Brockton mom publishes children's book on self-esteem and self-discovery

BROCKTON – A local mother says she found strength by publishing a children’s book meant to encourage and give others self-esteem, starting with her own son.

Sophia Occena-Desmornes, 33, is an ordinary mother living in Brockton, but came across an idea that soon changed the trajectory of her life, and she is now becoming a self-published author.

Her book, “I Know Who I Am,” takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and love through positive words of affirmation.

“People often judge each other by appearances and outside attributes. This book is about a young boy who battles low self-esteem to discover his strengths, unearth his true self, and learn the words that paint the most complete picture of his identity,” Occena-Desmornes said.

Why she wrote a book

Children and teens go through many situations where their self-esteem may be at risk from either self-doubt, bullying or feeling inadequate or inferior to their peers, but Occena-Desmornes said she wanted to change that.

"I Know Who I Am" takes children through melodic verses that use words from A to Z to describe the protagonist.The book is “perfect” for parents who want to inspire their children and help them feel comfortable in their own skin, Occena-Desmornes said.

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Another reason Occena-Desmornes wrote the book was to help affirm her oldest son and give him the confidence to know who he is.

"I’ve always dreamed of writing a book, especially after my sons underwent a stem cell transplant. I thought maybe I would write a story on the entire journey of it all, but I might in the future,” Occena-Desmornes said.

Occena-Desmornes has two children who received a stem cell transplant for two different reasons.

Altogether, she has four children, and the oldest son was the donor to his siblings in 2021.

After the stem cell transplant was over, her children were basically given a new immune system and a long road to recovery, Occena-Desmornes said.

“I feel blessed and never thought I would be able to endure two stem cell produces and creating a book in the midst of it all,” she said.

Publishing a book was a massive investment for the author but “worth it,” she said.

Where you can purchase 'I Know Who I Am'

The book is on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble, and Walmart. In the future, Occena-Desmornes plans to read to children in the local areas at the libraries.

Enterprise staff writer Alisha Saint-Ciel can be reached by email at asaintciel@gannett.com.