NAMI released “Meet Little Monster,” a mental health coloring and activity book created by NAMI’s State Organization NAMI Washington for young children. The coloring book serves as a tool for kids to express and explore their feelings in a fun, creative and empowering way, as well as to help foster dialogue between children and the safe adults in their lives.

The coloring book is available for download to families, organizations, teachers and young people across the country at no-cost in English as well as Spanish.

The project was response to both the COVID-19 pandemic, when children were suddenly cut off from their friends, teachers, coaches, club leaders and school counselors, and the Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd. The book was written and designed by Sophia Nicholson Keener and illustrated by Honor Heindl as a resource for children who were experiencing big and powerful feelings without the community support and reassurance that they had access to before quarantine. It also includes a list of mental health resources.