"Why doesn't gratitude stick?" and the picture book that finally answered it.

Always There, Rocking Chair is not a lesson in gratitude. It is a story that makes children feel for the first time the presence of the people who have always been there.

And then act on it.

Told through the heart of an old yellow rocking chair, it honors the support we often overlook and reminds us that even when life brings storms, love has a way of staying strong through them.

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Children's Book titled 'Always There, Rocking Chair' by Tybre'ana Eaddy, illustrated by Jezzus, displayed upright on a dark grey shelf with a colorful cover depicting a porch scene with a yellow rocking chair, potted plants, and a window.

About Always There, Rocking Chair

“I didn't set out to write a gratitude book. I set out to write the book I couldn't find.”

As someone who has worked firsthand with children, I've watched children be corrected into gratitude, and watched it last about as long as the school day. I've been that teacher’s aid, too. Prompting. Reminding. Wondering if any of it was actually sticking.

What I kept coming back to was this: appreciation is not a thought. It's a feeling that happens when a child truly registers for the first time the love that's been surrounding them all along. You can't instruct that into existence. But you can create the conditions for it to arrive on its own.

The rocking chair in this story is not a piece of furniture. It's a presence. The kind that was always there: steady, quiet, constant and that a child walks past a hundred times before they finally, one day, stop and feel it.

I wrote this book because I believe that one story, read at the right moment, in the right way, can change how a child sees the people who love them. I've cried watching it happen.

I hope it happens for your family too.

Tybre’ana

Shop Always There Collection

Story Elements

  • Big Family

  • BIPOC Main Characters

  • Cherished Heirloom

  • Sudden Storm

  • A Small Town

  • A Cute Cat

  • Author: Tybre’ana Eaddy

    Illustrator: Jezzus

    Genre: Children’s Picture Book, Juvenile Fiction, Family, SEL

    Tags: Bedtime Story, Family Bonding, Social and Emotional Learning

    Publisher: Little Lantern Literature an Imprint of Poeyetry Press

    Publication date: May 27, 2026

    Copyright: 2025

    BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / General | JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General | JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / General | JUVENILE FICTION / Lifestyles / Country Life

    Format: Hardcover, Spanish Translation, EPUB Digital, Unified English Braille

    Length: 40 pages

    ISBNs:  

    Hardcover w/ Jacket: 978-1-969513-00-8

    Spanish Translation: 978-1-969513-06-0

    EPUB Digital: 978-1-969513-03-9

    Unified English Braille: 978-1-969513-05-3

    Coloring/Activity Book:   978-1-969513-02-2

  • “As a grandparent, Always There, Rocking Chair touched my heart in ways I didn't expect. This gentle story follows a family and their beloved front porch rocking chair, a steady presence through life's ups and downs, offering a peaceful place to sit for family and friends.

    When a storm damages the chair, the family's decision to restore it rather than replace it teaches a powerful lesson about what's worth saving.”

    Carol Lawrence
    Intentional Conscious Parenting

    http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.com/

  • Award-winning writer Tybre’ana Eaddy is the author of Always There, Rocking Chair from Little Lantern Literature, a debut picture book encouraging children to notice what supports them and show appreciation through action. Through Tyberiana, she creates immersive, sensory learning experiences and hands-on companions that make learning engaging, memorable, and tangible.

Take a Peek Inside

Black and white illustration of a mother and two children sitting on a porch at dusk, with trees and a house in the background, and a father sleeping in a rocking chair outside under a starry night sky with the moon.
A line drawing of a quiet country porch with a wooden rocking chair. The scene shows trees, a house, and a garden in the background, with a note of a peaceful rural setting.

“A yellow rocking chair.

A small-town porch.

A family held together by the steadiest of support.

The simple joys we take for granted until we lose them.

Can gratitude and love find its way in this heartwarming story of resilience, and the power of remembering what matters most?”

Coloring page with a doorway, flowers, and a chair on the cover of a children's activity book companion for "Always There, Rocking Chair" with a cartoon blue bird, a green fern, and a orange tabby cat.

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Coloring & Activity Book for Always There, Rocking Chair

Combine the reading with bonding activities

From a maze to a word search, this companion coloring & activity book provides grounding exercises and coloring pages to nurture mindfulness and quiet play. 

This is a wonderful activity to continue discussing the story with your child and connects with the deeper themes of the story. Plus, it provides a playful, bonding experience children and parents will remember.

Download Sample

Book FAQs

  • Tybre’ana was inspired by her southern roots and her great grandmother’s porch rocking chair, a steady presence that witnessed countless family stories. Through this book, she wanted to capture the nostalgia of home and the loving memories that endure across generations.

  • The book is ideal for ages 4-8, though its poetic tone and message of gratitude and noticing what supports us make it meaningful for older readers too. Many adults find it a beautiful keepsake or gift for new parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and grandparents.

  • Yes! Always There, Rocking Chair will have matching teaching and parenting guides with discussion questions, gratitude exercises, and printable classroom activities. These resources help children connect the story to real life lessons about kindness, empathy, and thankfulness.

  • Unlike many children’s stories that focus on action and adventure, Always There, Rocking Chair celebrates stillness and presence. It invites both children and adults to slow down, appreciate their surroundings, and find comfort in the familiar. The story blends poetic language with heartfelt, hand drawn, illustrations to create a sensory, nostalgic reading experience.

  • You can purchase Always There, Rocking Chair directly through Tyberiana.com or through major retailers and select Indie bookstores (coming soon). Signed copies and special edition bundles with printable activities will also be available exclusively in the Tyberiana Booktique.

  • Absolutely! Educators and librarians are encouraged to include it in storytime sessions or social emotional learning discussions. The accompanying teacher’s guide aligns with early learning standards for gratitude, emotional awareness, and community values.

  • Tybre’ana loves hearing from readers! You can connect with her through her socials @Tyberiana, join the Letters from Tyberiana newsletter for behind-the-scenes, or contact her directly via the contact page on the Tyberiana website. She has a special wall made just for fan mail! 

  • Yes. While not specifically about grief, Always There, Rocking Chair offers comfort through its gentle message of enduring love and presence. It can be a soothing read for children navigating transition, change, or the passing of a loved one.