Willow the Wonderer is a finalist in the prestigious Living Now Book Awards
- Reeta Dhar
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Some wonderful news, Willow the Wonderer is a finalist in the Living Now Book Awards!
About Living Now Book Awards
Launched in 2008, the Living Now Book Awards honour the finest new titles that promote a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle. In a world where personal growth and well-being are paramount, these awards spotlight books that serve as essential tools for connecting, thriving, and inspiring change. The Living Now Book Awards celebrate the creativity and innovation behind impactful works from all around the world.
We only heard about Living Now Book Awards this year and wondered how our little Willow will fare so entered our fifth book, Inner Worlds, into the mix. To our great delight, we received a note a few days ago saying that it was a finalist.
2026 was the first year that the awards recognised finalists. The judges wanted to acknowledge titles that distinguished themselves through exceptional quality and creativity. We are proud to have Willow the Wonderer recognised amongst the many titles that were judged from right around the world.
Willow the Wonderer: Inner Worlds is a surreal tale that teaches positivity and emotional mastery. In his most epic adventure yet, Willow ventures within to discover the ultimate life skill: the ability to choose your thoughts, condition your mind, and reclaim your joy.
Why Inner Worlds is a Must-Have for Every Child:
Mastering Positive Thinking: Moves beyond understanding emotions to teaching Cognitive Reframing—helping children identify negative thought spirals and consciously shift their focus to the positive.
The Grey Cloud Metaphor: Provides children with a non-threatening vocabulary to describe anxiety, bullying, or playground politics, making big emotions easier to manage.
Mind Training (Not Just Mindfulness): Treats the mind like a muscle. Through Willow’s adventure, children learn that staying positive takes practice, and every attempt makes their mental resilience stronger.
Rooted in Timeless Wisdom: Inspired by the 2,600-year-old tradition of Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation, this secular tale introduces kids to the power of a 'mental anchor.'
Advanced Literacy & Surreal Art: Written in rhythmic rhyme to build phonological awareness, paired with stunning art that sparks imagination and supports visual literacy.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Tool: A primary resource for teaching Self-Management (conditioning one’s own mind) and Self-Awareness (identifying mental states)
Our readers called it first
Inner Worlds is the fifth and final book in the Willow the Wonderer series. All the books adopt a story-first approach to help children develop literacy and emotional intelligence skills.
Long before we entered Willow the Wonderer into the Living Now Book Awards, our readers were already handing out five-star reviews to the series–and in all honesty, that means a whole lot more to us than any book award ever could :)
"Your books are incredible. As a previous prep teacher the message resonates very strongly." — Debra H. (School Principal) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
These books are just beautiful, and we love the artwork in them. My kids just love them. Highly recommend." — Dean Rachel A. (Mum) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "
I have read these books with my Grandson, he is nearly 6yrs old. He is extremely bright young lad and loves your books, as I do too. Your Illustrations are superb your composition is written with such depth, creating such a wonderful way to be mindful." — Ninnie & Bug ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The stories are beautiful and offer a curious view of the world while addressing the ever present emotional issue facing children and adults alike, such as what makes me happy." — Deborah C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I purchased these as a Christmas gift for my Grandchildren. But they look amazing and I can't wait for the grandies to have them." — Jennifer B. (Grandparent) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Add the complete Willow the Wonderer series to your little ones' bookshelves today!
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