United States – September 15, 2026 – Cognizance: But You Can Call Me Toggy, a heartwarming children’s book by TC & LJ, has received the Literary Titan Book Award in recognition of its thoughtful exploration of emotional awareness, empathy, and kindness.
The beautifully illustrated story introduces young readers to Toggy, a lovable stuffed elephant whose extraordinary gift is not strength or speed, but awareness. After being brought home from a Manhattan boutique, Toggy discovers that he can sense emotions others might overlook. Through moments of joy, sadness, worry, and peace, he learns that simply paying attention can be a powerful act of love.
At the emotional center of the story is Toggy’s friendship with Snuggs, a worn teddy bear carrying a quiet sadness. Toggy does not attempt to fix Snuggs or tell him how he should feel. Instead, he moves closer and offers a simple but meaningful acknowledgment: “I see you.” The moment demonstrates how empathy can begin with presence, curiosity, and the willingness to notice another person’s experience.
Literary Titan praised the book as “a warm, reflective story” that gives children a memorable character through whom they can explore emotions, empathy, and the importance of noticing others. The review also highlighted the book’s soft watercolor illustrations, which use dreamy blues, purples, pinks, and warm washes to make Toggy’s inner spark and emotional awareness feel tangible to young readers.
The inspiration for the book came from the authors’ belief that awareness is natural to everyone, but can become harder to access amid the expectations, opinions, and distractions of everyday life.
“We wanted to create a story that encourages children, and really readers of any age, to slow down, become curious about what is happening within them, and reconnect with their own awareness,” the authors explained.
Designed for early readers, family story time, and classroom read-alouds, Cognizance: But You Can Call Me Toggy supports social-emotional learning without presenting emotions as lessons to memorize. Instead, children discover alongside Toggy how to pause, listen inward, recognize what others may be feeling, and choose small acts of kindness.
Cognizance: But You Can Call Me Toggy reached No. 1 in New Releases in Amazon’s Stories in Verse category, marking an exciting milestone for the heartwarming children’s book and its message of emotional awareness, empathy, and kindness.
The book has also been recognized by Reading Is Fundamental and included on Literacy Central, where educational resources help extend its themes into conversations, reflection, and learning activities.
Cognizance introduces the wider vision of The Toggy and Tonfy Series™, which will continue exploring consciousness, self-trust, intuition, authenticity, connection, and the inner qualities that help children remember their inherent worth.
Readers, families, educators, and caregivers are invited to meet Toggy and begin meaningful conversations about feelings, awareness, and empathy. Cognizance: But You Can Call Me Toggy is available for purchase through ToggyandTonfy.com.
About the Author
TC and LJ created the Toggy and Tonfy series to help children remember who they are at their core: powerful, worthy, and deeply connected.
Through gentle storytelling, they aim to raise collective consciousness, nurture emotional awareness, and plant seeds of love, kindness, and self-trust in young hearts and minds.
Media Contact
Company Name: Literary Titan
Contact Person: TC & LJ
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://toggyandtonfy.com/
