Knit {Back} Together

Today I'm excited because my third picture book

is set to go live at Amazon and BN.com soon.

Synopsis: The sudden passing of his beloved Grams finds Levi engulfed in an unforgiving fog of confusing feelings. Lost, he wonders how he can possibly go on without his guiding light? But when he moves to a new school to start over, it feels like a lucky coincidence to find there’s a knitting center in his new classroom. That’s where he finds Frances. Her simple request for a ball of yarn to match her mood turns into a kind offer to teach Levi to knit. But isn’t knitting just for girls? Perhaps it’s just for grandmas? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s for everyone. Step into Levi’s lost-and-found story to discover exactly how his broken heart gets knit back together and find out how he finds himself again even as he grieves for Grams.

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You may remember that this past spring, I was able to take the book to the last school I worked at and share the rough draft with Mrs. Dixon's class. What fun it is to talk through the book's backstory and sketches before it's perfected, polished, and presentable.

Mrs. Dixon kindly shared these beautiful reflections:

When Barbara generously offered to let my 5th grade class preview her latest book, Knit (Back) Together, I was thrilled. Like her earlier book, Birdie and Mipps, it bravely addresses a challenging topic for elementary students—this time, loss.

As Barbara read her draft aloud, I was struck by how beautifully it showed love and traditions carrying on even after someone dear is gone. The gentle message of grief, memory, and the healing power of creativity and collaboration resonated deeply with my students and me. They listened closely, shared thoughtful reflections, and noticed how the child in the story found comfort through knitting, which brought people together while also honoring those we’ve lost.

This book sparked meaningful discussions about remembrance, community, and finding peace in hard times. With its touching message, engaging illustrations, and opportunities for reflection, Knit (Back) Together would be a valuable addition to any classroom library. ~ Sharon Dixon, M.S., 5th Grade ELA Teacher, Bales Intermediate, Friendswood, TX

 

My favorite question that day was What ages is your book for? When I answered ages 7-10, one of the students suggested I could go even older than that, because they'd like the chance to read the finished product this Fall, when they're in sixth grade. How sweet is that?

I also received some heartfelt feedback from Emmy Jess (R),

 a counseling colleague and friend up in Wisconsin.

She so graciously offered to read through the draft

when we connected over breakfast one recent August day.

This story beautifully weaves together themes of grief, resilience, and connection in a way that feels both tender and empowering. Through Levi’s journey, children and adolescents learn that healing can come in many forms — through creativity, friendship, and service. They’ll also learn that even the most painful losses can be “knit back together” with patience, compassion, and community. What makes it especially powerful is how it gently normalizes big feelings while also modeling healthy ways to process them, even in the face of adversity. 

I would want to see this book in the hands of educators and parents everywhere because it opens doors to conversations about loss, empathy, and the healing power of shared traditions. As a parent, a book like this can be a powerful tool for handling difficult conversations in a safe and relatable way. It offers children not just comfort, but also tools: the reminder to pause, the encouragement to persist, and the inspiration to create something beautiful for others even in hard times. It’s the kind of book that nurtures both hearts and classrooms, helping young readers feel seen, soothed, and strengthened. ~ Emmy Jess, M.S.E., Director of Pupil Services, Ripon Area School District, Ripon, WI

Then there's the fun feedback from the mouths of babes,

my fourth-grade friends in the Green Bay, WI, area.

I like how you make the story with so much detail and how descriptive you were in the story. ~ Cooper, 4th grade, Howard Elementary, Howard, WI

I like that knitting is not just for girls or grandmas. I like that Frances is nice. I like that Levi loved Grams so much because Grandmas are special. I like that Levi completely did not talk back to Riley and I think Riley should of gotten in trouble. I love that the boy gave Frances the slippers and I think the you should have them doing mittens next. ~ Juliette, 4th grade, Howard Elementary, Howard, WI

I like the part where Frances knit his broken heart back together and helped him find himself again because it reminded me of when my brother broke my favorite lamp I used for making art and he got me another lamp. ~ Nixon, 4th grade, Howard Elementary, Howard, WI

I love how you keep circling back to Grams when Levi is around Frances. One thing I would change is that when Levi was being bullied, Frances should have come in to stop the bully. ~ Brynn, 4th grade, Howard Elementary, Howard, WI

Check back for links to purchase; I'll post as they become available. 

And do reach out if you'd like a virtual or in-person author visit.