A gentle book about depression from a dog's point of view, but also easy for children to understand.

Not Today, Celeste! is about a puppy who was the happiest dog in the world with a wonderful, fun owner. Then one day, she notices Something Different about her owner. It turns out her owner has depression. This book helps children understand depression in a way that is destigmatizing (I love the explanation that feelings can get "sick" the same way that our tummies can) and helps them realize that they are not to blame for mental illness and it doesn't mean their loved one doesn't care about them anymore. I also like that it didn't end with "everything is perfect now the depression is all gone" but showed they can get through it together and know what to do about it now. I struggle a lot with mental illness and this book brought tears to my eyes because it covers the topic so gracefully. It also has a guide on how to discuss the topic of depression with children.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.