About the Author

Julia Cook, M.S. is a national award-winning children's author, counselor, and parenting expert. She has presented in thousands of schools nationally and internationally, regularly speaks at education and counseling conferences, and has published children's books on a wide range of character and social development topics. The goal behind Cook's work is to actively involve young people in fun, memorable stories and teach them to become lifelong problem solvers. Inspiration for her books comes from working with children and carefully listening to counselors, parents, and teachers, in order to stay on top of needs in the classroom and at home. Cook has the innate ability to enter the worldview of a child through storybooks, giving children both the "what to say" and the "how to say it."

MacKenzie Haley is an illustrator, runner, and cat whisperer from Louisville, KY. She has a BFA in illustration from University of Dayton, and has worked with a variety of publishers over the last decade.

Reviews

A Flicker of Hope is a much-needed resource for our times. As an international speaker on resilience, mental health, and suicide prevention, I have noticed diverse populations struggling with how best to reach out when times get tough. This book gives readers both the language and mindset of how we can build caring communities everywhere. Together we can build the emotional intelligence needed to create a more supportive world.Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas
Psychologist and Mental Health Advocate

As a school counselor and registered play therapist, I love the message this book sends. We all have special gifts we can share with others, and if our hope fades, we can ask for help. The art work and message is beautiful in this book. Very few books have brought a tear to my eye, but this one did. Can't wait to start using this with kids. Such an important message!Lora K. Schultz
School Counselor and Play Therapist

This story is incredibly written. Hope is a skill that all students need to aspire to have. This is especially true as a School Counselor who works with students who have experienced trauma. I will be able to use this story for so many topic areas, including resiliency, grief and loss and bullying. I highly recommend it.Katie Kessen-Checki
School Counselor