It’s no secret that some teenagers spend their time hiding away with their feelings, noting them in a notebook or journal. Some of them are wishful authors, jotting down whatever wondrous plot lines come to them. Sophia Rose, a North Atlanta senior, published her own book. A Guide to Butterflies (In Your Stomach), a children’s book to help kids navigate their day-to-day anxiety, introduces skills and methods to cope with mental health struggles, rather than ignoring them.
Writing came easy to Rose, however the process as a whole took time. There was one thing that was for certain, and that was the name of the main character: Princess Talk-a-Lots — a childhood nickname given to Rose by a teacher. Her commitment to writing the book came from her interest in butterflies. She loves the connection between butterflies and anxiety. After coming up with the title, A Guide to Butterflies, everything began to flow. She relied on experts in the field of child psychology to help her highlight her main ideas. “I wanted to ensure that my writing was actually meaningful, so having experts give me feedback was essential,” said Rose.
Every author starts somewhere and success isn’t usually the first door that opens. There are several challenges that rising authors may have to overcome in order to be successful. Rose sent her idea to nearly ten publishers, and most of them rejected her offer. Her grandmother, a self-published author, played a monumental role in helping with the publication. “I am eternally grateful to my grandmother for sharing her knowledge with me,” said Rose.
While being an author at such a young age is not an easy feat, Rose was dedicated to the journey. She believes that anyone can do it as long as they have a growth mindset and a sufficient amount of time to work. “The author chapter of my life is definitely not over, it’s just beginning,” she said.
Mental struggles are incredibly important to talk about. What many fail to recognize is that it can start at a young age, slowly building up and forming a barrier between the child and their loved ones. Rose wants to let children know that it’s okay to be scared, worried, and confused.
A Guide to Butterflies (In Your Stomach)
Written by Sophia Rose
Illustrated by Alyssa Pontz
https://sites.google.com/view/butterfliesinyourstomach/home?authuser=0
