Mental Health Illustrated Children’s Book Printing: Hurricane Brain

270x210mm Book
4pp Cover onto 350gsm Silk
Matt Lamination to outer
42pp Text onto 115gm Uncoated (3mm spine)
Full colour print throughout
Perfect bound

Self Published Book Styling

"Hurricane Brain" is a powerful illustrated storybook designed to help children cope with loss and bereavement, with guidance for adults as well. This book, authored by Louise Hale and illustrated by Anna Gorenmyka, stands out due to its thoughtful and visually compelling design, using the medium of illustration and storytelling to engage both younger audiences and the adults supporting them through tough times.

Styling, Content, and Design

• Binding Type & Page Layout: The book is perfect bound, which offers a clean, sleek finish and durability ideal for a children's book that is meant to be handled often. The 270x210mm dimensions provide a spacious canvas, allowing the illustrations to dominate the reader's experience. The 42 pages are printed on 115gsm uncoated paper, ensuring a tactile reading experience, where the texture of the pages complements the emotional weight of the content. This choice of paper also enhances the colour vibrancy in the illustrations while giving a more subdued, natural feel—perfect for the sensitive subject matter.
• Cover Design & Use of Colour: The cover of Hurricane Brain immediately captures the eye. Its soft but impactful visual style uses muted greys, which are disrupted by selective use of colour—like the yellow of the boy’s sweater—creating a visual focal point. The black-and-white hurricane metaphor on the cover gives a tangible sense of emotional chaos, echoed by the title's font, which seems to be drawn into the swirl. The addition of subtle elements like a bike and other personal items swept up in the storm evoke feelings of loss, further enhanced by the forlorn character sitting at the bottom, emphasising loneliness and confusion.
• Interior Illustrations & Typography: Inside, the book combines evocative illustrations with a clean and minimalistic typography approach, ensuring the story takes centre stage. The illustrations are highly expressive, with sombre colour tones to represent the stages of grief. For instance, the full-page spreads depicting the large grieving figure and the child hiding in the shadows are emotionally charged, capturing the weight of the moment. These visuals not only support the text but amplify the emotional resonance of the words.
  The typography is clear and child-friendly, yet it doesn’t oversimplify. The choice of using short sentences broken up across pages allows the pacing to mimic the slow, difficult process of healing. The text's simplicity makes it accessible to children while subtly addressing adults through deeper visual elements, making it effective for both audiences.

Standout USPs

1. 1. Emotional Resonance: The pairing of Anna Gorenmyka's heart-wrenching illustrations with Louise Hale's sensitive, straightforward text offers a dual approach, serving as both a story and a therapeutic tool.
   2. Thoughtful Production Choices: The combination of matte lamination on the cover with an uncoated paper interior adds a tactile dimension to the book, allowing readers to feel the contrast between the emotional turbulence (smooth cover) and the slow, grounding process of grief (uncoated paper).
   3. Engagement with Both Children and Adults: The use of visual metaphors, like the hurricane, and textual pacing that mirrors grief’s unpredictability engages a wide range of readers.
   4. Attention to Detail: Even in seemingly smaller elements like the endpapers, which feature repeating symbols of memories and objects, the design feels deeply integrated with the theme of loss.

Actionable Insights

1. Effective Use of Visual Metaphor: The hurricane theme is carried throughout the book, both in imagery and emotion. Future designers can take inspiration from how a singular visual theme, like a storm, can tie an entire book together while adding layers of emotional depth.
2. Dual Audience Approach: This book speaks to both children and adults simultaneously. In designing content for sensitive subjects, this dual-targeted approach can make the material more versatile and widely impactful.
3. Tactile Choices in Material: The use of different paper textures subtly aids in creating an emotional journey. Designers should consider how the feel of the paper can complement the emotional tone of a book.
4. Pacing through Typography and Layout: The clever use of short sentences across ample white space makes the book more accessible to younger readers while symbolising the slower, fragmented process of grief. Layout should always enhance the pacing and theme of the narrative.

By integrating emotional storytelling with thoughtful design choices, Hurricane Brain succeeds not only as a children's book but as a tool for healing, making it an exemplary project that balances artistic integrity with therapeutic value.

Client Collaboration Journey: Hurricane Brain

The print journey of Hurricane Brain, authored by Louise Hale, reflects a shared dedication to producing a high-quality, meaningful book that could resonate deeply with both children and adults navigating the loss of a parent. From the early stages of conceptualisation through to the final product, Ex Why Zed’s involvement was pivotal in ensuring the production met Louise’s creative vision, while managing the challenges inherent in bringing such an emotionally charged project to life.

Initial Consultations and Print Decisions

The project began with an initial enquiry from Louise to Ex Why Zed regarding pricing and print options for her children's book. Ex Why Zed responded with warmth, immediately resonating with the story's concept of the “hurricane brain” that keeps children swirling in emotional chaos. The Ex Why Zed team showed their commitment from the start, offering pricing on several print options and suggesting sending out sample packs to help Louise decide on paper weights and finishes​.

Louise, after running a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the project, reached out again to refine the book's specifications. She communicated with Ex Why Zed regarding specific requirements for illustrations, asking for guidance to ensure the artwork would print beautifully​. These early communications highlight Ex Why Zed’s expertise in guiding clients through technical requirements, such as adding bleed to the artwork and ensuring files were prepared in PDF/X-1a format.

Material Choices and Revisions

As the project progressed, Ex Why Zed’s attention to detail and client-focused approach became even more evident. When it came time to decide on the print materials, Ex Why Zed provided options for both uncoated and silk finishes, discussing the tactile differences between the two and recommending uncoated paper to complement the softer, more emotional illustrations​. Their proactive suggestions and explanations helped Louise understand the impact of each material on the final product’s look and feel.

The team also showed great flexibility when issues arose, such as adjusting the spine design and nudging text placements. They demonstrated their technical expertise in layout design, offering specific measurements to ensure the illustrations fit correctly onto the spine, and even suggesting professional ways to resolve formatting challenges​.

Test Prints, Final Proofs, and Delivery

Louise conducted a test print of Hurricane Brain to ensure everything was as expected before committing to a larger print run. The communication between the two parties was consistent, with Ex Why Zed providing timely updates and ensuring that Louise had the chance to review final proofs and make last-minute adjustments​.

The delivery phase was handled with the same care. Ex Why Zed ensured Louise was informed of the delivery status and offered reassurance that the final product would meet her expectations. They even provided estimates on the size and weight of the delivery to help Louise prepare for the arrival of her books​.

Conclusion and Feedback

The journey of creating Hurricane Brain was a collaborative effort marked by a deep commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Louise’s feedback post-delivery was overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor setback with the paper stock. She appreciated the quality of the print and the emotional impact the book would likely have on its readers​.

Louise’s engagement with Ex Why Zed didn’t stop with the delivery of the books. She remained enthusiastic about promoting the product, tagging the team on social media as part of her campaign to raise awareness for the book. This ongoing partnership hints at future collaborations, as Louise expressed interest in reprinting the book, this time ensuring it is done on uncoated stock​.

Client Satisfaction and Project Success

Overall, the Hurricane Brain project was a resounding success. Louise’s dream of bringing a sensitive, thoughtful book about parental loss to children became a reality, and Ex Why Zed’s expert guidance ensured the book was not only printed to the highest standards but was also produced with a deep respect for the message it conveyed.

Ex Why Zed’s role as a dedicated print partner is evident in how they navigated creative challenges, offered technical support, and maintained a strong client relationship throughout. Their commitment to Louise’s vision helped produce a product that stands out both for its aesthetic beauty and its emotional depth, reinforcing their reputation for excellence in children’s book printing. The positive feedback from Louise and the book’s anticipated impact on its audience underscore the project’s lasting success.