in their own lives. Hatch's child-friendly, sweet illustrations really show how a child experiences the world. This is a generous tale that is also an excellent tool to give to children and psychologists." -- School Library Journal
"This one is for the anxious kiddos, and Smith enhances the relatability of the story by focusing on a young child's first-person experience of a mind that just won't turn off. Straightforward language allows the thoughts-as-birds metaphor to shine with its meditative sagacity. Hatch's hand-painted digital illustrations have a remarkable luminosity." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A picture book that confronts anxiety with thoughtfulness, and is a balm for the chaotic soul. Buy it for the child whose busy brain makes it difficult to fall asleep, and keep it for the calming effect it'll have on you, too." -- Bestselling author Isaac Fitzgerald, Today Show Spring Pick
Maggie Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Goldenrod, Keep Moving, Good Bones, and more. My Thoughts Have Wings is her debut picture book. She lives with her children in Columbus, OH. You can find her online at maggiesmithpoet.com.
Leanne Hatch is the author and illustrator of The Brand-new, Never-used, Perfect Crayons; Rosie and the Pre-loved Dress; and Unraveled. With a background in both fine arts and fashion design, she divides her time between writing and illustrating for children, creating patterns for textiles, and designing accessories. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. You can visit her online at leannehatch.com.
Target age: 4 to 8
Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
February 13, 2024
0.5" H x 9.3" L x 10.0" W
32 pages
Hardcover