16-year-old publishes second book
16-year-old author Jess Robus launches her second book that tackles mental health and identity issues.
Sixteen-year-old high school learner, poet and author Jess Robus, is a mental health advocate who can usually be found listening to music, singing, writing, immersed in a book, and reading up on various topics if she’s not spending time with her friends.
She’s an avid songwriter, debater, performing arts enthusiast, and budding linguist. Her dreams include studying English in the UK, writing for Marvel or Broadway, and eventually learning how to skip.
Jess started writing poems when she was eight years old. At nine she started writing lyrics and music. In 2021, she published her first anthology of poetry called A Few Slivers of Light.
She uses writing as a way to process the world around her and as a form of escapism. She has written poems, short stories, fan fiction, songs, and two mini-musicals along with her new children’s book that was released on April 22, the day before World Book Day.
“Arnold the Not Dinosaur is a beautifully illustrated children’s book and is about family, belonging, identity, and everything in between,” said Jess.
“With Arnold, I hope to open discussions around mental health and identity with children, providing an opportunity for healthy dialogue around complicated questions,” she added.
Mental health and raising awareness around it are very important to Jess. After struggling with anxiety and depression she used her first book as a means to open conversations on these issues. She has spoken at a number of schools and on various literary platforms and is also a youth ambassador for Edu360 – a school for the neurodiverse.
Related Article:
