POCKETS FULL OF ROCKS

A tender story of a young child struggling to understand Daddy’s illness.

As Ella watches Daddy sleep, all is not what it seems. The child takes the initiative to wake him up and, after many attempts, finally succeeds. Something still does not seem right. Maybe he has a cut or a tummy ache, but bandages and cookies don’t seem to help. Daddy explains he has something called depression. It makes him sad and tired, and it feels like something is weighing him down. He gently explains how he manages depression with therapy, exercise, and his family. Wanting to help, Ella learns that love and lots of tight hugs can give Daddy strength and hope. Engelberg, a psychologist, pens a simple and compelling story of parental depression. Even simplified for the audience, the subject is still a frightening topic, but Haley’s colorful illustrations with bold patterns provide a safe place for the conversation between father and child, who both present White. Illness of any sort is a hard concept for children to understand, let alone one that cannot be physically seen. Haley illustrates depression with dark clouds, adding layers of texture to brighten the clouds and present depression in the story as an illness, not a villain. By the end, Ella’s understanding of Daddy’s behavior transforms the clouds of depression into a rainbow of hope. Two pages of backmatter aimed at caregivers provide further information. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 34.9% of actual size.)

Hold tight to this gentle story about depression.