I Love You, Fiorella, Flaws and All!
Fiorella and Mama Rose have a happy life until one day their guardian leaves them at an animal shelter. Feeling abandoned and unloved, Fiorella wonders what she has done wrong. She vows to change, believing it's the only way to be adopted. Once she realizes being her imperfect self is enough, something wonderful happens.
This tender story masterfully explores the feelings of abandonment and unacceptance that children can experience, and shows that love has no terms or conditions.
Hard cover. 32 pages. 11.25in x 8.75in.
About the author: Cindy Bell is the mother of three boys with a B.S. in elementary education. Happiness to her is a good dose of vitamin sea and spending time with family. Occasionally, she's a nervous co-pilot to her husband but is most comfortable being creative and volunteering. This Mississippi native adores her rescued "grand dog" who inspired the character, Fiorella.
About the illustrator: Hailing from rural England, now residing in South Africa, Emily House spends her days drawing and writing stories for children. The spectacular South African vistas and copious amounts of tea fuel her creativity. In her free time you find her exploring the local mountain trails either on foot or on her trusty mountain bike.
We all have a story. For our children, that narrative is being constructed today in ways that will profoundly shape them. However, it’s not only the “story” of their life that is being written – it’s the narrative they tell themselves about their story that shapes their relationships with others, the world around them and, most importantly, themselves. Children must know they are not alone in their story. Moreover, they must know that the things that happen “to them” don’t define them.
“I Love You, Fiorella, Flaws and All” powerfully speaks to the shared narrative of so many children who can find their story in this story. Like so many children, Fiorella’s journey of unexpected abandonment and rejection lead her to believe that something is inherently wrong with her. However, just as she experienced hurt in relationships, she will find healing in relationships. This book comes alongside children to help co-construct a new narrative away from something is wrong “with them” to something has happened “to them.” Parents and caregivers from all walks of life should read and re-read, affirm and re-affirm the hopeful message powerfully communicated through the words and illustrations that speak to the heart of a child – you are immeasurably and unconditionally loved, flaws and all.
-John Damon, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Canopy Children’s Solutions