Homepage Sketch  ·  This is a preview to look at and react to — not a live website yet. Nothing here is published. Placeholder artwork is shown in the spirit of the books.
KH Katherin Hernandez
Hernandez Hearts Publishing

Children's Book Author · Counselor

Stories for kids with big feelings — and the grown-ups who love them.

I'm Katherin Hernandez. I write picture books that help children name what they feel, breathe through the hard moments, and know they are not alone in it.

My first book, Mar and the Ocean of Feelings, is out now — a gentle story about anxiety, told through the ocean.

Explore the book ↓ Buy on Amazon ↗ Come to a reading
For ages 4–8 Illustrated by Sofia and Makenna Available on Amazon · Ingram edition coming soon
Watercolor illustration of a small girl standing on a shore, looking out at gentle ocean waves under a golden sky

Illustration in the spirit of Mar and the Ocean of Feelings — placeholder artwork for this sketch. Final book artwork is inside the book itself.

The Book

Mar and the Ocean of Feelings

When Mar's worries get big, they feel like the ocean — sometimes calm, sometimes with waves too big to handle alone. This is her story of learning what those waves are, and how to ride them with help.

Available on Amazon Ocean waves illustration representing Mar's feelings in the story
Mar and the Ocean of Feelings

Written by Katherin Hernandez
Illustrated by Sofia and Makenna

Sketch note: this panel uses placeholder illustration, not the real cover. See the actual cover, first pages, and “Look Inside” on Amazon using the button on this page.

A story for anxious hearts, ages 4 and up

Mar experiences anxiety without having a word for it — the way many children do. Through the ocean as a metaphor, young readers see feelings rise and fall, learn that big feelings pass, and discover simple, calming ways to feel steadier. It's a book to read together at bedtime, in classrooms, and in counseling offices — anywhere a child needs language for what's happening inside.

Written by a children's mental health counselor, and made as a family project — illustrated by Sofia and Makenna.

Ages
4–8 · Preschool – Grade 3
Format
Paperback · 8.5 × 8.5 in · 36 pages
Publisher
Hernandez Hearts Publishing
Illustrated by
Sofia and Makenna
Ingram paperback — coming soon
$16.99 · ISBN 979-8-234-27422-9 · Not yet orderable — see note below
Also helps with
Naming feelings · Calm-down moments · Talking about worries
Buy on Amazon ↗ Look Inside on Amazon ↗

ASIN B0HMH6QHKY · Libraries & bookstores: please see the ordering note below.

Reader Reviews

Reviews are on their way. Early readers have been sharing their love for Mar's story in person — posted reviews will live on the book's Amazon page. If you've read it, leaving a review there helps other families find it.

Read or leave a review on Amazon ↗

Watercolor illustration of a full moon and stars above rolling hills at night
Coming Soon · In Draft

The Same Moon

A new story for kids and teenagers about a family that moves far from home — packing up, saying goodbye, starting school where you don't yet know the language, and making room for new things.

On the first night in a new place, one thing is the same: the moon and stars overhead, just like home. That's where this book lives.

Status: draft in progress, due December 31, 2026. No publication date yet — this is a first look only.

About

About Katherin

Katherin Hernandez

Author photo would go here on the real site.
For this sketch, no photo is used.

Katherin A H

Katherin lives in South Dakota with her husband and their daughters. She is a children's mental health counselor and an author — two parts of the same work: helping children understand their feelings and helping families talk about them together.

Mar and the Ocean of Feelings, published by her imprint Hernandez Hearts Publishing, grew out of the stories she tells and the children she works with — including her own family, who helped illustrate it. She writes the kinds of stories she wants every child to be able to see themselves in.

When she's not writing or counseling, she's being a mom, dreaming up the next book, and building Hernandez Hearts Publishing one story at a time.

Children's mental health counselor Picture book author Mom of two Hernandez Hearts Publishing South Dakota

Events & Author Visits

Come hear Mar's story — live

Readings are warm, kid-friendly, and unhurried: a reading of the book, time for little questions, and a chance to meet the author and get a book signed.

Saturday 21 November 2026
10:30 AM
First Reading · All Are Welcome

Storytime Reading: Mar and the Ocean of Feelings

Jitter Joint Play Cafe
714 N Main St, Spearfish, SD

  • Live reading by Katherin
  • Meet the author & book signing
  • Books available to buy at the event
  • Great for families with children ages 4–8

Want a visit at your school?

Katherin visits schools, libraries, and community groups for readings and author talks. Tell her about your group and what you're hoping for, and she'll reply about dates and details.

Ask about an author visit

Email: katherinhernandezauthor@gmail.com

More dates will be added here as they're confirmed. Follow along on Instagram for reading photos and updates: @katherinhernanto ↗

For Schools & Libraries

Ordering & visits, made simple

No shop on this site — buying happens on Amazon for now. Ingram ordering for libraries and bookstores opens once the printed proof is approved and distribution is enabled.

📚 For libraries & bookstores

Ingram edition coming soon — not orderable via Ingram yet. The printed proof is still pending approval and distribution has not been enabled. Once it is, you'll be able to order through your usual Ingram account using these details:

  • Title: Mar and the Ocean of Feelings
  • ISBN: 979-8-234-27422-9
  • List price: $16.99 · Premium Color · 8.5 × 8.5 paperback · 36 pages · Matte
  • Audience: Juvenile, ages 4–8 / Preschool–Grade 3
  • Publisher: Hernandez Hearts Publishing

Questions about ordering or a library visit? Email katherinhernandezauthor@gmail.com.

🏫 For schools & educators

Bring Mar to your classroom or school:

  • Author readings for preschool–grade 3
  • A gentle, counselor-led conversation about feelings and anxiety, at a child's level
  • Time for questions and signed books

To invite Katherin, send your school name, grades, rough size, and a couple of dates that could work:

Email about a school visit

Contact

Say hello

For book questions, author visits, library and bookstore inquiries, or just to share how Mar's story landed with your child — the best way to reach Katherin is by email. She reads every message herself.

✉ katherinhernandezauthor@gmail.com Instagram @katherinhernanto ↗

Publisher: Hernandez Hearts Publishing · Books: Mar and the Ocean of Feelings (out now) · The Same Moon (in draft)

Sketch footer — for Katherin only: This page is a homepage sketch so you can see the shape, words, and feel before deciding anything. It is not live, there's no domain or shop attached, and the artwork is placeholder illustration (not your real cover or photo). If you like it, the next step would be choosing a home for it (like Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress) and swapping in your real cover and author photo. If you don't, nothing has been committed.