DISCLAIMER: The Semicolon, its reader guides and the other resources provided here are NOT a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Conversations about mental illness are best facilitated by a trained medical professional, which the author of this book is not. Neither the author nor publisher shall be held responsible for any harm that results from the use or misuse of this book and any related resources.
How can The Semicolon support difficult conversations?
The Semicolon is an upper-level picture book that depicts a child narrator struggling to cope after the loss of their father. It deals with the themes of depression, grief, emotional resilience, and finding hope after loss. The book is intended to be read and discussed with children ages 5 and older. It is also appropriate for most adolescents and young adults.
The book has many layers of interpretation, making it a versatile resource for young people as their needs and experiences change. It is intentionally nuanced to meet readers where they are and deliberately plot-driven so as to engage young readers who may be otherwise put off by “preachy” or didactic messaging.
The Semicolon may be a useful aid for conversations or bibliotherapy activities facilitated by trained mental health professionals (downloadable Reader Guide below).
Here are some of the many talking points built into the book:
Who do you see?
The child narrator is not named, nor is their gender specified in the text or illustrations. The book’s back matter uses gender-neutral language. This allows individual readers to perceive (and potentially identify with) the main character as they need to.
When grief becomes something else
The Semicolon can be (and often is) read as a book about the overwhelming and painful experience of grief. However, in some instances in life, grief changes into something else, prolonging the struggle to cope. In The Semicolon, the main character is grieving, but they are also experiencing a major depressive episode. While grief is a normal (though never easy) reaction to loss, drastic life changes such as losing a loved one are common triggers for depression. Grief and depression can co-exist, but they are not the same thing. This book is informed by the knowledge that it can be harmful to those with depression to have their experience interpreted as grief and vice versa.
Emotional literacy, self-awareness & recognizing potential symptoms of depression
The main character’s depression in The Semicolon is not stated outright. Instead, it is implied through the story and artwork, such as through the child’s persistent sadness, recurring nightmare, inability to communicate, a sense of hopelessness, stomach aches, loss of interest in a previously loved activity (soccer), and lack of appetite, all of which are potential symptoms of depression in children (not an exhaustive list).
For younger children, The Semicolon offers a great way to build emotional literacy by spotting the different, unspoken indicators that the main character is going through a hard time.
Gaining perspective on difficult thoughts and feelings
The thoughts, feelings and emotions associated with painful experiences can be overwhelming in the moment and drown out any sense of hope for the future. The semicolon symbolism conveys the idea that our thoughts are not objective truths and that there is life, with all its potential for good things, to be found on the other side of dark times.
*For mental health professionals, this aspect of the book can be useful for illustrating the nature of cognitive distortions. See the Reader Guide for Mental Health Professionals for details.
Fostering empathy & understanding for others
Page 5 of the book depicts the main character’s mother struggling with her own grief and mental health, though she is shown elsewhere to be a loving parent. For some people, gaining insight into what those around them are going through can be helpful in strengthening interpersonal relationships and/or feeling less alone through difficult times.
Many parents have also used The Semicolon to introduce the concept of depression in themselves with children, as the book sensitively illustrates many aspects of the experience.
Downloads for Parents, Educators and Mental Health Professionals
**Discussion questions and worksheets coming soon.
PDF Guide for Mental Health Professionals:
The book has many layers of interpretation, making it a versatile resource for young people as their needs and experiences change. It is intentionally nuanced to meet readers where they are and deliberately plot-driven so as to engage young readers who may be otherwise put off by “preachy” or didactic messaging.
The Semicolon may be a useful aid for conversations or bibliotherapy activities facilitated by trained mental health professionals (downloadable Reader Guide below).
Here are some of the many talking points built into the book:
Who do you see?
The child narrator is not named, nor is their gender specified in the text or illustrations. The book’s back matter uses gender-neutral language. This allows individual readers to perceive (and potentially identify with) the main character as they need to.
When grief becomes something else
The Semicolon can be (and often is) read as a book about the overwhelming and painful experience of grief. However, in some instances in life, grief changes into something else, prolonging the struggle to cope. In The Semicolon, the main character is grieving, but they are also experiencing a major depressive episode. While grief is a normal (though never easy) reaction to loss, drastic life changes such as losing a loved one are common triggers for depression. Grief and depression can co-exist, but they are not the same thing. This book is informed by the knowledge that it can be harmful to those with depression to have their experience interpreted as grief and vice versa.
Emotional literacy, self-awareness & recognizing potential symptoms of depression
The main character’s depression in The Semicolon is not stated outright. Instead, it is implied through the story and artwork, such as through the child’s persistent sadness, recurring nightmare, inability to communicate, a sense of hopelessness, stomach aches, loss of interest in a previously loved activity (soccer), and lack of appetite, all of which are potential symptoms of depression in children (not an exhaustive list).
For younger children, The Semicolon offers a great way to build emotional literacy by spotting the different, unspoken indicators that the main character is going through a hard time.
Gaining perspective on difficult thoughts and feelings
The thoughts, feelings and emotions associated with painful experiences can be overwhelming in the moment and drown out any sense of hope for the future. The semicolon symbolism conveys the idea that our thoughts are not objective truths and that there is life, with all its potential for good things, to be found on the other side of dark times.
*For mental health professionals, this aspect of the book can be useful for illustrating the nature of cognitive distortions. See the Reader Guide for Mental Health Professionals for details.
Fostering empathy & understanding for others
Page 5 of the book depicts the main character’s mother struggling with her own grief and mental health, though she is shown elsewhere to be a loving parent. For some people, gaining insight into what those around them are going through can be helpful in strengthening interpersonal relationships and/or feeling less alone through difficult times.
Many parents have also used The Semicolon to introduce the concept of depression in themselves with children, as the book sensitively illustrates many aspects of the experience.
Downloads for Parents, Educators and Mental Health Professionals
**Discussion questions and worksheets coming soon.
PDF Guide for Mental Health Professionals:
| the_semicolon_reader_guide_for_mental_health_professionals_2023.pdf |
