Leo and the Star Children - Blue Sky Daisies

Leo is a little boy with a big imagination. In his dreams, he creates a world where sadness doesn’t exist. How he wishes he could live in that place! But despite his dreams, Leo’s heart is sad, and there’s no escaping it.

Leo and the Star Children is the first book written and illustrated by author Evangeline Mattice. It is about adoption and all the emotions that come with it. Adoption brings immeasurable love, but every adoption is born from loss. This is a story that tells how grief and love entwine, and how the heart can learn to hold both.

Author’s Note

Adoptees often struggle to share our grief. We often encounter responses that, though meant to be helpful, can come across as dismissive. We’re told, “You’re loved, you belong!” and “Your adoption was an act of love, not rejection.” While most adopted children were not “rejected” by their first families, they may still feel that’s the case, even for a time. Our emotions are complex and need to be acknowledged. Sometimes we just need to hear, “It’s unfair, it must hurt” and “Your pain is valid.”

Grief cannot be sidestepped. By facing it head-on, we can take the first step toward healing. This book honours the hard parts of our stories and is a testament that healing and hope can always be found.

About the Author

Evangeline Mattice dreamed up the idea of Leo and the Star Children amidst her own adoption grief. She commissioned her mom, Tracy Fast, to help put words to the story. Together they hope Leo and the Star Children will ignite conversations and bring healing to other adoptees and their families.