A heartfelt children’s picture book about ADHD, big feelings, belonging and discovering that you are already enough.
Written by Australian children’s author Kate Darmody
The puddle used to show her reflection. Now it holds letters.
Some days, school feels heavy.
Her thoughts race. Her words tumble out. Her feelings seem too big to hold.
When she forgets things or gets into trouble, she begins to wonder whether everyone would like her better if she were quieter.
Then, one rainy day, she discovers a mysterious letter floating in a puddle.
Hey Kid, you are not too much. You are exactly enough.
With each new letter, she begins to see herself differently — not as a problem to be fixed, but as someone worthy of kindness, courage and belonging.
Letters in the Puddle is a gentle, reassuring picture book for children who sometimes feel different, misunderstood or overwhelmed.
It is a story for busy minds, big feelings and the children who need to hear that being different does not mean being wrong.
About the Book
At its heart, Letters in the Puddle is about the way children see themselves when the world repeatedly tells them to slow down, sit still, remember, listen or try harder.
Through a magical series of letters, one child begins to replace those messages with something kinder.
- ADHD and neurodiversity
- big feelings and emotional regulation
- self-esteem and self-acceptance
- confidence and resilience
- feeling different at school
- kindness and belonging
- recognising strengths rather than only difficulties
It is designed to open gentle conversations between children and the adults who care for and teach them.
For Parents, Teachers and Librarians
Letters in the Puddle is particularly suited to primary-school classrooms, school libraries, families and wellbeing conversations.
It can be used to explore questions such as:
- How does it feel when people notice the things we find difficult but not the things we do well?
- Can our differences also be strengths?
- What would we say to a friend who believed they were “too much”?
- How can the words we use change the way a child sees themselves?
For children who recognise themselves in the story, Letters in the Puddle offers reassurance.
For children who don’t, it offers understanding.
Book Details
Title: Letters in the Puddle
Author: Kate Darmody
Publisher: Little Literati
Publication: September 2026
Format: Children’s picture book
Paperback ISBN: 9780975661659
Hardcover ISBN: 9780975661673
The hardcover and paperback editions are available internationally through booksellers and online retailers.
Bookshops and libraries can order the book through the Ingram distribution network.
Buy Letters in the Puddle
Australia
Also available through Fishpond.
International: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks and participating independent booksellers.
If your preferred bookshop does not have a copy on the shelf, ask them to order Letters in the Puddle using the ISBN above.
About Kate Darmody
Kate Darmody is an Australian children’s author, teacher and mum to triplets.
Before becoming a teacher, Kate worked as a journalist, but storytelling has remained a constant throughout her career. Her work with children has given her a particular interest in stories that help young people understand themselves, their differences and their place in the world.
Kate’s books explore childhood with warmth, humour and honesty — particularly those moments when children feel different, overwhelmed, brave, uncertain, or simply need reminding that they belong.
Kate lives in Brisbane, Australia.
<!– –>More books by Kate Darmody
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Kate Darmody Books 