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It’s the first day back at school, and Love is feeling nervous. New classmates, a new teacher, and all the little uncertainties that come with change. As she lines up for class, Love tells herself it’s just another day. But when something goes wrong, she finds comfort in the small treasure tucked safely in her pocket.
Sometimes ordinary days hold the most special moments. Love makes a new friend called Mel, who quickly becomes friends with both Love and Izzy. And when their teacher assigns everyone to present something cultural that they do at home, Love needs to decide what to share. Pappa suggests something very Aussie, while Mamma has a Swedish idea.
Love picks her favourite tradition to share, but things don’t go quite as planned. With Mamma and Pappa’s support, she works to make everything right for her big moment. And what will her friends choose to share?
From pocket treasures that bring comfort to shared traditions that bring joy, Love discovers that the simplest moments – when we’re brave enough to be ourselves – can turn an ordinary day into something wonderful.
A gentle story celebrating the small, special moments that make everyday life precious.
Readers
Ideal for independent readers building confidence with chapter books, as well as family read-alouds that spark conversations about friendship, family, and the special moments of everyday life. As part of Love’s story, readers will also learn some Swedish, including how to pronounce the vowels and words that appear throughout the book.
Author Biography
Emma Freya was born in Sweden and came to Australia as a backpacker planning to stay just a couple of months. She fell in love with the country and returned to complete undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, making Brisbane her home.A qualified Swedish chef by trade, Emma believes the most meaningful traditions revolve around food. She loves creating all sorts of things, from sewing and crafts to mobile apps and intricate LEGO flowers, and finds joy in making things across many different mediums.She began writing Love’s stories as a way to bond with her daughter Rae when she started reading chapter books. More importantly, she wanted to show Rae that speaking a second language is something to celebrate and embrace. Through Love’s stories, Emma hopes to help children feel proud of their unique abilities and differences.Her storytelling philosophy centres on finding magic in the ordinary. In a world that demands everything be sensational, she believes children need stories that celebrate small moments and everyday joys, like reading a favourite book, sharing something delicious to eat, or simply making something with your hands.Emma keeps her Swedish heritage alive primarily through food traditions, including the beloved smörgåsbord at Christmas and, of course, the chocolate balls recipe featured in this book. Just Be Yourself is her first book, with more of Love’s gentle stories planned for the future. Rae Freya is a Swedish-Australian artist who has been creating art since she was three years old. Her artistic journey began early, and she has been honing her skills through art classes since prep. Rae loves both painting and drawing, with a particular passion for still life drawings and abstract paintings that reflect her emotions and the world around her.As co-illustrator of this book, Rae brought her unique perspective to the project by illustrating many of the items and section dividers throughout the story. Her favourite illustration to create was the backpack, and her Swedish-Australian heritage gave her a special connection to the Swedish words and culture woven into Love’s story.When she’s not creating art, Rae enjoys playing Minecraft, dancing, drama, piano, and singing. Her favourite books are from the Spirit of the Dreaming series, especially Old Nana Quokka by Aunty Rhonda Collard-Spratt and Jacki Ferro. Known for her cheeky sense of humour and love of playing tricks, Rae is also deeply compassionate toward her friends and brings boundless energy to everything she does.Rae dreams of illustrating more books in the future and is particularly interested in developing activity books. Through her art, she hopes to continue sharing the emotions and observations that inspire her creative world.
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