Not Yet: A True Story Picture Book That Helps Families Talk About Love, Grief, and Holding On

Not Yet: A True Story Picture Book That Helps Families Talk About Love, Grief, and Holding On

Clinton, Iowa - April 20, 2026 - In a tender, true-story picture book now available, author and educator Kerry Espey invites families into a mother-daughter bond told through life's ordinary moments-and the extraordinary ache of saying goodbye. Not Yet was inspired by real-life moments filled with love, patience, and togetherness.

For many families, grief arrives in layers: first in the changes, then in the realization, and finally in the absence. Not Yet approaches that reality with gentleness. It begins with childhood warmth and a loving phrase that becomes the story's heartbeat: "Not yet."

As the girl grows, "not yet" marks the milestones-friendships, independence, adulthood-each time rooted in a mother's steady care. Later, the phrase takes on new meaning as the adult daughter faces the possibility of loss and wishes for more time. The story becomes a tribute to what families do when time feels fragile: hold hands, share stories, and fill the room with familiar music and love.

Espey wrote the book as a way of holding her mother close through memory and keeping their love alive. Readers who have lost someone they love-or who are walking alongside an aging loved one-may find the story especially resonant.

The book supports families, counselors, educators, grief groups, and caregivers looking for gentle language to open hard conversations-while honoring the truth that love remains.

Media Contact

Kerry Espey

Kerry Espey Books | Clinton, Iowa

About the Book

Not Yet is a heartfelt picture book about perseverance, hope, and believing in yourself-reminding young readers that "not yet" doesn't mean "never."

About the Book

Not Yet is a heartfelt picture book about perseverance, hope, and believing in yourself-reminding young readers that "not yet" doesn't mean "never."

This release was published on openPR.