A Children's Book by JP Santoni

It's My Turn

The Boy with the Paper-Covered Window

A story about finding light in the darkness, having courageous conversations, and discovering that every emotion deserves to be heard.

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It's My Turn book cover
The Story

A Window, A Boy, and the Papers That Blocked the Light

Mateo once had a window that let in all the light in the world. Through it, he could see green hills, colorful flowers, and a sky that seemed to smile just for him.

But one day, something changed. A feeling he couldn't name began to grow inside him. And with each feeling he couldn't express, he crumpled a piece of paper and stuck it to the window. One by one, the papers covered the glass, and the light began to fade.

Until someone noticed. Until someone asked. Until Mateo found the courage to say three powerful words:

"It's my turn."

Why This Book Matters

The Silence Is Growing

Every year, approximately 24,000 college students attempt suicide in the United States. Diagnosed mental health conditions among adolescents have risen 35% since 2016. And it often begins much earlier — in the silence of childhood, where feelings go unnamed and conversations never happen.

This book was born from love. And also from pain. From the pain of discovering that someone you love was fighting in silence — and you didn't know in time.

24,000

college students attempt suicide each year in the U.S.

— AFSP / The JED Foundation

35%

increase in diagnosed mental health conditions among adolescents since 2016

— HRSA National Survey of Children's Health

75%

of all lifetime mental illness begins before age 24

— Kessler et al. / WHO

The Three Folders

A Simple System for Big Feelings

In the story, Mateo learns to sort his crumpled papers into three colored folders — a gentle, visual way for children to understand and organize their emotions:

The Green Folder

Things I Can Solve

For problems within a child's power to address — a disagreement with a friend, a homework challenge, a messy room.

The Yellow Folder

Things I Need Help With

For feelings and situations that need a trusted adult — sadness that won't go away, confusion about family changes, feeling left out.

The Red Folder

Things That Are Urgent

For emergencies that need immediate attention — thoughts of hurting oneself, feeling unsafe, or witnessing something frightening.

The Light Returns

As One Lamp Lights Another

"As one lamp lights another, nor grows less, so nobleness enkindleth nobleness."

— James Russell Lowell

This book is a lamp. It is designed to spark a conversation between a child and the adult who loves them. One conversation can change everything. One moment of courage — from a child who says "it's my turn to speak" or from an adult who says "I'm here to listen" — can clear the papers from the window and let the light flood back in.

The Authors

Two Brothers on a Lifelong Mission

JP

JP Santoni

Author

JP Santoni wrote this story from the deepest place a story can come from — love, loss, and the urgent belief that one courageous conversation can save a life. As a father of two sons, Javier (7) and Jean Paul Jr. (10), he knows that the seeds of emotional intelligence must be planted early. This book is his offering to every family navigating the landscape of young minds.

JT

Juan E. Tavares

Foreword & Co-Illustrator

Juan met JP as a teenager, and their bond has since woven itself into family. Together they co-founded Messenger Mag in the Dominican Republic — a youth media platform that for over a decade gave teenagers a space to highlight their victories and virtues. Today, Juan co-founded Magnetica Academy with his beloved Maria, guiding women and couples toward divine union as the cornerstone for family. A father of three sons — Diego, Javier, and Jose Tomas — this project is deeply personal.

Illustrations by JP Santoni & Juan E. Tavares

The Series

A Lifelong Conversation

It's My Turn is the first book in a series designed to grow with the reader — from children to teenagers to adults — each publication deepening the conversation about the mind, emotions, and the courage to speak.

Book 1: Ages 7–10

It's My Turn

The story of Mateo and his paper-covered window. A gentle introduction to naming emotions and asking for help.

Book 2: Ages 11–15

Coming Soon

Exploring identity, the default mode network, and how the mind is designed to protect us — not make us happy.

Book 3: Ages 16+

Coming Soon

The mind as narrator. The art of asking questions. Drawing from Michael Singer and Tony Robbins to master the inner landscape.

Read the Book

Start Reading Now

Experience Mateo's journey right here. Read the fully illustrated book online or download the PDF to share with the children and adults in your life.

Download PDF
Resources

If You or Someone You Know Needs Help

You are never alone. These resources are available 24/7, free and confidential.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 — available 24/7

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project

For LGBTQ+ youth: 1-866-488-7386

Let This Book Be a Lamp

Let it light another, and another, and watch as the darkness recedes — not with a fight, but with the simple, powerful arrival of light.

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