When I Am Not with You: How We're Together, Even When We're Apart

Comfort your little one through separation anxieties big and small. From actress, mother of four, and podcast host Sarah Wright Olsen comes When I Am Not with You, a dreamy, rhyming picture book that shows whether it's across the room or across the world, you and your little one are always together in your hearts and minds.

When I am not with you, where will I be?

In your heart, I will warm you. In your head, you'll see me.

Those moments alone I'm always with you

Because you're in my heart and my head too.

In a world that's constantly moving and changing, it can be especially hard for kids to be separated from the people they love most. When I Am Not with You eases readers' separation anxiety by reassuring them that love can bridge any distance. From building a blanket fort to drinking tea on the moon, this lyrical, comforting book encourages kids to use their imaginations to keep their loved ones close until they're reunited again.

Perfect for parents to share their boundless love with their children before bedtime, a night out, or a big trip, When I Am Not with You gently reminds readers of all ages that if you hold your loved one in your heart and head, you're never truly separated.

When I Am Not with You is perfect for:

• sharing with children ages 4 and up
• comforting kids through separations both short (like bedtime or back-to-school) and long (like work trips, deployment, or even loss)
• building healthy mental skills such as patience, coping, mindfulness, imagination, and emotional intelligence

Author: Sarah Wright Olsen
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Published: 09/22/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 10.10h x 10.20w x 0.20d
ISBN: 9780310177296
Audience: Ages 4-8

About the Author
Olsen, Sarah Wright: - Sarah Wright Olsen is a mother of four--Wyatt, Esme, Winter, and Ocean. She cohosts the podcast The Mother Daze with fellow actress and mother Teresa Palmer. Sarah and Teresa also coauthored The Zen Mama Guide to Finding Your Rhythm in Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond (Harper Horizon), a holistic and empowering guide that helps expectant mothers navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenthood with mindfulness, balance, and con?dence. Sarah has starred in many TV shows and movies including Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, The House Bunny, American Made, and Matlock. She is also the co-owner of a plant-based organic mommy/baby skincare line, baeo.com.Gilland, Asa: -

Åsa Gilland is a Swedish illustrator living in Jakarta, Indonesia with her family and cats in a little house beneath a gigantic bougainvillea tree. She studied interior design at Accademia Italiana Moda in Florence and spent many years as a graphic designer before pursuing her love for illustration and picture books. She works in a combination of traditional and digital media, drawing her inspiration from the mixture of cultures in the world around her. Her children's book characters reflect the rich diversity of her own lived experience. She loves history, patterns, and drawing people.