Brunswick author’s new book helps kids work through worry
Brunswick Author Charlotte Agell Publishes New Picture Book About Anxiety and Friendship
BRUNSWICK, Maine — Brunswick‑born writer and illustrator Charlotte Agell has released a fresh addition to her series of children’s books that tackles anxiety, storytelling, and the power of friendship. “Just for Today,” which hit bookshelves in July, follows the adventures of Elba the hippopotamus and Norris the cheerful, butterfly‑driven creature from Agell’s 2019 debut, “Maybe Tomorrow?”
Agell’s latest book draws on a simple but profound phrase her 91‑year‑old mother used to say: “This is not the end of the story.” That adage, she says, inspired the book’s theme that the stories we tell ourselves shape how we feel and act.
In “Just for Today,” Norris notices that Elba is anxious and encourages her to tell herself a happier narrative. The two go on a journey that initially seems exciting but soon turns unsettling. Both characters confront their own worries, only to discover that the support of a friend can help rewrite the narrative and transform fear into courage.
“‘Just for Today’ is really about the stories we tell ourselves,” Agell told the Times Record. “When we tell ourselves the wrong story, that contributes to our worry.” The book is designed to help young readers identify anxious thoughts and learn to challenge them with positive self‑talk and supportive friends.
Unlike most of Agell’s books, the illustrations of Elba and Norris in this volume were created by Ana Ramírez González, a veteran Pixar artist who has worked on films such as Coco. González brought her own flair to the characters, turning the clay rhinoceros that once sat on Agell’s desk into a gentle, umbrella‑bearing hippo, and infusing Norris with an infectious optimism that attracts a parade of butterflies.
Agell, who has nearly twenty titles to her name—including the debut “The Sailor’s Book” in 1991—has spent decades teaching children in Yarmouth public schools. “Kids are very deep,” she said. “I think that any kids book or chapter book that talks down to kids isn’t worth anything, because kids are the philosophers of the universe.” Her background as a teacher informs the way she addresses difficult topics like grief and anxiety in her stories.
The book’s backstory began with a tiny, brightly colored clay rhinoceros in Agell’s studio. She sensed a hint of sadness in the figurine and imagined a character who, like many kids and adults, felt overwhelmed by the world. That character evolved into Elba, a gentle hippo who never leaves home without her umbrella. When González reimagined the figure as a hippopotamus, Agell was pleased to see a resemblance to the beloved Moomin characters from her Swedish‑Finnish heritage.
“Kids are the philosophers of the universe,” Agell reiterated, stressing that her stories aim to validate children’s emotions rather than shelter them from struggle. “Rather than sheltering kids from struggle and sadness, we show them they don’t have to go through it alone.”
In addition to the books themselves, Agell is developing teacher’s guides to accompany both “Maybe Tomorrow?” and “Just for Today.” The guides will provide educators with tools for supporting social and emotional learning in the classroom.
The series isn’t finished. Agell and González are already planning a third book that will continue to follow Elba and Norris as they navigate new adventures and deeper lessons about storytelling and resilience.
The book is available in bookstores and online retailers across Maine and beyond. With its heartfelt message, engaging characters, and expert illustration, “Just for Today” is poised to become a staple in homes and classrooms that value authentic emotional exploration for children.
