From the moment students enter school, they begin learning the building blocks that shape their futures. They learn how to read, how to solve problems and how to work with others. Just as importantly, they are learning how to understand their emotions, express their feelings and care for their mental well-being.
That is why Milford Schools believes conversations about mental health and emotional well-being should begin early. It is also a belief shared by Kate Kranias, who has made it her mission to bring those conversations to life through books.
“I think a book is a really good way to start conversations about feelings and health,” Kranias said. “Sometimes kids are reluctant to talk about those kinds of things, and reading can be a way to connect without having to connect externally right away.”
Kranias, a senior at Cincinnati Country Day School and founder of LoveMindBook, partners with schools across Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky to donate age-appropriate books focused on wellness, healthy habits and emotional understanding. Each book list is curated alongside literary and adolescent psychiatry specialists to ensure students encounter language and stories that are both relatable and developmentally appropriate.
While Kranias attends a private school, she has intentionally reached out to public school districts to broaden the impact of her work. Public schools serve large and diverse student communities, and partnering with them allows LoveMindBook to reach more young readers.
That partnership came to life Feb. 25 during Boyd E. Smith Elementary’s STEAM Night. In the music room, elementary students gathered to hear stories centered on acceptance and resilience. Alongside Kranias were members of Milford High School’s Sources of Strength, a student-led program focused on suicide prevention, connection and mental health awareness.
During the event, 150 wellness-focused books donated through LoveMindBook were distributed to Boyd E. Smith students and families to take home, extending the impact beyond the evening and into students’ homes.
For Caroline Peake, a member of Sources of Strength, the importance of starting early is clear.
“I think it’s important for kids to grow up knowing that it’s okay to talk about their feelings,” Peake said. “They shouldn’t be ashamed, and their feelings are totally valid.”
Peake and Milford’s Sources of Strength students believe in this mission just as strongly. By reading to younger Eagles and helping them select books, they reinforced the message that emotional wellness matters at every age.
“I think books matter,” Peake added. “It allows kids to think, ‘If they can be accepted, so can I.’ It helps them realize it’s normal to be different and they can talk about their feelings.”
The impact will continue beyond one evening. Kranias has also committed to donating 150 similar wellness-focused books to Meadowview Elementary School, where they will be distributed during the school’s upcoming STEAM Night on March 18.
