On Tuesday, April 18, Jessica Whipple of East Hempfield Township will release a children's book titled "Enough Is ..." A public event for the release will be held at Aaron's Books, 35 E. Main St., Lititz, on Sunday, April 16, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. During the launch, Whipple will read excerpts from the book, sign copies and answer questions from the audience. "Enough Is ..." is illustrated by Nicole Wong and is published by Tilbury House, marking the first time that Whipple has had a book released through a publisher.

"Enough Is ..." follows the story of a young girl who learns the difference between her wants and needs as she seeks to feel content. Whipple said that her goal when writing the book was to address an important topic that applies to those of any age, but in a way that kids can understand it. "The book is about the concept of enough, contentment, trying to illustrate and explain to kids that it's a tricky thing," Whipple said. "Embracing it can be uncomfortable, but hopefully the more times you experience it, the more comfortable you are with it."

Whipple was inspired to write the book by her experiences as a parent. Many of the concepts that she touches on in her book are things that she has tried to impress upon her two daughters, who are now 10 and 7 years old. When her eldest was 3 years old and her other daughter was an infant, Whipple found herself struggling to simplify the idea of contentment to her children but also grappled with the idea in her own life with her own wants and needs. "I had to find that sweet spot of contentment," Whipple said. "I hope that by the end of the book, readers will realize that it's a feeling you can get used to."

In August, Whipple will release a second book, titled "I Think I Think a Lot." Her second published work focuses on the life of a child who wrestles with overthinking and anxiety. The protagonist constantly compares herself to others and feels inadequate, but she learns to appreciate what makes her unique and to see the positive sides of negative feelings. Although the book does not explicitly describe its main character as someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the story draws from Whipple's personal experience growing up with OCD. "There's not really a lot out there about OCD that reads like a picture book. Growing up, I found the only resources are books from therapists and workbooks," Whipple said. "'I Think I Think a Lot' brings that experience to normal life and beyond the therapist's office, as a way to help kids view the world in a different way."

Whipple, who is originally from Pittsburgh, moved to Lancaster in 2020. She first began writing poetry as a teenager and has spent the majority of her career working as a copywriter. After becoming a parent, she started to write poetry again and wanted to translate her work to a picture book format. "I think picture books are their own type of poetry; my different experiences as a writer have come together as I work on them," Whipple said.

"Enough Is ..." is available at independent bookstores as well as large retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. For more information, visit http://www.authorjessicawhipple.com.