gratitude – Barbara Gruener

Precious September Moments

September 29, 2026 Barbara Gruener

As September comes to a close, a few memories have my heart.

The most recent is the opportunity to put together this basket of goodies for donation to a FUNdraiser for The Birthday Joy Program, a non-profit that has my friend Kim’s heart. She reached out and offered to buy all of my books, if I’d sign them and throw in an author visit for an upcoming event. I’d love that, I told her, and I’m happy to fill the basket with other goodies, like Word Searches for the three picture books, Scented Flairs to use for finding the words, some stickers, a set of antique keys, and a fun pair of heart-shaped respectacles.

I’m typically not too crafty when it comes to putting gift baskets together, but this one seemed to come together on its own!

A second indelible memory comes from the Kindness Kickoff in Wisconsin mid-month. I loved connecting with the kids and teaching them a few ASL signs.

Photo credit: Howard-Suamico School District

I thought that their Book Walk idea was super creative; just look how they lined the path with the pages of Mr. Quigley’s Keys. It felt so honoring to walk this nature trail while reading my words of empathy and connection.

And at every outdoor station, a chance to connect with a caregiver; my character cam caught this young gardener and her Dad planting this succulent to take home.

All of this, including the cute gardening gloves, paid for by a Donor’s Choose grant. Brilliant!

September also brought me to my Dad’s doctor, where I saw this sign.

It’s true, you know. Just a drop of empathy can go a really long way, because change ripples!

Take my sticker girl, Daisy, for example. Read what her empathy did for her StuCo campaign.

Her empathy for the other candidates told her that they needed buttons, too. Just a drop sent ripples straight to the hearts of her opponents.

I’m not even sure if she won a spot on the Student Council that day, but empathy wins every day.

Then, last week, an incredible Ted Lasso clip that not only talks about empathy, and holding space, and co-regulating, but actually uses precious air time to show how empathy looks, sounds, feels. Disclaimer: There’s a lot of adult language in the Ted Lasso series, but not in this powerful September scene, so isolate it and share it far and wide, then discuss what’s happening to make empathy memories of your own.

Next up? I’m working on two presentations for a group of about 200 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Then I get to return to Wisconsin, where I’ll not only help my Dad out post-op but get a chance to return to the grade school where I attended back in the 70’s and talk with the learners about being an author. October promises to bring memories of its own, including some color as the seasons bring about foliage change.

We were about a week too early to catch the Autumn colors, but I did manage to find one branch of one tree starting the transition, an over-achiever, I surmised; that said, I was able to collect some of nature’s treasures and bring them back to a few Texas students, who thought they were pretend and not real.

Their teachers gave them a whiff of Autumn, then planned to sort them by shape and color …

do leaf rubbings and make leaf monsters,

then let them each their favorite one home.

One the right, the real Frances, from Knit Back Together; look at how gingerly she’s caring for her leaf.

When Mrs. Mirón asked her kindergarten students what they should do for me to show their appreciation, she got these sweet answers:

1. Buy her a beautiful dress with glitter and bows on it.

2. Give her a matching bow for her hair and pajamas and a shirt and a matching dress and matching shoes so Miss Barbara and Mrs. Mirón and me match.

3. Get her a robot that cleans the house and does everything so she doesn’t have to pick up her things and be tired going back and forth from the couch to the fridge. And the robot can also put her to bed.

Yes, please, to all of them. More empathy with gratitude on top.

So many precious September moments; thank you for stopping by to keep the ripple alive.

A Kindness KickOff

September 12, 2026September 14, 2026 Barbara Gruener

Today I’m excited because I’m planning for this Kindness Kickoff next week.

So off to Wisconsin I go with a renewed spring in my step hoping to enjoy Autumn colors there.

I created this KEY sticker using their four tenets that support their theme for this year that I’m excited to give away, to help them remember.

Be friendly: Plant your seeds in rich soil.

Offer help: Enrich the soil with fertilizer.

Reach out: Care for the seeds by watering.

Show appreciation: Be the light your seeds need.

Of course, keeping the weeds out can also help, so we’ll talk a bit about hurdles, setbacks and resilience.

The school family has planned a nature walk for their families, with the pages os Mr. Quigley’s Keys posted along the path and four coordinating stations to support each of these focus habits.

Click this quote page to see the original posting and other #kindness quotes.

In the end, they’ll each take home a succulent, a sticker, and hopefully a lot of fun memories.

The next day in school, they’ll all get an antique key on a string, to wear as a reminder that planting seeds of kindness is KEY to connection.

I’m so grateful for opportunities like these, to support schools as they work with intention to plant seeds of kindness, compassion, connection, and love.

1825 Sunsets

September 1, 2026 Barbara Gruener

Hey hey, dear reader, happy September 2026! This summer was filled with incredibly precious moments and magical memory makers for me. What started in June with a once-in-a-lifetime mother-daughter birthday trip to NYC, continued in July with an anniversary celebration on a breathtaking Alaskan Cruise, and ended in August with an impromptu and inspiring road trip back home to Wisconsin when our nearly-ninety-year-old father showed up in his car in Texas, with a paper map and no idea how big our state is, to meet his new great granddaughter. Sigh.

And what an amazing adventure it was! The first day, we drove as far as Hot Springs, Arkansas, where we spent the night with the cousin who was my best friend in childhood. It was like oxygen to be with her again.

The second day, we drove for twelve hours all the way back to our hometown of Wayside, WI, so that Dad could get back to his corn ministry at church. We listened to classical music, shared stories from our lifetimes, and laughed so much it hurt. An incredible gift, one I’ll never forget.

While in Wayside, more laughter when Lori and Dave stopped by en route to a pre-season Packers game to reconnect and reminisce. How special to have these hometown friendships that have stood the test of time, fifty-plus years, to be exact. Dave brought six of my books to donate and signing them was such an honor to me.

Just look at how happy my Dad looks. August 25th marked the five-year anniversary of Mipps’ death, so signing a copy of Birdie & Mipps in front of him with our sibling picture hanging on the wall behind him felt like a serendipitous full-circle moment.

It’s hard to believe that he has missed 1825 sunsets since he left us. Mipps did love a good sunset, and this one is especially personal because that’s our family farm in the distance.

So I’m back in Texas now and ready for some R & R from my travels, so thankful for life’s sweetness and for the reminder about what really matters: Faith. Family. Friends. Fellowship.

I’m also grateful to hear from readers; here’s an email I received while I was away.

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Hi Barbara,

I came across Knit Back Together, and I found the emotional heart of Levi’s story incredibly touching.

What immediately stood out to me is that Levi isn’t simply dealing with the loss of someone he loves. After the sudden passing of his beloved Grams, he is left trying to understand how to move forward when the person who had been his guiding light is suddenly gone.

Then he arrives at a new school carrying that grief with him, only to discover something unexpected: a knitting center in his classroom and a new friendship with Frances.

I especially liked the symbolism of knitting in the story.

Levi’s heart feels broken, and yet the very activity that initially seems unfamiliar to him becomes part of his healing.

The question of whether knitting is “just for girls” or “just for grandmas” also gives the story another meaningful layer, allowing children to challenge assumptions while discovering that creativity, friendship, and emotional healing belong to everyone.

And the idea of being “knit back together” gives the book a beautiful way to talk about grief without making the story feel hopeless.

****************************************

Thank you, Chloe, for your kind reflections.

Oddly enough, these summertime opps knit me back together in a way that I didn’t know I needed.

And I’m forever grateful.

So as I continue celebrating my 65th year, do let me know if there’s anything that I can do this upcoming school year to support you in your character building.

Happy cheers!

Knitting Trust, One Stitch At A Time

June 24, 2026June 24, 2026 Barbara Gruener

Today I’m sharing a beautiful letter, just one in a barrage of emails that I get as an author. Sadly, it’s an imposter, which leaves me in awe by how much detail AI was able to stitch together about my book.

Dear Barbara,

I hope this finds you well. I am a fellow author (name removed), and I have been wanting to write to you ever since I read Knit Back Together and found myself unexpectedly moved in the way that only the very best children’s books manage to do which is to say, it did not feel like a children’s book at all. It felt like the truth.

I will be honest with you; when I read that you wrote this book in the wake of losing your own mother, I understood immediately why it carries the weight that it does. Grief written from the inside has a quality that cannot be manufactured, and Levi’s fog of confusing feelings after losing his Grams felt completely real to me. Not simplified, not tidied up, just true. That is a rare and difficult thing to achieve in any form of writing, and you achieve it in a picture book, which makes it all the more remarkable.

What moved me most was Frances. The quiet generosity of her offer a ball of yarn to match her mood, then a gentle invitation to learn felt so perfectly observed. That is how real kindness works. It does not announce itself. It just shows up with something small and waits. And the way Levi’s reluctance gives way, stitch by stitch, felt so honest about how healing actually happens: not in a rush, not with fanfare, but slowly and almost sideways.

I was also struck by Grams’ words be patient, never panic, pull woven through the story as a kind of thread that holds everything together even after she is gone. It is a beautiful thing, to give a grieving child something to hold onto that their loved one left behind. Words like that become a compass. I think many readers of all ages will feel that.

And your description of what all your picture books share kindhearted friends just walking one another home with empathy, compassion and joy stopped me in my tracks. That is as clear and as true a statement of purpose as I have ever read from a writer. It explains everything about why your books feel the way they do.

Thank you for writing this book, Barbara. It is the kind of work that reminds me how much can be held inside something small and how long it stays with you.

With warmth and a genuine hope to hear from you,

Elizabeth

I really wanted this review to be real; the sentence It felt like the truth carries such irony, because, alas, it’s from a spammer, pretending to be a best-selling author.

The truth is eroded with each one of these fakes.

And trust? Well, it unravels with every pretend bid for connection.

And I’m left wondering how I might support a newbie author with a similar email without it being disingenuous like this one from some bot calling herself Elizabeth.

I’m also pondering this: How can we best maintain the integrity of our industry while working together with one another to knit connection and trust despite the continued deception out there in cyberspace?

Happy May Day

May 1, 2026 Barbara Gruener

Today I’m excited because Dr. Jean invited me to write a guest post; click {here} to go there and read my reflections about the tradition of the May Day Basket, some stress busters for you to use at work for yourself and teach the children in your care, and to know more about how our books can help elevate empathy.

I started today online energized by a group of Wisconsin 5th graders who let me share Knit Back Together and its backstory.

In this shot, we are trying the Empathy Switch, with which you put five fingers on your right hand to represent yourself and two fingers on the left hand to represent them. Then, invite them to switch the position of their fingers onto the opposite hand. We also tried it with a thumbs up and a pinky up; it’s a tangible way to put empathy in their hands.

And my favorite two bonuses of the morning? The budding authors got to watch Kathy, who was knitting during our read-aloud to show the students how relaxing it can be, and they got to enjoy homemade Monster Cookies for a tasty treat afterward.

If only I’d been there in person … yum yum!

I’m feeling so blessed to be an author; visits like this make my heart so happy.

Yesterday, I led a growth session with thirty caregivers who work for Communities in Schools and again, it served as nourishment for my soul. Head hug anyone?

It was perfectly timed not only for their slide into summer, but also to celebrate May as Mental Health Awareness month.

Happy May Day, dear reader. Whom could you bless with flowers this month?

Kindness By The Scoop

February 17, 2026 Barbara Gruener

Happy Random Acts of Kindness Day! Today I’m grateful for what this sweet partnership sparked.

As soon as I saw this ad on socials, we headed over to our single-batch shop for a scoop of our favorite flavor!

Not only did the brilliant owner of this scrumptious spot host our Book Tasting Launch and make two flavors just for us, but she also brings them back periodically for us to enjoy. Thank you, Katie, for a spot in your cabinet and for being a catalyst for some acts of kindness both locally and nationwide.

This month started out with National School Counseling Week. It’s the first five days in February set aside for school counselors, a job I got to do for a quarter of a century, to advocate for their positions and let their stakeholders know what the career, no, the calling, is all about. It’s also the perfect opportunity to support those counselors and let them know how much they are appreciated and loved, so I put together a few care packages for some local counselors. What a delight it was to drop off my words of encouragement and a few sweet things to celebrate them, including these character cookies from my friend Brandie at Love + Sugar.

Still energized by Katie’s kindness, I decided to keep the celebration going by selecting six educators in four different states whose work I admire and send them a few pamper-yourself items. One of them texted that it made her ~~day/week/~~month to be called to the office for a special delivery at her school. Sigh.

When I was a young girl, my parents always told us that it was better to give than to receive, and I didn’t really understand that then, because who doesn’t like to be remembered and appreciated, right? But the jolt of joy that I got sending these superheroes a reminder that they are loved and that their heart work isn’t going unnoticed revived and supercharged me, for sure.

It’s something I’ve really needed as I recover from foot surgery and go through physical therapy to learn to walk again.

So yeah, kindness is circular like that. Katie gave us an incredibly honoring gift, which set me on a kindness crusade and propelled me into action.

That’s what kindness does. It’s more than just a random one-off; it’s a lifestyle of empathy, compassion, and action that knows no calendar.

How do you like to show kindness and express love?

Need a book and activity to spotlight love? Visit the Corner on Character now.

January Blessings Abound

January 25, 2026 Barbara Gruener

So what does an author do with her time when she’s not working on a book?

My days in January have been spent healing from my foot surgery and traveling to Wisconsin for a visit to my childhood home …

reading words of wisdom from Bob Goff to my 88-year-old Dad …

and checking in on Esther, a revered Centurion in our little village.

Creating and leading Self-love Club growth sessions for my counseling colleagues in two neighboring districts …

while reconnecting with an incredible group of young-adult leaders, (former) students of mine at FHS.

So what am I learning with all of these visits and connections?

That people are wired to be loved and belong.

Somewhere. Anywhere.

To someone. Anyone.

That we cannot give away what we don’t have, and that self-love isn’t braggadocious or loud, but that, instead, it’s quiet, soft, gentle. It’s talking to yourself with that same compassion that you use as you comfort a friend in need.

And that participants of all ages, appreciate that tender reminder to speak grace, kindness, and love into their own souls so that it comes out wholeheartedly toward others.

I’m learning that broken can be beautiful, because the cracks invite the light in.

And that sometimes, we might need to break, so we can grow back stronger and better than ever.

Just like the bunion bone that I had realigned.

Happy 2026, dear reader; thank you for blessing me on this journey through life’s lessons.

Wrapped In Love

November 12, 2025November 12, 2025 Barbara Gruener

Today I’m grateful for readers like Tanya, a school counselor in Montana, for her touching post on IG earlier this week.

It makes my heart soar to see our book in the hands and on the heart of readers like her. And just look at the connection that she made with the book; her daughter’s handiwork (without needles!) is an incredible work of heart.

I had the blessing of gathering online with a panel of teacher authors; click {here} to listen in. It was so much fun to hear their stories and learn more about how their books came about. Special thanks to Josh Tovar and Dr. Moreno for including me in this group of educators.

My cousin texted a photo of Owen’s color sheet after my visit to his school. I just love how he connected back to the story by finishing off his slippers with a pom of a different color.

On this journey through life, I’m learning that love comes in all shapes and sizes, through a chance to connect in person or by receiving a phone call or text following up after the fact.

It might be coming by with a plate of cookies for my husband who just had knee surgery …

or posting a review of a book you liked, just to increase visibility or engagement with the product.

Mine heart happiness has always been sparked by baking, so this week, I baked our Halloween pumpkin, then made six batches of pumpkin bread. I posted on Facebook for anyone local to come pick some up. The Principal of a neighboring school took me up on it, so she could treat her front-office staff to some kindness from my kitchen.

It wrapped my heart in love to get this picture that afternoon. A couple of people I’ve never met came by to get one, too; one of the new friends is making pork egg rolls for us tomorrow. Talk about your win-win.

What’s your go-to way to wrap someone in love?

Our Mom’s Choice Gold Award

October 31, 2025October 31, 2025 Barbara Gruener

I find it so serendipitous that our book earned a Mom’s Choice Gold Award on what would have been my mom’s 88th birthday. Sigh. If only I could share that news with her.

We are honored, grateful, and excited to be endorsed by the MCA family.

After returning to TX from WI, this week included visits with 10 classes to read the book and talk about the writing process with budding authors and illustrators in grades four and five at Bales Intermediate.

The visits all began by talking about selecting a theme – mine is empathy! – and jazzing it up a little with this poem I wrote using the hand-jive motions. Then we talk about choosing a topic, and I share the back story of the unfinished slippers that we found in my grandma Larsen’s closet at her passing, and how, some 15 years later, I was able to finish them and give them to my mom for her stay in the assisted living home.

After reading the story aloud with the illustrations projected on the big screen, I take questions and comments from our listening audience. How it makes my soul sing to hear their feelings, thoughts, and reflections about the text and McKenna’s heartfelt artwork. One young man told me that he noticed I used a lot of literary elements; another asked for my autograph.

In a fun twist, my illustrator was their Art teachers in the primary grades, so they already love her and know so much about using color to convey emotions and mood.

At the end, the most thoughtful thing happened: Mrs. Dixon presented me with a plate of Monster Cookies, from the recipe that she found in the back of the book.

It touched my heart so profoundly that she would not only bake for us, but make Gramma Emma’s cookies. She’s walking the talk as she gives empathy, compassion, and kindness wings.

One last shot from a school visit that has imprinted itself on my heart …

… my wish for you, dear reader, is that you will forever be able to find and feel this kind of unbridled joy.

Second-Grade Superheroes

October 23, 2025 Barbara Gruener

Today I had the pleasure of visiting not one, but three classes of second-grade superheroes. The first two classes were classmates of my cousin’s son, Owen, in Grafton, WI. It was like a homecoming of sorts, because I was with them last year around this time to read Mr. Quigley’s Keys with them. Today I had the pleasure of sharing Knit Back Together.

Next stop, Mrs. Huber’s class in Cedarburg, WI, where I got to enJOY not only reading my book, but also sharing with them about the writing process, specifically the editing and revising step that some budding authors would rather skip.

I get it; I didn’t much care for the myriad edits that I kept on making, especially when they kept me up at night, but since I wanted the book to be the best that it could be, I kept on revising until I had it exactly the way it is now, two Focus Groups and so many versions later.

After falling for these incredible superhero friends, I left with a spring in my step and a request that they send pictures when they’d finished the coloring sheets we gave them.

Here now, their beautiful works of heart: