A Cloudy Heart has officially launched! Order your copy today.
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Where every story is a treasure

A Cloudy Heart — out now!

Our stories are inspired by real hospital journeys and are designed to comfort children, prepare families, and spark courage when it’s needed most.

New Release

A Cloudy Heart

$25.00

A Cloudy Heart

A Cloudy Heart is a heartfelt children’s story that gently explores the hospital experience in preparation for heart surgery.

In this uplifting tale, four new friends, each living with congenital heart disease meet at the hospital and embark on a magical adventure together. Along the way, they face obstacles with fearlessness, bravery, and courage, collecting magical charms that symbolize their strength and the milestones of their journey.

This beautifully written and comforting story is designed as a supportive tool for families. It can help prepare children for upcoming heart surgery or medical procedures, provide reassurance and reflection after a hospital stay, or gently explain the story behind a child’s surgical scar.

With warmth and hope at its core, A Cloudy Heart offers children and parents alike a way to navigate difficult conversations with love, courage, and understanding.

A Cloudy Heart

ISBN: 978-1-7640623-0-5

Author: Ashlee Thompson

Illustrator: Kate Pak

Page numbers: 36

Format: Hardback

Dimensions: 8.5”x 8.5”

 

Why This Story Matters

For many children, all things hospital can feel confusing, scary, or hard to understand — especially when they’re the ones going through it.
How do you prepare a child for hospital?
How do you explain why they have a scar?
How do you help them make sense of something they don’t remember but their parents will never forget?
That’s why A Cloudy Heart was created.

Through gentle storytelling and beautiful illustrations, this book helps families start those big conversations in a way that feels safe and full of love. It gives children courage to ask questions and helps parents find the right words to comfort them.
Because every cloudy heart deserves understanding — and every story deserves to be told with care.

Our mission

At Gemma Bear Stories, our mission is to bring comfort, courage, and connection to children and families navigating hospital journeys and medical experiences.

Through gentle storytelling and beautifully illustrated books, we aim to help parents start meaningful conversations about hospital stays, surgeries, and healing — in a way that feels safe, reassuring, and full of love.

Every story we create is designed to help children feel seen, supported, and brave, while offering parents a thoughtful tool to guide difficult discussions.

Because every child deserves to feel comforted, every family deserves understanding, and every story deserves to be told with heart.

In Their Words

An inspiring and comforting read for families affected by congenital heart disease, helping children feel seen, supported and proud of their own heart journeys.

Dr Jascha Kehr - Paediatric Cardiologist

What a story written for a brave little girl, Ruby. The words pull at every heart string as Author Ash takes you on an inspirational journey of what it means to be courageous, brave and strong. The lyrical language is delightful and illustrations are simply gorgeous. A must read for everyone, all ages. This story will leave you feeling grateful for what you have, but most of all so inspired by the power of the determination and strength that children show us.

Jesse - Educator