Showing results by author "Johanna Sparrow" in All Categories

You’ve been playing games in your relationship for far too long and it’s about to cost you what you really you want: love. If you don’t pull it together and get a grip, you know you will be alone soon. Fearing rejection and abandonment, a person with the fearful-avoidant attachment style is passive-aggressive and has a hard time seeing their own worth. They question love and their actions are confusing to their partner.

More people are starting to identify the negative attachments that were developed during childhood and the impact they’re having during adulthood. My goal is to help you understand the four types of attachments and how they can either hinder or improve your relationships.

Some feelings can be confusing—especially when we think we might like someone. In this gentle and heartfelt story, Jordan begins to notice new emotions and wonders what they mean.

James has a mind full of big thoughts. Sometimes those thoughts twist together like tangled strings, making it hard to understand his feelings. In James and the Tangled Thoughts, young listeners follow James as he learns how to slow down, notice his emotions, and gently untangle the worries inside his mind. This calming story helps children understand that thoughts and feelings can be confusing sometimes—and that with patience, they can become clearer. A warm and reassuring story about emotional awareness, self-reflection, and finding calm within.

You refuse to give up and let them go. Okay. Now, what’s next? For starters, you must change the way you think when you’re in love with a commitment-phobe because, unlike someone who’s looking for longevity in a relationship, the person you love is afraid of commitment. Therefore, they’ll use control and deception as manipulative tools to maintain distance in the relationship. Everything you do indicates you’re fully committed.

When a woman feels deeply, the world often tells her she feels too much. In When a Woman Feels, Johanna Sparrow explores the inner life of a woman whose emotional depth has shaped every relationship she’s ever touched—sometimes as a gift, sometimes as a burden. Through intimate moments, quiet realizations, and emotionally charged encounters, this story traces how love, attachment, and unspoken wounds influence the way a woman shows up for others—and for herself. This is not a story about romance in its idealized form.

Sometimes being quiet can make you feel different. Hazel is a gentle little hedgehog who enjoys the quiet parts of the forest. While other animals are loud and busy, Hazel likes to listen, observe, and think. At times she wonders if something is wrong with her for being so quiet. But with a little encouragement and courage, Hazel begins to discover that being yourself is something to celebrate. Hazel the Hedgehog Learns to Be Herself is a warm ShineSmart story that helps children understand that everyone shines in their own way.

Sometimes the quietest feelings have the loudest stories to tell. In My Whisper Wants to Shout, children are gently guided through the experience of holding in big emotions and learning how to safely express them. Through a soft, nurturing story, this ShineSmart™ Emotional Learning book helps children understand that their feelings matter—even the ones they struggle to say out loud. This story supports emotional awareness, self-expression, and inner safety, offering a calm and comforting space for children to recognize and release what’s inside.

My Shout Wants to Whisper is a gentle and empowering ShineSmart™ Emotional Learning Story that helps children understand what to do when their big feelings feel too loud. Through a relatable and heart-centered journey, young listeners are introduced to the idea that their “shout” — the part of them that feels overwhelmed, frustrated, or out of control — is not bad, but simply trying to be heard. With warmth and reassurance, this story guides children to discover their inner “whisper” — the calm, steady voice within that helps them pause, breathe, and choose a different way to respond.

Luna is a curious and creative little explorer who sees the world in shapes, colors, and imagination. In Color Town, every corner holds something new to discover—but sometimes, learning can feel overwhelming. As Luna navigates her vibrant world, she begins to understand that it’s okay to move at her own pace and learn in her own way. Through a playful and supportive journey, young listeners are gently reminded that there is no one “right” way to learn—only their way.

Finn is a gentle little fish who learns that there is more than one way to move through the world. While other fish swim quickly and confidently, Finn discovers that his way of learning is different—and that different doesn’t mean wrong. Through a calming and supportive story, young listeners are reminded that everyone learns at their own pace. With patience, encouragement, and self-trust, Finn finds his own rhythm and begins to shine.

Naomi is a thoughtful child who begins to notice new feelings when someone special enters the room. Sometimes our hearts feel things before we understand them. Through curiosity, gentle reflection, and learning to listen to her feelings, Naomi begins to understand what it means to like someone and how emotions can help us grow.

Is everything okay? It’s a simple question—yet sometimes it holds everything we don’t know how to say. Is Everything Okay? is a gentle companion for moments when love, attachment, and emotions feel confusing, overwhelming, or just slightly out of reach. Written in short, one-sentence reflections, this book offers calm where there has been noise, clarity where there has been doubt, and reassurance where there has been silence. Each page meets you exactly where you are—without judgment, pressure, or the need to fix yourself.

Sometimes big feelings can feel overwhelming. Eli is a thoughtful boy who experiences emotions deeply. On some days his feelings grow so big that he isn’t sure what to do with them. His body feels tight, his thoughts race, and everything around him seems too loud. With gentle guidance and a little practice, Eli begins to learn that big feelings are not something to fear. They are signals that can help him understand himself better.

Sometimes new feelings can be confusing. Maya notices something different inside her one day. A feeling she hasn’t felt before. It’s not bad, but it’s unfamiliar, and she isn’t sure what to do with it. With gentle guidance and a little courage, Maya begins to understand that new feelings are a natural part of growing up. When Maya Feels Something New is a warm and reassuring ShineSmart™ story that helps children recognize their emotions and learn that feelings can be explored with curiosity, kindness, and self-understanding.

Oakley loves his tree. It is strong. It is steady. It feels like home. But one day, colorful flags begin to appear around his branches — flags that look different, sound different, and feel unfamiliar. At first, Oakley isn’t sure what to think. In this gentle and beautifully narrated story, Oakley learns that sharing space does not mean losing himself. With warmth and heart, Many Flags, One Tree: Starring Oakley the Squirrel explores belonging, identity, diversity, and respect in a way young listeners can understand.

When a fearful-avoidant woman longs for closeness but fears abandonment, and a dismissive-avoidant man values independence over emotional vulnerability, their connection becomes a push-pull dynamic filled with longing, confusion, and unspoken pain. Drawn together yet unable to meet in the middle, they reenact patterns rooted in childhood wounds, unmet needs, and survival strategies that once kept them safe—but now keep them apart.

A sweet and delightful story about a croc who just wants to sunbathe. Cookie the croc just wants her very own spot. When she loses her spot to a group of crocs, she searches for another one to call her own. Finding the perfect spot to sunbathe was all Cookie the croc wanted and when she found it, she wasn’t alone. She would have to share her perfect spot with an ugly couch. In time, Cookie the croc finds a way to make the spot her very own.

Adorable Betty won't stop talking, no matter how hard she tries. Whenever she's around, you won't get a word in edgewise, I promise. But when she gets sick, she suddenly stops talking and learns the lesson that although it's okay to talk, it's never okay to talk over others.

Adorable little Holly Polly loves to read and has found a way to share with those around her her favorite short stories. With a style only Holly Polly has, she never answers correctly any questions asked of her. The world she lives in is no more than her favorite stories. Whatever you want to know, you won’t get a straight answer from Holly Polly. Her answers are always shockingly sweet. Holly Polly is a story that will keep you smiling.