About

I translate emotions into stories with heart

I'm Sofía Bayona Beriso, a Full-Time Associate Professor and researcher in technology applied to health, neuroscience and psychology. I was awarded a Marie Curie fellowship to do research at Imperial College London, where I also completed a Master in Education. Some stories reach where explanations cannot.

I believe in an integrative view of the person: I care about the mind, the body, emotions and human relationships, and I understand the child within their family. My aim is that every child feels that their emotions are valid, that they are accepted and loved, and that they can show themselves as they are, so that their heart can light up.

My stories are bridges for reading as a family: stories with heart and practical tools so that grown-ups and little ones can talk about what they feel. They are stories that don't promise that sadness will go away soon, but that someone will stay beside you for as long as it lasts.

Why I write about sadness

My mother died, after a long illness, serene and surrounded by all our love. That process made us grow as a family: we allowed ourselves to be sad and to talk about what we felt, and today we feel even closer.

That is why I write. I would like more families to create a safe space to tell what they feel, and to welcome sadness, so that no child has to keep it to themselves or go through it alone.

How I work

I conceive each book from three viewpoints: the child's (do they understand it?), the adult's (does it give me words to keep company?) and that of the evidence (is what I state supported?). That is why my books include a guide, notes on asking for help and a clear warning that they do not replace a professional. I try to tell apart what is an evidence-based explanation from what is a metaphor, an image or a suggestion.

About the illustrations

I write, create the illustrations and take care of each book. I create the illustrations with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and then edit, retouch and finish them myself, page by page. I say so here and in the book's credits because it is part of how it was made. I do it wholeheartedly, caring for every detail.

When I am not researching, teaching or writing, I enjoy nature with my friends and family life.