Faith Salie, Emmy-winning contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning and author of Approval Junkie
"Just as Laing Rikkers truly sees nature and listens to its messages, so do her poems witness each of us—our own struggles to break through the cracks, to bud, and blossom—even to feel permission to wither and decay, only to bloom again. Morning Leaves is a gift to all who open their eyes to its images and their hearts to its whispers and exhortations."
Anna Holmes, Award-winning writer, editor and creative exec whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The New Yorker
"Laing Rikkers’ first book is a wonderful example of the ways in which communion with the natural world can calm, restore and heal. Dedicated to her late sister Ginna, it makes a meaningful argument for the power of quiet observation in the midst of chaos, and an appreciation for the beauty and wisdom which is all around."
Kristin A. Meekhof, M.S.W., co-author of A Widow's Guide to Healing
"The poems within Morning Leaves are tender, compassionate and full of wonder. Laing's writing and Kelly's illustrations are conduits for healing and hope."
Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, Author of Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals, Afoot and Lighthearted: A Journal for Mindful Walking, and Kickstart Creativity: 50 Prompted Cards to Spark Inspiration
"In this lovely volume written through a season of grief, Laing Rikkers shows us how the natural world can guide, inspire, and sustain us through heartache and loss. Morning Leaves is a call to move our bodies, commune with creation, and breathe in fresh air. But most of all, Rikkers’ beautiful volume demonstrates how artistic endeavors can become healing balms."
