Gentle stories for big feelings.
Nurturing courage, kindness, and self-trust - one small heart at a time.
Finn and the Lost Path
A little fox feels overwhelmed when the forest paths twist and tangle. With a deep breath and a gentle heart, Finn finds his way back home — and back to himself.
Milo and the Big Change
When a favorite tree falls, Milo the badger doesn’t know how to let go. Through quiet moments and memory stones, he learns that change can carry love with it.
Willow and the Echoing Caves
The caves are loud with echoes, and Willow the hare isn’t sure what her feelings are trying to say. Inside the stillness, she learns how to name them — and speak them out loud.
Luna’s First Flight
Luna the owl is afraid to leave her nest for the first time. But with courage, calm, and a little help from the wind, she takes the leap and finds her wings.
What is Heartwood Hollow?
Heartwood Hollow stories are more than just picture books — they’re gentle tools for emotional growth.
If you love stories like The Invisible String, The Rabbit Listened, or Breathe Like a Bear, you’ll feel right at home here. Each Heartwood Hollow tale combines a heartfelt story with a simple, meaningful coping tool — like deep breathing, memory rituals, or quiet reflection — designed to help children navigate big emotions with courage and care.
Whether your child is feeling lost, overwhelmed, or unsure, these stories offer language, imagery, and practices to support emotional regulation, self-trust, and resilience.
And for caregivers, parents, and educators? Every book includes a special note with real-world strategies drawn from child development and therapeutic play — so you can help your child carry the story’s wisdom into everyday life.
Caregiver Resources
The Heartwood Hollow series was created to help children grow emotionally — through gentle storytelling and real-world tools.
This page offers practical notes, reflection tools, and activities to support emotional learning at home, in the classroom, or in therapeutic spaces.
Finn and the Lost Path
Theme: Feeling lost, overwhelmed, or anxious
Tool: Mindful breathing + inner guidance
In Finn and the Lost Path, we explore the emotional experience of feeling lost — not just in the forest, but inside ourselves. When Finn pauses to breathe, he discovers that his heart already knows the way.
💬 Try This at Home: Deep Breaths, Gentle Steps
Help your child calm down and reconnect by:
Placing a hand on their heart
Taking three slow breaths together
Saying: “Even when I feel lost, my heart can guide me.”
Create a cozy “Calm Corner” at home or in the classroom with soft textures and peaceful visuals. This helps children pause, self-regulate, and remember they’re not alone.
Luna’s First Flight
Theme: Fear of trying new things
Tool: Visualization + courage ritual
In Luna’s First Flight, Luna feels afraid before her very first try. Her story reminds children that courage isn’t about being fearless — it’s about showing up, even when it’s hard.
💬 Try This at Home: First Flight Visualization
Help your child take brave steps by:
Naming something they’re nervous to try
Closing their eyes and imagining a small, brave “first flight”
Celebrating the effort, not just the outcome:
“You were brave just to try.”
Even the smallest step forward is worth celebrating.
Milo and the Big Change
Theme: Coping with change and letting go
Tool: Memory ritual + gentle reflection
Change can be hard — even when it’s necessary. In Milo and the Big Change, we walk with Milo as he learns that even when something ends, love and memories remain.
💬 Try This at Home: Memory Stones
Support your child through change with this simple ritual:
Find or draw small stones or shapes
On each one, write or draw something they miss
Place them in a bowl, on a shelf, or outside in a “memory garden”
This practice gives children a way to honour what they’re feeling — and carry their memories with care.
Willow and the Echoing Caves
Theme: Expressing emotions + feeling understood
Tool: Echo Calls (naming + reflecting feelings)
In Willow and the Echoing Caves, Willow learns that naming a feeling out loud can lighten its weight. The caves gently reflect her words back — helping her feel heard, even in her quietest moments.
💬 Try This at Home: Echo Calls
Build emotional trust by practicing reflective listening:
Invite your child to name what they feel
Reflect it back gently:
“You feel ___ because ___ — is that right?”
Allow space for corrections or more details
When children feel seen and heard, they’re more able to process and move through big emotions.