Sometimes Stormy: A Story about Finding Calm and Staying Safe When Someone You Love Drinks Too Much

Help children ages 5-8 understand and cope with a parent's substance use disorder

Sometimes Stormy explores what it's like to live with a parent struggling with alcohol use disorder. A young boy named Ezra realizes his dad is plagued by a troubling storm--the Sometimes Storm--that sometimes visits their home and changes Dad. He goes searching for the storm's favorite thing, hoping that he can make it go away. But when the storm persists, Ezra turns to caring adults, who help him discover how to live with the Sometimes Storm instead.

This empathetic book includes a note from author Amanda Davis, relaying her inspiration for the story and setting the stage for a difficult but necessary topic. The book includes additional support materials, including a glossary, a message to adults, and online resources. With Sometimes Stormy, children can gain the skills and understanding to cope with a situation that is out of their control.

• Offers an age-appropriate explanation of alcohol use disorder
• Models strategies for coping with a stressful home situation
• Teaches children to seek support from a trusted adult
• Explains that adult addiction is not a child's fault or responsibility to fix
• Contains helpful resources for children and families

Sometimes Stormy is for children from all backgrounds and the adults who support them. It's an excellent resource for parents, teachers, mental health professionals, and others who need to help children understand that substance use is not their fault and how to find calm and stay safe when the storm surges.

Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. Amanda is the author of 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport and Moonlight Memories, illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan. Her poetry and illustrations are featured in the anthologies Friends & Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children and Gnomes and Ungnomes. Amanda also has over ten years of experience as a classroom teacher and was selected as Massachusetts Secondary Art Educator of the Year for 2020. She's passionate about telling stories that allow children to feel seen, comforted, and less alone. When she's not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her family and her rescue pup, Cora.