Heart Compass

Growing up means navigating a lot of new experiences — and not all of them are easy to understand, prepare for, or even talk about.

The Heart Compass was created to cover the things young people need to learn, understand and prepare for, this book looks beyond relationships alone. It explores the experiences, choices and challenges that can shape a young person's life, helping them develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and foresight as they find their own direction.

A book for young people — and the adults who care about them

There are some conversations every parent wants to have with their children as they grow up, but not every conversation is easy to start.

Talking about sex, relationships, attraction, boundaries, difficult people, money, health, choices and the future can sometimes feel awkward, uncomfortable or difficult to put into words.

Heart Compass provides another way.

Through a combination of written guidance, illustrations, questions and practical reflection, the book introduces young people to the subjects parents often want them to be aware of — helping open the door to important conversations without requiring parents to explain everything themselves.

It can be given as a resource to read together, discussed alongside a parent, or simply explored independently.

And for young people who want to discover more about the world of dating, love and relationships, Heart Compass offers a place to explore the questions that come with growing up — privately, at their own pace and without having to wait until they feel comfortable asking someone else.

Inside, you'll explore:

• Who you are — identity, character, confidence and self-understanding
• Love and attraction — what happens when feelings become intense and how to understand the difference between chemistry and compatibility
• Dating and relationships — choosing wisely, recognising healthy and unhealthy patterns, and understanding what makes relationships work
• Sex and intimacy — practical information, awkward moments, contraception, consent and the realities that aren't always discussed openly
• Reading people — recognising behaviour, understanding intentions and learning to pay attention to what your instincts are telling you
• Emotional intelligence — understanding your emotions and becoming better at understanding the people around you
• Boundaries and difficult situations — knowing when to speak up, when to step back and when something isn't right
• Friendships and family — the relationships that shape you long before you choose a partner
• Health and wellbeing — looking after yourself while navigating the pressures of growing up
• Education, work and money — thinking beyond today and beginning to build the future you want
• Home and lifestyle — considering the environment and way of life that feels right for you
• Big decisions — slowing down, thinking through consequences and learning to make choices that future-you will thank you for

A different way to learn

Heart Compass isn't simply a book to read from beginning to end. It is designed to encourage young people to stop, think, reflect and look at their own lives from different perspectives.

The subjects are presented in an accessible way, using a combination of information and visual storytelling to make ideas easier to understand, remember and relate to. Rather than simply telling readers what to think, the book encourages them to consider their own experiences, ask questions and develop their own understanding.

Growing up doesn't come with an instruction manual. There will be choices that feel obvious, choices that feel confusing and experiences that nobody quite prepared you for.

Heart Compass is designed to help young people navigate those experiences with greater awareness, emotional intelligence and foresight — while beginning to develop a clearer understanding of who they are, what they want and where their choices may lead.

You don't need to have your whole life figured out.

You just need to start learning how to read your compass.

Please note that, for illustrative purposes, the book may appear larger in some images so that the interior content and illustrations can be clearly seen. The actual physical book is 170 × 244 mm (6.7 × 9.6 inches).

Publisher - ThornHarp House

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Mirah Van der Meer

Published Date - 2026-09-17

ISBN - 9781066681310

Dimensions - 24.4 x 17 x 2.7 cm

Page Count - 271