Forest Grove Middle School eighth grade artist Katherine Amankrah recently had her illustrations featured in a newly-published Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) picture book that aims to educate kids about mental stress and anxiety. 

The book, titled “My Body Knows. Do I Know?”, is a collaboration between Amankrah and author Ashley Hope Cournoyer-Smith, who is a school psychologist at Elm Park Community School. 

The book’s message centers around SEL techniques used by Cournoyer-Smith in her own work as a school psychologist. It focuses on how mental stress can manifest through actions and social reactions that may be unfamiliar to elementary-aged children. 

The artwork from Amankrah provides a splash of bright colors in a signature anime illustration style. The diverse characters created by Amankrah depict reactions to the different emotions and actions discussed throughout the book. 

"Her art was out of this world. I noticed she worked with another clinician and the art was displayed in her office," Cournoyer-Smith said. "I was so happy to hear back from my publisher that we could include her and give her that kind of opportunity."