Sandra V. Feder’s bestselling Emotions and Me series includes Angry Me and Peaceful Me, both illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, and Shy Me, illustrated by Ashley Barron. Lonely Me, also illustrated by Ashley Barron, comes out next year.

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Rahele and Ashley sat down together to talk about their work — their inspirations, their approaches and which character in the series they relate to the most!

Ashley: The books in the Emotions and Me series all feature a unique and compelling main character. Did you base your characters in Angry Me and Peaceful Me on any real kids in your own life?

Rahele: Yes, absolutely. As a new mom, I was deeply immersed in both the emotional and educational journey of parenting. I found myself learning through experience while also seeking picture books to help me open up conversations with my daughter about her emotions. Children sometimes respond better when guidance comes from a story or a character rather than directly from a parent. Books can be truly magical that way. They create a safe space for kids and adults to process feelings together. Many times while working on these books, I referred to my daughter, Darya, and observing how she expressed different emotions helped me shape the characters’ gestures and emotional responses. She was a significant source of inspiration throughout the process.

Ashley: The character in Shy Me was inspired by two real kids in my life who happen to live an ocean apart from one another. Rory lives in Glasgow, Scotland, and Ashton lives here in Toronto, and both were sporting similar bowl cuts that partially hid their eyes at the time I was first sketching out the character. As you can imagine, they are very excited to receive their copies of the book!

Ashley: Did you have any other real-life inspirations?

Rahele: Growing up, I had certain books I would return to repeatedly, especially during emotional moments. Those stories became my safe space, and looking back, I realize they were a big part of why I wanted to become a picture book maker. Books can shape who we are. They become part of our identity. One book that stayed with me from childhood was The Country Mouse and the City Mouse (ماهی سیاه کوچولو), a classic fable that I read in Persian. I must have read it countless times — it offered comfort, familiarity and a way to make sense of my feelings. I also had a special doll I never wanted to share with anyone. That doll became my secret keeper. I would talk to it and share my feelings, fears and little joys. I think we all have objects like that from childhood that reflect pieces of our personality. To me, picture books hold that same power. They carry our stories and emotions and help us connect with ourselves and each other in a quiet, lasting way.

Ashley: Tell me more about your childhood. What were you like as a kid? Which character in the series do you relate to the most?

Rahele: I was a timid kid, and honestly, I still am, just in an adult way. Being a little creature in a big world can feel overwhelming sometimes. One day, after a workshop for SCBWI, I told Sandra, “Hey Sandra, you should write a book about a character and call it Shy Me.” She immediately loved the idea and asked me how I felt as a child, what situations made me shy, and how I coped with those feelings. And she did it! Congratulations to her — she’s fantastic. And I’m so glad you brought the story to life with your beautiful illustrations in the third book. I feel especially connected to that one.

Ashley: I was pretty introverted and shy as a kid, too. I would hide if the doorbell rang and dreaded being handed the phone if, say, a relative called. So I could easily relate to all of the scenarios Sandra thoughtfully touched upon in her writing. My favourite page reads, “Sometimes I don’t feel shy at all. But when I do, being shy feels like the biggest part of me.” The accompanying illustration (where the boy is getting ready to play while his friends wait for him at the door), was a scene pulled straight from my own memories of being a shy kid. Front doors were high-stress environments for me, apparently!

Rahele: Yes, the boy is getting ready to play in the snow! Why did you choose winter as the setting for Shy Me?

Ashley: Winter is a quiet, buttoned-up time of year, so that’s part of the reason I chose a snowy backdrop for Shy Me. The other reason being that I just really wanted to draw kids ice skating and building snow forts — activities I loved as a kid and don’t often get a chance to illustrate.

Ashley: What was it about autumn that felt like the right fit for Angry Me and Peaceful Me?

Rahele: Honestly, I didn’t plan it intentionally at first, but for Peaceful Me in particular, autumn felt like the right season. It’s always been peaceful to me. There’s something about how everything changes and slows down, how nature seems to prepare for winter quietly. It’s a season of transition and of letting go, which felt deeply aligned with the emotion I wanted to explore. Visually, autumn offered so many rich and gentle moments: falling leaves, soft light and muted colors, all of which helped me layer the character’s emotional journey with subtle, meaningful cues.

Rahele: What other emotions would you like to see the series explore?

Ashley: I think jealousy is a powerful emotion worth exploring. Growing up with a younger sibling, the phrase “not fair” was flung around a lot in our household. Come to think of it, almost all of our quarrels had something to do with perceived unfairness and jealousy. My mom used to read us that Mercer Mayer Little Critter book titled Me Too, which I still think about to this day.

Thank you, Rahele and Ashley!