THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay author Jean E. Pendziwol’s newest children’s book found its inspiration in a surprising place, as the acclaimed author worked through her own feelings following a deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017.
The event left her reflecting on the nature of hope amid tragedy and uncertainty – a journey that ultimately helped birth I Found Hope in a Cherry Tree, published this month by Groundwood Books.
It’s Pendziwol’s tenth children’s book, with previous titles including Me and You and the Red Canoe and Once Upon a Northern Night. She released her debut novel, The Lightkeeper’s Daughters, in 2017. It's since been published in more than ten countries, with numerous translations.
In I Found Hope in a Cherry Tree, a small girl finds hope blooms in spite of howling winds and unforgiving winter weather.
The importance of the natural world is nothing new for Pendziwol, who frequently grounds her stories in the environment, often inspired by her surroundings in northwestern Ontario.
A recurring image in the book involves the girl’s shadow, in which she delights but finds liable to disappear unpredictably. It’s a metaphor that helps distill complex emotional ideas for younger readers.
“When children are looking at dealing with emotion, one of the things is the reality that things change, they aren’t constant or predictable, and you need to develop that capacity for patience – that things will come back,” Pendziwol says.
The author held a virtual launch for the book Saturday over Facebook Live, in view of gathering restrictions due to COVID-19. While the publication’s timing is coincidental, the book’s themes are particularly resonant during the pandemic.
“The idea of developing resilience in children is important all the time, but it’s particularly important right now, especially as children are returning to school,” she says.
She’s already finding the book can be a springboard for helpful conversations in the classroom and at home.
“When we look at helping children develop their emotional literacy, we’re looking first at finding ways to give them language to be able to express how they’re feeling,” she explains. “Using the book, parents can initiate those conversations – How do you feel when you’re reading this page? How is the character in the story feeling at this moment?”
With all its restrictions, the pandemic has also opened new, virtual doors to connect with readers. Several hundred participated in the live launch on Facebook Saturday, while Pendziwol has found new opportunities to enter classrooms as teachers embrace virtual visits.
She continues to work on projects for both children and adults, with another children’s book forthcoming in 2022.
