Hello, friends! Our book today is Jameon’s Closet by Shauna Havlina and Leanne Richter, an allegorical story to help children understand the purpose and practice of counseling and therapy.

Jameon has a problem: his Grandma wants him to clean out his closet today. See, Jameon has been hiding the things he hasn’t wanted to deal with in his closet – garbage, dirty laundry, etc. But Jameon’s grandmother has found someone to help him, a counselor. The counselor helps Jameon tackle the closet piece by piece, going at a pace that isn’t scary or overwhelming, and taking breaks when needed. Soon, Jameon finds his closet is clean and both he and his grandmother are happy and proud. The narrative then draws parallels from the story to what a child going through therapy may experience, so that they can understand how cleaning out their emotional closet in the same way can help them lead happier, healthier lives.

Nicely done. This is a self-published story that definitely has a clear purpose, and it does a commendable job of fulfilling it. The ending is a bit abrupt, and the closet metaphor a bit thin at times, but for the most part, the story does a fabulous job of showing children what to expect from therapy, why it can be so important, and how they and their counselor can begin to unpack the feelings or experiences they may be bottling up. Having gone through therapy as a child, I can definitely say that this is a book that can help familiarize little ones with therapy and its benefits. The art is great for a self-published book, keeping things simple and clear. The length was fine, and JJ seemed to enjoy it. This could be a very useful tool for kids, their parents, and therapy providers to discuss counseling, and we’re happy to call it Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by one of the authors in exchange for an honest review.)