The Stars in the Sky

I have always felt that this story was placed in my heart and in my hands. It is an honor to finally get to share this book with you!

It all started several years ago, with a group of strangers in a small Experiential Education Master’s program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. A community of inspiring individuals formed during that time. It was in this program where I met Jason and Rob. Rob was truly authentic and compassionate. He was a beautiful representation of humanity: wise yet full of questions, light-hearted and a deep thinker, creative and messy, caring and inspiring. While navigating his own struggles, Rob sought those moments in life that truly made him come alive. He encouraged this for others too. He lived a lot of life in his 33 years, and passed away unexpectedly. He was a part of several different communities and each community seemed to echo the same sentiments while trying to understand this loss. It left me with many questions including this: How do you reconcile the loss of someone who brought so much light into the world, and then suddenly the light is gone? This question led me to write a reflective story in my journal. Soon after that, I knocked on Jason Jaspersen’s door and pitched the idea of turning my creative reflection into a children’s book. At that point, I knew little about what this project would be, just that it needed to exist and it needed Jason’s illustrations. As you know, he agreed to take this project on. It seemed fitting that we lived out much of what we learned in our Experiential Education program bringing this book to fruition. This is the second book Jason has illustrated, and the first book I have written. We were experiencing, reflecting, and learning every step of the way. Mentors, friends, our publishing team at Wise Ink, and of course our families, helped us along the way as well. We are both grateful!

This story is not a biography, or a how-to guide for families to navigate grief and loss. The feel of the story is more like a timeless legend. It allows space for children and families to reflect and ask questions while navigating a loss. The loss might not even be around a death. We hope this book can spark questions, conversation, healing, and hope. May it be a companion if you too are grappling with loss while taking your brave steps forward in life. Pay attention to the light in others, to the inextinguishable light of those no longer here, and the light you yourself share with the world.

With Gratitude,

Haylee (and Jason)