When I first wrote Words, I never imagined how far it would reach. What began as a simple poem, then story about the impact of language quickly became something more. It found a home in classrooms, in family spaces, and in conversations between children and adults. I’ve received messages from teachers using it during morning meetings, parents reading it at bedtime, and students who’ve written to say it made them think differently about the way they speak.

Words opened a door. A door into how the things we say—to others and to ourselves—carry weight. That book was about language, about kindness, about using our words to build rather than destroy. But for a long time, I’ve known there was another story waiting—one that would look inward instead of outward.

And so, I’m proud to introduce The Sack—a thoughtful sequel to Words.

What’s in The Sack?

Where Words explored the language we share aloud, The Sack explores the language we speak to ourselves—the thoughts that live quietly in our minds.

In this story, we meet a familiar character: e. Many readers connected with e in Words, and in this new journey, we follow e once again—this time as it struggles with something less visible, but just as heavy: its thoughts.

Like many children (and let’s be honest, adults too), e carries a metaphorical sack—one that gets heavier with each negative thought it holds onto. “I’m not good enough – doubt“, “No way I can do that – fear” and “What will people think it I fail – worry“. These quiet whispers build up until the sack becomes too much to carry.

But what happens when we pause to notice what’s inside that sack? What if we could choose to let some of those thoughts go?

A Story About Inner Dialogue

The Sack is not just a children’s story—it’s an invitation. An invitation to reflect, to pause, and to listen closely to the stories we tell ourselves.

It’s about emotional awareness. It’s about mindfulness. And most importantly, it’s about agency—the quiet, empowering truth that we get to choose which thoughts we hold onto, and which ones we release.

Educators, in particular, have called Words a valuable classroom resource, and I believe The Sack will be no different. It offers a gentle, age-appropriate way to begin conversations about mental wellness, self-esteem, and the importance of positive self-talk.

Whether it’s shared during a read-aloud, a guidance lesson, or simply left on a shelf for a child to discover, The Sack offers space—space to feel, to think, to explore new challenges.

A Book for All Ages

Though The Sack is written for children (4-12), its message speaks to all of us. After all, we all carry sacks—some heavier than others. And we all need reminders now and then that we can choose what stays and what goes.

I wrote this book with my Kindergarten students in mind, but also with my own children in my heart. I wrote it for every quiet child who doubts their worth, and for the adult they’ll one day become.

If Words was about what we give to the world, The Sack is about what we carry inside—and how, by choosing what we hold onto or let go, we can rewrite our story and find success.

Whether you can or you can’t,
it all begins with a thought.
– The Sack by Lora Rozler

I hope this story finds a place in your heart, your home, or your classroom. And if it invites even one person to put down a heavy thought and pick up a lighter one, then it’s done exactly what I hoped it would.

Thank you, as always, for walking alongside me—on this limb, with these words.

Teaching Resources Available

To help bring the story into learning spaces, I’ve created free downloadable resources—including reflection questions and writing/drawing prompts—available at lorarozler.com.

Whether you’re planning a mindfulness unit, a social-emotional circle time, or simply want to explore metaphor and meaning, these tools are there to support you.

The Sack is available now on Amazon and other online retailers. If you enjoyed Words, I truly believe this book will resonate just as deeply—perhaps even more so, as we take the journey inward.

Let’s help children (and ourselves) learn to let go of what no longer serves us—one thought at a time.

With warmth and gratitude,
Lora

As we witness an alarming rise in antisemitism worldwide, we’re reminded of the important role parents and educators play in pushing back against violence, intolerance and hate.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative for us to lead by example and instil compassion in our students’ hearts, an essential ingredient for a healthy, morally driven society. As our children’s most powerful influencers, we are their conduit to the world. The way we interact and talk about others, what we say, or don’t say, becomes vital in their understanding of the world. By reinforcing kindness, tolerance, and compassion, we embolden our children with the skills to live peacefully and comfortably in a diverse world.

Equally imperative is that while we teach our students to be accepting of different views, ideas and thoughts, a hard line must be drawn to disallow tolerance for destructive ideologies based on hate. Violence and its glorification should never be the end result of differing viewpoints. Nothing but destruction awaits there. Teachers can counteract learned biases and attitudes of intolerance that children may learn elsewhere. Stereotypes and lies must be challenged and rooted out through education.

When we explicitly teach our students to respect those who are different from us, the cycle of hate is challenged and disrupted. This is especially important in today’s world where we see hostility based on national and religious differences. We must prepare our students to live in a diverse world, with people that may have different beliefs and experiences than them. We must teach our children to look at the world from different perspectives and challenge the notion that differences make us enemies. Simply put, diversity means we have more partners to learn from. It is this uniqueness that enriches the world.

Most importantly in today’s world, we must teach our children not to tolerate hate. We must encourage them to counter evil with acts of kindness and love, with the inner light they all have.

With that in mind, I would like to share some of my poems from the book, A Sackful of Poems. It is my hope that they can be useful in starting important conversations with our students – discussions about tolerance, peace, empathy, kindness, diversity, acceptance, appreciating differences, and recognizing how our words and actions can hurt or heal.

With hope for a more compassionate future,

Lora