Journey to the
Heart’s Garden
Interactive Author Experiences for Schools and Communities
Help children build emotional vocabulary, strengthen friendship skills, and practice healthy relationship behaviors through a story-based relational learning framework designed to grow with them over time.
What children experience:
Engage in an interactive, expressive read-aloud led by Dr. Boyce, with beautifully projected illustrations that help every child follow the story.
Practice emotional and relationship skills such as honesty, forgiveness, respect, empathy, and constructive responses to mistakes.
Participate in guided discussion, reflection, and age-appropriate activities.
Close with a personal reflection and seed commitment.
More Than a Read-Aloud
Engaging Storytelling
Children are drawn into the story from the first page, recognizing familiar emotions and experiences in the characters’ journey.
Interactive Conversation
Age-appropriate conversation helps children connect story moments to friendships, choices, and everyday relationships.
Skill Practice
Guided activities help children practice empathy, honesty, forgiveness, respect, and constructive responses to mistakes.
Personal Commitment
Children close by identifying a relationship “seed” to practice afterward.
Designed for Young Learners, Adaptable Across Settings
Primary experiences: Pre-K–Grade 3, ages 5–9, with developmental adjustments by age/group/setting. Also adaptable for libraries, early learning centers, youth-serving nonprofits, counseling practices, community/faith-based orgs, conferences, family events, and select retreat settings.
Interactive School Experiences
Bring Dr. Boyce to Your School
Every experience combines a live, expressive author-led read-aloud with guided conversation, age-appropriate relationship skill-building, and a personal seed commitment. When projection equipment is available, story illustrations are displayed to enhance visibility and engagement.
Program Planning Note: The host provides space, student supervision, and any projection equipment used. Projection is recommended but not required. Additional books and teacher guides are available for purchase. Travel is quoted separately.
Early Literacy • Emotional Literacy • Friendship and Relationship Skills • Belonging and Positive School Climate • Family Engagement •
Early Literacy • Emotional Literacy • Friendship and Relationship Skills • Belonging and Positive School Climate • Family Engagement •
Additional Author & Community Experiences
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Expressive read-aloud, guided conversation, and a brief age-appropriate activity for libraries, bookstores, youth programs, and community gatherings.
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Seasonal storytelling that builds emotional literacy, friendship, and connection.
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Practical tools for strengthening emotional language, regulation, communication, accountability, and connection at home.
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Shared storytelling and activities that strengthen family connection.
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Professional learning in emotional literacy, relationship skills, regulation, and supportive classroom practices.
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Tailored programs for literacy initiatives, family conferences, youth events, and community celebrations.
Extend the Learning Beyond the Event
Pair programming with book copies to reinforce the story’s themes in classrooms, homes, counseling and youth programs, summer learning, and family or community literacy initiatives.
Books and programming can be combined in a single organizational quote or invoice
Bring Journey to the Heart's Garden to Your School or Community. Tell us about your organization, audience, preferred dates, program interests, and anticipated book needs. After review, you'll receive next-step info on availability, planning, and purchasing. →
About Dr. Keneca Boyce
Dr. Keneca Boyce is a licensed therapist, Relational Intelligence Specialist, author, trainer, and speaker with more than 20 years of experience supporting individuals, children, families, educators, and communities. Her work integrates trauma-informed insight, emotional development, storytelling, and relationship-centered education. Through Journey to the Heart’s Garden, she introduces children to foundational emotional and relationship skills through story and reflection. She is available for in-person and virtual engagements across the U.S., with select international engagements considered upon request.
Bring Dr. Boyce to your school, library, or organization
Tell us about your audience and goals, and our team will follow up with availability, program details, and next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Primary experiences are designed for Pre-K–Grade 3, with adjustments based on age, group size, and setting.
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Each session accommodates up to 60 students. Larger audiences may be discussed during planning.
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No. Projected illustrations are recommended but not required. When projection is used, the host provides the necessary equipment.
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Yes. Each school package includes the number of classroom books listed. Additional copies are available for purchase.
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Purchase orders and institutional invoicing are available for approved organizations.
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Yes. In-person engagements are available across the U.S., subject to location, scope, and scheduling. Select international engagements are considered upon request. Travel is quoted separately.