From the New York Times #1 bestselling author Susan Verde, an essay collection that emphasizes the importance of positive self-talk and the impact it has on raising children.

THE WORDS THAT MATTER:
Learning to Speak to Myself (and Others) with Love
by Susan Verde
Abrams Image, March 2023

Bestselling children’s book author Susan Verde turns her attention from children to the adults who care for them. The stories in THE WORDS THAT MATTER are filled with honesty and vulnerability, as Verde shares both the words of her own inner critic and what she has learned about approaching that voice with curiosity and compassion. She shares ways to rethink how we speak to ourselves in order to cultivate our own self-love and show our children that self-love is not only achievable but necessary.
A single mom of three very different kids, each with their own needs and challenges, Verde knows firsthand that motherhood can be rough. However, she understands that the words we say to ourselves are what enable us to show up for our kids. THE WORDS THAT MATTER is meant to offer actionable ways to change our inner speak from negative to supportive, and serves as a gentle guide for anyone who wants to remember how worthy and wonderful they are and to pass those feelings of self-worth on to their kids.

Susan Verde is a New York Times bestselling children’s author, children’s yoga and mindfulness expert, former teacher, and parent. She has more than 20 picture books in the marketplace. She is a highly sought after speaker at conferences, festivals, and schools across the nation, and spends half the year on the road working with children and families. Verde is a frequent contributor to online magazines and has appeared on multiple podcasts speaking about writing, parenting, mindfulness, and yoga. She lives in East Hampton, New York.