{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"If You\u2019re Lucky Enough to Know a Unicorn: Grief, Joy, and Resilience with Haley Bresnan","description":"On this episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed welcomes Haleigh Bresnan, second grade teacher and debut picture book author of If You\u2019re Lucky Enough to Know a Unicorn. The conversation explores how a deeply personal loss blossomed into a gentle, hopeful story for children and families. Haleigh shares that the book was inspired by Kennedy, a baby girl born with heterotaxy, a rare condition where organs may be reversed or malformed. Kennedy passed away just shy of four months. In the quiet moments of rocking her own newborn son, while grieving alongside Kennedy\u2019s family, Haleigh began writing a poem to process her emotions. Over six years, that poem slowly evolved into the picture book it is today. Rather than focusing on the medical details, the book uses the unicorn as a symbol of unforgettable, transformative love. Haleigh and Jed talk about helping kids understand big emotions\u2014grief, sadness, resilience, and joy\u2014and about reassuring adults that it\u2019s okay for children to laugh and feel happy even after tragedy. Haleigh describes using the book in her classroom, how her students react when they realize their teacher is also an author, and the powerful community support that has surrounded the project. She shares the emotional moment when Kennedy\u2019s mom first saw the book\u2014and how physical copies arrived on the anniversary of Kennedy\u2019s passing. ","author_name":"Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/558800","html":"