You Are The Sky

Hey there -- Jules here! I’m grateful you’re on this page, because we need your support!

In helping my own children to understand that they are not their feelings, I realized there was little help from the children’s books I could get my hands on. The idea for our first children’s book was born.

Co-written with my seven-year-old son, Julian, we turned our daily practice of regulating emotions into a sweet story about not holding onto feelings. And today, we’re doing this GoFundMe to self-publish our book, You Are the Sky!

 

As a special treat, Julian wants to read you the story!

 

 

Part of Julian’s homeschooling curriculum is a program called Kidpreneur, which teaches kids about entrepreneurship and financial literacy. When it was time for Julian to brainstorm his business plan, he decided he wanted to help others by writing positive stories and making toys to accompany them.

 

 

Our first version of You Are the Sky has a homemade cardboard binding with a felt board inside the back cover. Julian also crafted the book’s characters out of felt so they would stick to the board, using imaginary play to recreate the scenes and explore his feelings.

 

 

 

The first version of our book is not planned to include toys, but it would be Julian’s dream come true to include that option in the future. For now, our primary focus is to bring hope within a picture book -- one that will move the hearts of the children and caregivers who read it. By giving positive language to children and families, we’ll encourage conversations about big feelings and what to do with them. Our goal for this GoFundMe is to cover illustration and publishing costs, plus the cost of sending 100 free copies to local schools, libraries, and charitable programs for kids.

 

To get this manuscript from concept to printing press to readers, here are the costs that require your help today:

 

Publishing Costs:

 

 

*Please note this is a conservative estimate that can easily be doubled based on the artwork. There is still a slight chance we could find that it’s best to create the illustrations ourselves. If this were to occur, we would use the saved money to print more copies for donation!

 

Additional Costs:

 

 

*As a part of the larger goal of this book, we intend to start a non-profit program focused on providing this book (and future books), coupled with group learning sessions to underprivileged kids across the country. United Charitable is a fiscal sponsor who will lift our efforts by backing Jules Loves Me as a non-profit program.

 

After sharing my vision with United Charitable’s CEO, she recognized the urgent need for my teachings and has been a champion for my program. The $11,000.00 goal we have set here is the seed for that larger vision. We’ll pair books with virtual & in-person workshops for children and caregivers, especially those who can’t afford retreats… or books. We want to share copies of You Are the Sky to read at home, school, and beyond to open up conversations about emotional health. With your support, we’ll be able to bring this entire vision to life!

 

 

Our book will give us the opportunity to serve an urgent need created by an emotionally fragile society, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

*Graphic from the Mental Health Institute

 

The statistics are staggering as to how many children and families feel lost and overwhelmed by all the big emotions we feel — especially now. Each year, the number of kids under age 17 being diagnosed with depression or anxiety disorders is steadily rising.

 

*Graphic from the NIHCM Foundation

 

Our passion is to help them to learn how to heal and become more confident and balanced in their lives. As Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” And it's true. When these skills are learned early, they last a lifetime.

 

 

The good news is, we are just getting started in answering the call we feel in our hearts! Julian and I have more books and ideas in mind that will help kids learn how to feel better. Our intention is to continue taking life lessons from our home and turning them into stories that inspire conversations about what to do with big feelings and hard situations. We need your help today.

 

Every dollar you contribute will serve the hearts of children in a greater way than words can express. If you feel the call to help, please join our mission by donating and sharing. All donations big and small will come together to make a huge impact in the lives of others.

 

Help us turn this money into a beautiful resource that will impact a generation of children and their families. Together, we can achieve a vision larger than this book alone — one of establishing a non-profit organization that turns corporate profits and micro-donations into resources that will fuel the emotional health of all people who want to heal. You Are the Sky is a big step for us; it is our virtual lemonade stand for doing good in the world!

 

Thank you for your consideration in helping us to change the world and make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most!

 

***Special thanks to Paprika Southern  for donating all of the photography seen in this video.