In my previous picture book blog post, I told you all about the challenges I faced while creating my picture book, "Bieke and the Bedvliegers." Today, I'll take you on a journey through the content and what makes it so personal.
moreBieke is often alone, enjoying coloring, crafting, and reading. She's used to it. But sometimes, just sometimes, she feels lonely...
A wonderful adventure about flying beds, friendships, and bravery awaits Bieke. Just what I imagined when I was little!
I was a sensitive child, which I now see as my strength, but it really held me back when I was younger. I was easily anxious and didn't understand myself. I didn't fit in with my environment. Furthermore, my parents are both chronically ill, so our home was more about "survival" than "development and blossoming." This combination made me lonely.
When we think of loneliness, we often immediately think of the elderly. This has received a lot of attention in recent years, raising awareness. But children also experience loneliness. I'm not a psychologist or a scientist, but I don't think it's always easy to recognize. Loneliness is, of course, a word whose meaning we have to learn, so it's not easy for children to express or explain.
Precisely because this is so difficult, and because I've experienced it myself, I wanted to write a picture book that could help. Help bring it up for discussion, help make it visible to parents, teachers, and caregivers. Now, this all sounds rather dramatic, but above all, it's a special, fun-filled adventure.
When I went to bed as a little girl, I loved having adventures. My imagination was my best friend. Sometimes all my stuffed animals would come to life, and I'd prepare their daily meals and give them some parenting lessons. Other times, I'd save the world, no doubt inspired by that day's cartoon. And sometimes... I'd fly out the window with my bed and enjoy the views, the fresh wind in my face, and meet the best friends!
All those children who feel lonely, because their parents are divorced, because they've moved, because they're being bullied, because things aren't so nice at home, because they're "different," because they're shy, or simply because they're lonely. I want all these children to have a wonderful adventure and be inspired to use their imaginations, to be brave, just like Bieke, and perhaps to take a first step toward expressing how they feel. And just as important are all the children who simply want a magical adventure with a flying bed and forest friends, so they learn that some children can feel lonely and that it's nice to make friends!
Over the past few weeks, I've received the first reactions from parents and children, and it's been incredibly heartwarming. Children are raving about the adventure, suddenly wanting a flying bed, and loneliness is subtly being addressed. Mission accomplished!
Want to help with the mission? Share this blog post, follow me on Instagram , Facebook , or Pinterest , and of course, buy the book!
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