Megan Connerly, assistant professor of education at Worcester State University, is gaining attention in children’s literature with her latest book, “Rescued: Watson’s Story.” The book, inspired by Connerly’s real-life dog Watson, addresses the growing mental health issues among youth by helping children recognize and process their emotions in a healthy way.
The book is the second in Connerly’s series of children’s literature for the classroom, following last year’s “Otis and His Amazing Superpower,” which encourages children to view neurodivergence as a gift.
“Rescued: Watson’s Story” centers on Watson, a dog who is abandoned and must navigate a range of emotions, including fear, rejection, betrayal, and ultimately, comfort and love when he finds a new home. With one simple word per page, each an emotion, Connerly hopes the book will help children recognize and understand their feelings.
Connerly chose to use a dog character in her book to allow children to engage with sensitive topics and strong emotions, like fear, rejection, and grief, without the full intensity of experiencing them through a human character. Additionally, when children engage with a character’s inner world, they practice perspective taking, which is a cornerstone of self-regulation and empathy.
“Because dogs are generally recognized symbols of loyalty and unconditional love, many children will be able to identify with the main character. I intentionally chose a dog as the protagonist because a dog’s experience of being lost and found again mirrors emotions that many children can relate to,” she said.
Connerly said that she wants children to understand that it is normal to feel a range of emotions, and that the book aims to show them what those emotions look like, to help them recognize and process their own feelings.
“I wanted children to know it’s okay for them to feel a wide range of emotions and that this is a normal part of the human experience,” Connerly said. “The book aims to show children that the emotions they feel, whether fear, rejection, or others, are completely normal and valid.”
The book also incorporates literary elements such as rain, which Watson has to deal with on his quest, as a symbol of cleansing and rebirth, and features Connerly’s own art and illustrations, which have garnered praise from reviewers.
Connerly was also motivated to create the book after attending a teaching conference where teachers expressed a need for more resources to teach social-emotional learning and build compassion in schools.The intentional design of using one emotional word per page isolates each individual emotion allowing students, and the grown-ups who care for them, to focus on and discuss each emotional individually.
Sadly, Connerly’s beloved Watson became ill and passed away shortly before the book was published in October. Because of this sad experience, the book also includes an addendum memorializing Watson’s life and the love and joy the two of them shared. Her own experience of grief over the loss of Watson inspired her to write a follow-up book specifically about grief and healing, which she hopes will provide children with tools to process the difficult emotions they may face, including processing their own grief.
Titled “His Name Was Watson: A Story About Grief and Healing,” the upcoming book is slated for release next October.
“The goal is to teach children that their feelings are okay and to encourage them to talk to supportive adults who can help them work through challenging emotions in a healthy way,” she said.
Readers can follow Connerly’s artwork through Facebook and Instagram. Her handle, Pawprints and Pencil Shavings regularly posts updates as well as progress on current illustrations. They can also follow along with her process as she creates for her upcoming book.
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Editor's note: This story first appeared in the University Advancement Fall 2025 Donor Impact Report, whose theme is "Thank you for believing in me." From city streets to remote villages to . . .