I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

My Story Friend is a beautifully illustrated and told picture book for children about a little boy who longs to tell someone his sad story. He travels long and far to find someone who will listen to his story of fear and worry.
Eventually he finds an old lady who sits and listens to his story - she is his story friend.
This book made me feel so many emotions while reading it. Firstly it makes you realise that although we communicate with others daily in our busy lives and worlds, we often do not actually take in what others are telling up, especially when they are indicating they need help or support or even guidance. Children don't always have the means to express or communicate what they need or to outrightly tell you if something is bothering them, upsetting them or that they are worries about something. Often they need that one person who they can turn to and talk to. This book really does make you think about these things. Secondly the book shows how our busy lives often take presidence before what should come first - our children, our family our support networks and home lives.
The author and illustrator have done a fantastic job of this book which really does touch base!
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My Story Friend is a lovely Story about a boy who found an old lady to share a story about his life problems with and she became his friend. They both found that in the process of telling their stories not only did they find healing but answers.
Thank you Netgalley and American Psychological Association for this sweet advanced copy. I enjoyed reading and reviewing it. This is my honest opinion.

Yes this is a beautiful, tearful (yet happy) children’s book; but I fear it is unrealistic in its expectation. The narrative implies that just by telling people your own story (be it happy or sad) that you will feel better. I just get behind the idea that life events, even for children, are this easy. Ironically I was the smallest in school and picked on because of it. Today I’m still super small and harassed sometimes for it; but worse I’ve seen prejudice that someone short must not be as intelligent because they are the size of a child. And just telling my story, and how I feel, wasn’t enough as a child and continues to be insufficient as an adult.
Expressing to someone our confusion, hurt, or anger can sometimes make us feel better; but not always. My Story Friend tells a wonderful message about ensuring we listen to one another’s stories (this I agree with). But it also then indicates that by telling our own story we might feel better. This is where I struggle.
I dislike when children’s books take complex emotions and feelings; and attempt to dumb them down to simple common denominators. Now maybe being short and picked on is a minor issue; but what about a child whose been beaten or molested. Would you really be so ignorant as to imply to them that just talking about it makes it better? Likely not.
So let’s keep the narrative open, listen to one another, and share experiences; but not assume that a shared story is a resolved one.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

I enjoyed the message of My Story Friend, everyone has a story to tell, and you may have to search to find the one who will listen. Your story may not be happy, but it needs to be told just the same. The woman in the story listened to the boy. Simply listened. She did not tell him what to do, only to, in turn, listen to his story as well. Sometimes we all just need that one good friend or mentor who listens and doesn't try to solve our problems. This is how we learn to grow as a person. I really enjoyed this story and will be requesting it for my library's collection.

I just reviewed My Story Friend by Kalli Dakos. #MyStoryFriend #NetGalley #ChildrensLibrarian

Everyone needs someone to listen to them, and children are no exception. The young boy’s search for someone who will listen to his story brought tears to my eyes. It’s beautiful. The power of connection to change lives is way too often overlooked in this day and age. We can all be someone else’s story friend. Recommended for anyone who has ever needed to be heard and seen.

No one wants to take the time to listen to his story. He wants to share it with someone...
Magination Press and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on May 25th.
He finally finds an old lady that agrees to listen. She tells stories, too. So they share stories between themselves. He began with a sad story but her stories weren't sad and, soon, his aren't either. They have a great time together until the day he goes to visit and finds she doesn't live there anymore. He'll have to find him another story teller!

We all know about the storyteller. But did you know about the "story friend"? The story friend is the one who listens to our saddest and darkest stories. The story friend is patient enough to listen, and brave enough to face the cries and tears of others. This is the story of a young girl who seeks a story friend and finally finds one in an old woman. She hears the words of the child - the words the girl is unable to say to her family. She learned that when you tell your story to someone with an open heart, the stories become "softer like butter." And in doing so, the story tells us just what we need to do. This picture book has a message for all ages. It's a reminder that each of us hold dark stories inside. These could be healed, if only we share them with our story friend.

My Story Friend impresses the importance of finding someone who will listen when you feel you need to express yourself. Really being heard and understood is what we all want. We can all be story friends for each other by being good listeners.

What happens when you have something sad or desolate to share, and you can’t find someone willing to listen?

This beautiful little picture book explores this very theme, handling the story with such charm and grace that the overall messaging, far from being sad, instead becomes a lovely and hopeful lesson.

The book begins with some definitions. The people who tell stories, we learn, are storytellers. The people who listen to stories, on the other hand, are story friends. (I have to admit, my heart was captured immediately when I read this).

Our hero is a child who is deeply unhappy, longing to tell his tale to someone who can help him see a way out. But no-one wants to hear his sad story, and he is sent on his way - again and again - until at last, he finds a story friend.

Our story friend, with her gentle compassion, is willing to listen to any story, any time. As he comes to depend on her support, our hero (and the reader) see that telling our stories releases an act of healing, not only in the telling itself and the support we get back, but “like butter melting in the sun” our stories themselves become softer with sharing - expanding and pooling to allow us to see broader and more inclusive nuances which in themselves comfort and heal.

This book is published by the American Psychological Association, and although I’m not sure I’ve heard it phrased quite this way before , I can see how powerful the idea of being (and having) a story friend could be in working emotional intelligence concepts into the conversation with very young children.

On a final note, the illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous - page after page of watercolor swirls in bright colors, evoking a fairy-tale-like feel to woodlands stacked with lollipop trees, populated by bustling rosy-cheeked families.

This elegant book would be a wonderful addition to any child’s picture-book library.

A great big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, the author (and the illustrator), for an advance review copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts presented are my own.

My Story Friend is a wonderful book that teaches the importance of listening to each other throughout our lives. The greatest gift we can give is our time and our ability to listen. This book would be a wonderful addition to a classroom library. I am looking forward to purchasing it for my morning meetings with my classroom. It is a wonderful social-emotional resource. To top it off, the illustrations are just stunning!

Some kind of new fairy tale to enjoy by young and old. A simple story of a child who wants to tell others his story, therefore he needs a listener. But everyone is busy, so nobody has the time to listen to his story. A good reminder for us who rarely spent time with others, just being a great friend who listens.

One of the most important ways you can connect with others is by listening deeply to their stories. In My Story Friend, Damos teaches us not to fear or own stories and to always welcome the stories of others. The illustrations are also beautiful and engaging!

I felt so many things while reading this short storybook.

Sad to say in this world of too easy communication, we do not communicate at all.

We are oversharing our lives yet there's none who actually listens.

And this small kid is searching for someone to tell his story but no adult is there to listen to his story.

And who's there who's finally there to listen?

Well, that's the most wholesome part of this story.

Dear parents, teachers, siblings and relatives. Please do not assume you know what's going on in the minds of someone who's younger. Just listen to what they have to say.

The artwork is really heart touching.

Seriously... I don't want to say this. This storybook made me cry. I really wish I had someone to listen to me when I felt this lost.

I want to hug this kid so bad. I want to thank the author, the artist for bringing out such a good storybook.

Thank you, publisher for the advance reading copy. I really appreciate this.

"There is a the person who tells the story. This is the storyteller. And there is the person who listens to the story. This is the story friend."

What a beautiful portrait of what it looks like to support and really hear someone when they tell you their story..

I finished it in like 15 minutes. It was a very meaningful book.
The story is about a young boy who is desperate to share his story with someone in order to express his feelings. It was a little sad at times but had a happy ending.
Overall it was a beautiful book with lovely illustrations.

This book will be incredibly helpful to hand any child but especially those that are prepping to talk to a counsel or, trusted adult or therapist. No matter what the reasoning, it helps kids realize that talking to share their story is beneficial but does so in an accessible and fairytale like way.

Every person has a story to tell; some are bright and cheery, while others are dark and stormy. A young boy is plagued by a sadness that he is desperate to share with others in order to process his feelings. Searching far and wide, the boy asks several people if they will listen to his tale. All of them are too busy or do not wish to hear a sad story. Finally, the boy discovers a story friend who helps him soften his sadness and come to terms with the beautiful aspects of who he is.

Written for young children with a longer attention span, this story features a writing style that is soft and meaningful. Often feeling like a fable, readers take the journey beside the boy and find support and encouragement along with him. It is hard to be different, and the boy feels shame for not liking himself the way he is. The ridicule he receives from classmates is overwhelming, and he feels that his appearance is too directly linked to that of his family to share his emotions with them. Beautifully presented, this story validates the boy’s feelings while modeling a positive outlet for managing them.

The illustrations feature textures, visible lines, and soft hues, all of which serve to give the story an organic feel. Though there is not much variance in skin tones or physical appearance among the people featured in this story, its message is nonetheless universal. Empathy and acceptance are depicted in the illustrations, as is the ongoing connection between storytellers and story friends long after stories have been shared.

This lovely story about learning to embrace the truth of one’s appearance is a powerful reminder for readers of all ages. Differences in age and background do not matter when it comes to finding a story friend, and though it may take some time to find one, doing so is beneficial for everyone involved. Created by the American Psychological Association, this book is an excellent approach to managing sadness with the help of others and is a lovely addition to libraries for young children.

I received an advance copy of, My Story Friend, by Kalli Dakos. This is a sweet story, sad at times, but has a good ending. Has a good lesson for anybody, who would listen to it.

Y’all, this was SO CUTE. It really makes you realize that you need to be better about listening to others stories. We all need to be more compassionate. The illustrations were wonderful too!

A beautiful story with lovely pictures. This is a story about a child who wants to tell someone his sad story, because if he doesn't, he might be unhappy forever. He journeys to mountains and rivers finally he finds one old woman. She thinks the most precious thing to do is listening each other stories.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read My Story Friend by Kalli Dakos in exchange for an honest review.