I've Never Sawn That Before!: Nate discovers that he can feel safe and snug at night without his hearing aids

Just when it is time to settle into bed, Nate's imagination begins to run wild, thinking about all the things he's never "sawn" [seen] before. A donut downpour, a dancing dinosaur, a sunken candy store and more help to prolong the tuck-in routine in this conversational bedtime story. Dad provides Nate with comfort and reassurance, easing his worries when he takes out his hearing aids and is alone with the bedroom light turned off.

This comforting story acknowledges children's feelings of bedtime anxiety and over-stimulation while showing there is no need to feel scared and alone at night. The narrative follows the reassuring interactions between father and son and, with calming soft-palette artworks, is designed to help settle restless and apprehensive young minds.

The book demonstrates how a parent's loving and gentle encouragement can help a little one drift off into a secure, cozy slumber. With whimsical illustrations and lyrical rhymes, "I've Never Sawn that Before" is a fresh nighttime read-aloud, appropriate for kids both with and without hearing loss.

About the author:

Kristin Blakely is a Toronto-based author with a PhD in Sociology and Gender & Women's Studies who loves (in no particular order) writing children's books, her fantastic family and friends, Popsicles and popcorn and peanut butter (but not at the same time), her goofy Bernedoodle, and working to make the world a more equal, just, and sustainable place for us all.

Before writing for children, Kristin taught in the university sector and has held many leadership positions as a gender scholar and advocate.

Kristin has first-hand experience with hearing, speech, and language development challenges, both personally and as a parent. She wholeheartedly supports the AVID Language mission to foster compassion, acceptance, and inclusion with stories that normalize our diverse hearing and language journeys.