Googly Eyes, Big Feelings, and Asking for Help with Christy Mandin

What can picture books teach us about helping children feel heard—and learning to ask for help ourselves?

Author and illustrator Christy Mandin returns to explore Millie Fleur's Pumpkin Problem and Millie Fleur's Worst Day Ever. Through her imaginative characters, Christy opens up conversations about creativity, community, and respecting children's emotional experiences.

Together, we consider why a child's "worst day ever" deserves our attention, even when the problem seems small to an adult. Christy shares how life in her neurodivergent household shapes her approach to communication and why supporting someone involves both expressing our needs and noticing the needs of others.

We also go behind the scenes of her creative process—from gardening and escaping chickens to a beloved shed character—and hear her refreshingly honest three-day rule for processing feedback.

In this episode, we explore:

• Respecting children as whole people with experiences that matter.

• Asking for help and challenging the fear of burdening others.

• Using picture books to spark conversations and build community.

• Finding characters and creative inspiration in everyday life.

• Making space to process feedback before deciding what comes next.

For educators, librarians, parents, and anyone nurturing creativity, this conversation offers an invitation to notice more, listen closely, and make room for support.

Explore Christy's books and work: https://www.christymandin.com

Discover the Millie Fleur series: https://www.scholastic.com/site/millie-fleur.html