About
Meet The Owners
Around eight years ago in 2017, Chrissie Hadfield had a vision.
At a time when the world felt heavy and divided, with headlines full of talk about building walls and deepening divisions, Chrissie looked at her young children and wondered:
How are kids supposed to grow up in a world full of hate and learn to be kind, compassionate human beings?
She set out to create a range of books for primary-age children—stories that would explore real-life challenges in a fun, approachable way, with characters kids could see themselves in. She wrote her first manuscript, Bobby the Cat, believing that even a small story could help make the world feel a little kinder. However, as the world moved on, the manuscript didn’t.
Chrissie’s work to build a better world didn’t stop there. She went on to open a youth centre to support local young people, studied psychology at university, and began working her way up in children’s residential care, supporting children with complex needs. The more she worked with vulnerable children, the stronger the need to build a better future grew.
When Chrissie and Anouska Wardale first met, it was clear they shared the same passion: creating a world where every child feels seen, valued, and safe.
Anouska brought her own deep experience as the mother of Reggie, a young heart transplant recipient whose story inspired her to launch Reggie’s Cause, an initiative promoting organ donation awareness and providing resources to families going through similar journeys.
Together, Chrissie and Anouska combined their knowledge, skills, experience, and determination to bring Juvenis Books to life.
Juvenis Books was founded to be so much more than a bookshop. It’s a space where stories open hearts, where children who are vulnerable, neurodivergent and those with medical complexities can see themselves reflected in the pages, and where families and educators can find resources designed to meet every child’s unique needs.
Today, Juvenis Books offers inclusive children’s books, journals, resource packs, and emotional regulation tools—like Regemo Boxes—created to empower children to build confidence, resilience, and self-understanding.
Their stories are inspired by real life, featuring characters like Barnaby the Bee and Reggie the T-Rex who learns to regulate his emotions with the help of his imaginary friend, Juno the Axolotl.
At Juvenis Books, Chrissie and Anouska stand for:
💛 Celebrating neurodiversity
🌿 Creating safe spaces for learning
✨ Championing every child’s potential
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can help every child feel accepted, inspired, and ready to thrive in a kinder world.
