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. After
more than a decade supporting these families firsthand, local pediatric feeding therapist Charlene Kurkjian, OTR/L, is 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. She spent 20 years serving families in East Cobb before relocating her practice to Marietta just off the Square, where she has continued her work for the past four years.
Over the course of her career, Charlene has worked with hundreds of children and parents navigating the emotional and practical challenges of feeding. “Parents often come to me
exhausted and overwhelmed,” she shares. “They’ve tried everything—reward systems, pressure, and bargaining, just to name a few, 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.
A Story Born from the Therapy Room
The idea for the book didn’t come from a publishing plan. Rather, it came from real therapy sessions. “I kept seeing the same fears show up in children again and again,” Charlene
explains. “Fear or anxiety of new foods, fear of gagging, fear of doing something wrong. And I realized that kids needed a way to see themselves in the story, without pressure and without
shame.” Hugo’s Brave Bite follows Hugo, a thoughtful hippo who wants to be brave but feels unsure when faced with new foods. Instead of focusing on “just take a bite,” the story gently introduces concepts of curiosity, sensory exploration, and small steps, approaches that are foundational in feeding therapy.
“The goal isn’t to convince a child to eat everything,” she says. “It’s to help them feel safe enough to try.” Parents reading the book alongside their children often recognize familiar moments: hesitation at the table, big emotions around food, and the quiet courage it takes to try something new. The story also subtly models supportive language and expectations, giving caregivers tools they can use in real life.
Bridging Education and Empowerment
As a pediatric occupational therapist with advanced training in feeding therapy, Charlene is known locally for her playful and practical approach and her emphasis on parent education.
She believes that lasting change doesn’t come from quick fixes. It comes from understanding the child and empowering the family.
The book is an extension of that mission. “I wanted something families could come back to again and again,” she says. “A book that supports what we’re working on in therapy but is also meaningful for families who may not have access to feeding services yet.”
A Local Launch with a Broader Vision
While Hugo’s Brave Bite is proudly launching as a local project, its message reaches far beyond Marietta. The book is the first in a planned series featuring Hugo the Hippo, each story addressing different aspects of feeding challenges and emotional regulation around food. For Charlene, the launch represents both a personal milestone and a professional evolution. “I’ve always believed in meeting families where they are,” she says. “This book allows me to do that in a new way, right in their homes, at their kitchen tables.”
Hugo’s Brave Bite is now available on Amazon in paperback and hardback, and is recommended for preschool and early elementary-aged children, particularly those who struggle with picky eating or food anxiety.
As families turn the pages with their children, Charlene hopes they’ll walk away with one simple truth: bravery at the table doesn’t have to be big—it just has to begin.