A heartfelt story for the empaths and highly sensitive individuals: Charlie’s Balloons: A Story of Big Emotions by Sarah Degonse and Élodie Duhameau and translated by Arielle Aaronson.

Charlie has big feelings, so big they are like balloons, sometimes light and airy and other times so heavy they could crush. Their balloons are different depending on the situation and not everyone understands why their balloons affect them like they do. Strategies help the balloons feel lighter but it’s the balloons that make Charlie extra special.

Sarah Degonse, inspired by her own Charlie, has written such an affirming story for any reader who may also be highly sensitive as well as those in their lives. This story reminds readers that we all have different superpowers and we all have something special to contribute. Being highly sensitive is a super power and having some strategies for when they are needed is important. This book is not an instruction manual as the author points out in her author’s note. It is simply a lovely story to help readers feel seen and heard and respected if they feel like Charlie, if they have their own balloons they are carrying.

I love how the story does provide some very simple strategies, the ones Charlie uses when the balloons get to be too heavy. These strategies won’t work for everyone but they are a great place to start. I also love how this book can help readers realize that perhaps they are like Charlie too, that they have their own balloons they are managing every day.

The illustrations by Élodie Duhameau have a graphic quality that is reminiscent of something you would see in graphic media. The lines are crisp and sharp and the colour pops, perfect for a book about “balloons”.