Through Your Eyes – A Childrens Book by Jena Foley

Through Your Eyes – A Childrens Book by Jena Foley

8/24/2021

by Brian Coll

I recently saw through a friend that a local resident wrote a children’s book. So I reached out to Jena Foley, who in addition to being a new mom is a 5th grade teacher at Loomis Elementary School in the Marple Newtown School District. I asked her a bit about her new book and here we go…

Hi Jena, I see you wrote a children’s book. How did you think up “Through Your Eyes”?
I have believed in the power of mindfulness since I introduced it to my second classroom during my first year teaching. Mindfulness helped them to regulate their reactions to tough situations and practicing gratitude regularly helped build our classroom community. As much as I believed in the concept, I found it hard to apply to my personal life. I tended to zoom past life trying to accomplish task after task. Then, Luca was born. Suddenly, my to-do list had to wait and I started experiencing the magic in small moments for the first time. When he was 4 months old I watched him reach for a leaf on a tree outside our house. He turned it over to feel the bumps. Then he flipped it over again to feel the smooth side. It was in that moment, that I came up with the idea of this book. I started to purposefully watch Luca and full immerse myself in all of our experiences, particularly in nature. I felt a newfound gratitude for things I used to fly past every day. I hope my book can inspire that in other moms. 

Is this your first book, or have you written other books or types of books?

I have been writing children’s books and songs to help kids learn my whole life, but this is my first published story. I am really proud of it, and am so excited for it to be out in the world!

Do you have other books already in your mind, or are you just enjoying the time with your child?
Yes! I have a list of book ideas, but right now, I am focusing on spending time with Luca and getting to know my new fifth grade students. I can’t wait to meet them! 

I see the book on Amazon, is that the only place you can buy it at this point?
Yes, right now Amazon is where you can purchase my book. Here is a link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Through-Your-Eyes-Baby-Inspired-Mindful/dp/B09CDTMQV7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M2BP818TQAI9&dchild=1&keywords=through+your+eyes+jena+foley&qid=1629027017&sprefix=through+your+eyes+jena+foley%2Caps%2C245&sr=8-1

My children are 5 and 7 and I have loved watching them grow, our family does a lot of reading to each other and I can’t wait to get your book and read it with the family..
It brings me so much happiness to envision parents and their little ones snuggled up reading this book. I hope it instills daily gratitude in all of my readers of all ages.

Jena, thank you, best of luck this school year and all of the ideas for future books. Enjoy every minute with Luca.