For many families, mealtimes are meant to be moments of connection. But for parents of children with feeding challenges, they can be filled with stress, worry, and uncertainty. Local pediatric feeding therapist Charlene Kurkjian, OTR/L, knows this reality well — and she's bringing hope to the table in a new way with the launch of her children's book, Hugo's Brave Bite.
Charlene is the founder of Happy Hungry Hippos Feeding Clinic, a pediatric practice dedicated exclusively to helping children who struggle with eating, whether due to extreme picky eating, sensory sensitivities, anxiety around food, or more complex feeding disorders. After 20 years serving families in East Cobb, she relocated her practice to Marietta just off the Square, where she has continued her work for the past four years.
"Parents often come to me exhausted and overwhelmed," she shares. "They've tried everything, and nothing feels like it's helping. My role is to help them understand why their child is struggling and how to move forward in a supportive, evidence-based way."
That philosophy is at the heart of Hugo's Brave Bite. The idea grew directly from therapy sessions, where Charlene noticed the same fears appearing in children again and again — anxiety around new foods, fear of gagging, fear of doing something wrong. The book follows Hugo, a thoughtful hippo who feels unsure when faced with new foods. Rather than pushing him to "just take a bite," the story gently introduces curiosity, sensory exploration, and small steps — approaches foundational to feeding therapy.
Parents often recognize familiar moments in the pages: hesitation at the table, big emotions around food, and the quiet courage it takes to try something new.
"Bravery at the table doesn't have to be big," Charlene says. "It just has to begin."
Hugo's Brave Bite is now available on Amazon and is recommended for preschool and early elementary-aged children.