Making Sense
Books, ideas, and frameworks that help people navigate the complexities of life.
What is Making Sense?
Making Sense is a collection of books, reflections and frameworks designed to help people navigate the complexity of being human.
Some stories are written for children.
Some are written for adults.
All of them are about understanding ourselves and each other with greater honesty, compassion and clarity.
Rather than offering quick fixes or perfect answers, Making Sense explores the spaces many people struggle to put into words including emotions, relationships, shame, fear, identity, meaning etc.
At its core, Making Sense is about helping people feel less alone as they navigate the complexities of life.
The Ocean We Sail
You don’t arrive at the shore.
You arrive already at sea.
Carried into a world that moves before you understand it, shaped by forces you didn’t choose, in a vessel you are still learning to navigate.
The ocean we sail is a reflective exploration of what it means to be human, told through the metaphor of a ship at sea.
It is not a guide to mastering life.
It’s an invitation to understanding it.
Through the elements of the voyage; the ship, the captain, the crew, the compass, the tides, the storms, and the unseen forces beneath the surface, this book offers a way of making sense of the patterns that shape us.
Why we drift.
Why we hold on.
Why we lose direction.
And how to find our way back.
This book is for those who have felt lost at sea.
For those who have weathered storms they didn’t chose.
For those who sense that there is more to this journey that just enduring it.
Because the ocean is meant to be navigated.
And the voyage… in all its depth, beauty and uncertainty… was never meant to be lived without meaning.
Stories for Younger Readers
The following books are designed to help children make sense of their inner world.
Through gentle, age-appropriate storytelling, these books support children to understand big feelings, navigate anxiety, build body confidence, and recognise emotional safety.
They are written to open conversations, not force them, and to remind children that their feelings make sense.
The Hippo who Found True Beauty
A heartwarming story about self-love, confidence and celebrating what makes us unique.
Young Hippo doesn't feel beautiful - and starts to believe that maybe she's just not good enough. But as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, she realizes that we all have strengths and that beauty is much deeper than what is reflected back to us.
Through gentle words and vibrant illustrations, The Hippo Who Found True Beauty empowers children to embrace their bodies, value their uniqueness, and celebrate the beauty that lives within.
The Turtle Who Befriended Fear
Embarking on a transformative journey, a little turtle discovers that fear is a universal companion, present in the hearts of all of us, including the brave.
By learning strategies to calm the body, the turtle focuses on making choices that give it meaning and purpose. Ultimately real strength emerges when we courageously face our fears.
"A helpful reminder that fear is felt by all, even those who look the bravest. This book has some amazing examples to help push through the fear and to teach our little ones how to live life to the fullest!"
Cleo, Indie Book Reviewer
Why These Stories Matter
Children experience complex emotions long before they have the words to explain them.
Stories can create a gentler way into conversations about fear, shame, belonging, identity, self-worth and emotional safety.
These books are designed to create meaningful conversations between children and the adults who care for them, while also offering reminders to grown-ups navigating many of these same emotions themselves.
These books are for:
• Parents and caregivers wanting to support emotional wellbeing of the children in their lives.
• Children who feel deeply, worry often, or compare themselves to others.
• Families seeking gentle ways to talk about challenging topics.
• Schools, counsellors, and professionals supporting children’s development.
About Nevenka
Nevenka Alempijevic writes at an intersection of lived experience, clinical understanding, and deep curiosity about what it means to be human.
With a Master’s degree in Suicidology and extensive background in counselling and trauma informed practice, her work focuses on helping individuals make sense of themselves and the world around them with greater clarity and compassion.