Q&A: Vienna Parent Highlights Mental Health In Children's Book

VIENNA, VA — Families and school staff know from personal experience the spotlight the COVID-19 pandemic has put on children's mental health. One Vienna parent and school district employee decided to address mental health in a way children can understand with a new book.

Meghan Grana, a mother and employee of the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement at Montgomery County Public Schools, is preparing to publish "Call Me Penny Pickleberry." The book follows the story of a little girl who learns to manage her anxiety.

Grana has worked on the children's picture book for about a year and is preparing to launch it in September. Ahead of the book being published, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to support book production costs. The fundraiser was chosen as one of the "Project We Love" by Kickstarter.

Patch asked Grana to complete a Q&A to discuss her book, mental health and what she loves about the Vienna community.

How did you get the idea to start the book "Call Me Penny Pickleberry"?

I work in a local school district in Student and Family Support and Engagement where I participate in what we call “Student WellBeing Team” meetings, which are meant to support students struggling with mental health, student attendance and social engagement. Throughout the pandemic, these problem-solving meetings frequently address students who are significantly struggling with depression and anxiety. I started to think about how I could contribute to the prevention of these issues and wondered what life would be like for kids if they learned to understand anxiety and the strategies to address it early on in life. Lying in bed one night, I came up with the idea to create characters in a young child’s mind - one to represent anxiety and the other the ability to reframe one’s thoughts. The next morning at 5:30am, I began to write and Penelope Pickleberry was born!

How has working in a school district and being a parent influenced the content of your book?

As a parent and educator, I know how important children’s overall mental well being is to leading a happy life. I also know that books are a window into a child’s world and present an opportunity for a wide range of conversations with kids. Call Me Penny Pickleberry allows kids to see themselves, make connections with their own personal experiences and understand that they are not alone in feeling challenging emotions. Most of all, Call Me Penny Pickleberry aims to normalize the discussion of mental health for young children, whether that be during circle time with students in your classroom or during bedtime chats with your kids at home.

What is the overall lesson you hope families will learn about mental health from reading the book?

For many children (and adults), the “I can’t” mentality takes over the mind, allowing anxiety to impede their ability to engage with the world around them. The biggest lesson that I want Call Me Penny Pickleberry to teach children and families is that they are not powerless to their own negative thinking. Feelings and emotions are always valid, but we nourish these feelings with the thoughts we think. We have the power to reframe our thoughts and thus how we feel about our place in the world.

Why did you decide to start a Kickstarter campaign?

Call Me Penny Pickleberry will be published by Bird Upstairs, a children’s imprint of Girl Friday Productions. Bird Upstairs is an all women-led, Seattle-based hybrid publishing company, which offers a new, unique approach to publishing. Like a traditional publishing house, I have access to the best editors, agency-represented illustrators and marketing services in the business. However, by paying for part of these services, I retain the full copy rights to my work and reserve final decision-making privileges each step of the way. For me, it’s the perfect blend between the support of a traditional publishing house and the autonomy of self-publishing. Kickstarter was an ideal option for me to not only offset publishing costs, but also to get the buzz going about my book!

How did you get selected as a Project We Love by Kickstarter?

Being chosen as a “Project We Love” was a complete surprise! There is no application process or endorsement fee that you can pay to get this distinction. The Kickstarter team carefully identifies projects that exemplify brilliance, creativity and honesty, while aligning with the Kickstarter mission of bringing communities together and cultivating a supportive family of creators. It was an absolute honor to be selected!

Do you plan to pursue writing beyond this book?

Yes! I have loved every aspect of bringing this book to life - from the initial early morning writing sessions, to coordinating with the illustrator and to now trying to make sense of the marketing world. I see Penelope becoming a part of every child’s circle of friends. Many activities that adults assume might be fun for young children can also prove to be anxiety-inducing, like attending birthday parties, going to camp or trying out a new activity. If I can share the story of how Penelope conquers her everyday fears, I believe kids will find that they can too!

What are your favorite things about living in your community?

Vienna Foodies of course!!!! There are so many reasons that I love living in Vienna, but no other organization exemplifies the caring and heartfelt way that this community shows up for each other than Vienna Foodies. They embody the message of my book which is - when times get challenging, don’t tell yourself “I can’t” but rather ask yourself “what am I strong enough to do today?” And what better way to dignify and support our most vulnerable neighbors than by sharing a meal with them. Plus - I love all the incredible restaurant recommendations!