Call Me Penny Pickleberry

Meghan Grana has been an advocate for students and families across the United States for nearly two decades. She holds a master's degree in speech-language and hearing science and has served students with a broad range of communication issues, including learning disabilities, autism, cognitive impairments, language disabilities, and social-emotional disorders.Recognizing that the greatest factor in overall student achievement is social-emotional wellness, Grana became certified as a Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) in Maryland in 2018. As a PPW, she works in Student and Family Support and Engagement at one of the largest school districts in the country, serving thousands of families just north of Washington, D.C. She partners with families, students, and school-based staff in the areas of attendance and engagement, access to community resources, mental health, discipline and behavior, homelessness, and crisis support. Fanny Liem was born and raised in Indonesia. Since she was a kid, she's loved to draw. Her passion for storytelling and illustration started the first time she grabbed picture books, which were given to her by her uncle. When she is not drawing, she loves watching movies and listening to country music.

“Call Me Penny Pickleberry is an intentionally written story that provides context and explanation at a developmentally appropriate level of how some children experience anxiety. As a person who has experienced anxiety for their entire life, this would have been an extremely helpful tool to explain what was going on. By breaking down Penelope’s inner monologue into two voices (positive and negative), author Meghan Grana reinforces the idea that we are not our anxiety.” —Corrie-Locke Hardy, The Tiny Activist"Call Me Penny Pickleberry is a gift for any child struggling with anxiety. Grana’s sensitive and charming story empowers children to become their own cheerleaders. And the inclusion of simple practices for reorienting negative thoughts and supporting self-confidence is invaluable. A must-have book for school libraries!" —Kitty O’Meara, author of And the People Stayed Home and The Rare, Tiny Flower“Children’s thoughts are the window through which their feelings see the world. This book demonstrates this reality in a fun and engaging manner and helps teach children the importance of talking to themselves like their own best friend while also modeling how to accept our own imperfections. This is a very timely book and is highly recommended.” —Dr. Jonathan Dalton, director of the Center of Anxiety and Behavioral Change “The personification of negative and positive self-talk in Call Me Penny Pickleberry is transcendent. I learned new coping mechanisms so succinctly from this book, even as an adult in the mental health advocacy field! It is truly heartwarming how Grana uses creative storytelling paired with amazing illustrations by Fanny Liem to help kids develop healthy coping skills at a young age.” —Thea Touchton, CFO of Sueñito Media “I wish I had a book like Call Me Penny Pickleberry when I was a kid. I started having severe anxiety as a child and didn't know where to turn. If I had this book I'm sure I would’ve learned more coping skills and strategies to thrive despite the doubtful and taunting inner chat. Both the story and coping tools for self-regulation at the end are extremely useful for any child, whether they experience anxiety or not. This is a must-buy for all children!” —X. ARI, singer-songwriter, mental health advocate, public speaker, founder of nonprofit WisdoMania Foundation  “As someone who has struggled with anxiety his entire life, I can relate to this story so much. I have used many of the same tips offered by the author—even in my adult life—to overcome anxiety and thrive as a mental health speaker. I wish I had access to a book like Call Me Penny Pickleberry when I was a child, but I’m glad children today can benefit from such a well-written and beautifully illustrated tale of rising above our inner-Nellys.”  —Rudy Caseres, mental health speaker “Call Me Penny Pickleberry is a necessary addition to school libraries nationwide. Children are given the tools they need to become their own supporters by Grana's tender voice in an endearing tale. Additionally, Grana includes straightforward techniques for redirecting unfavorable thoughts and boosting confidence.” —Davida Padi, founder of Zachary’s Corner and youth mental health advocate