In our Behind The Book series, author Shawn Sayner shares insight, information, and fun facts about her very own picture books. 

What is this book about?

My Superhero Me is a picture book about bravery for every child. It empowers children to acknowledge challenging feelings, and to recognize they already have the abilities they need to overcome them.

Who is this book for?

My Superhero Me was created for preschoolers through first graders. Though, admittedly, we could all benefit from the lessons we find in it, at any age!

Why was this book written?

It’s extremely common for children to experience fear. When my son was younger, the fear he faced most often was at bedtime. He dreaded being alone in his room at night. We tried using things like night lights and stuffed animals to help him feel less lonely. Still, what he seemed to need most were coping skills to recognize and work through his emotions. We had so many discussions about what he was feeling and how he could beat it! Eventually, we went on to talk about other times people might feel afraid, too. The words and practices we found ourselves relying on to push past fear – to find inner power and peace – ultimately worked their way into this book.

How was this book illustrated?

My Superhero Me is illustrated using computer design, building characters and scenes with shapes. For this particular book, I also added filters to give the images some softness. Instead of using one character throughout the story, it was really important to show a very diverse group of children, to help every child be able to see themselves in the book and imagine themselves in these situations.

When was this book published?

My Superhero Me was released on paperback in 2016.

Where is this book found?

Local libraries and book stores can order My Superhero Me through their normal channels, so please ask them about it if you can’t find it where you look for books. My Superhero Me is also available for you to order online anytime.

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