A young author who grew up in care is hoping her new book will help other kids feel seen, heard and better informed.

Jazmyne McLaughlin launched What I Wish I Knew: A Guide to Children’s Rights on Friday at the Fredericton Public Library.

The book explains the rights of children and youth in New Brunswick in clear, accessible language. It encourages young people to speak up, seek help and remember they are never alone.

“I didn’t learn about my rights until I was in university,” McLaughlin said. “I didn’t want the next generation to wait that long.”

McLaughlin spent time in care in both British Columbia and New Brunswick. She was adopted at age seven, then returned to care at 15.

She said many youth in care feel powerless and don’t know how to advocate for themselves, or even that they have rights to begin with.

The book condenses 54 articles from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into 11 key points. McLaughlin said she focused on the rights she saw violated most often, both in her own life and in her work with other youth.

“It’s written for kids as young as five and as old as 18,” she said. “I wanted it to feel like armour, something they could carry with them.”

The book includes illustrated case studies designed to help kids recognize when their rights are being ignored.

The artwork was created by Lexie Temple, a Fredericton tattoo artist and close friend of McLaughlin’s. Temple runs Pink Ink Studio and has never illustrated a book before.

“She just whipped it up,” McLaughlin said. “I couldn’t have envisioned a better way to do it.”

The book is available in English, French, Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqey. McLaughlin said accessibility was a priority from the start, not just for youth in care but for all kids.

“I’d love to see this book in schools,” she said. “Even if you’re not in care, you might have a friend or cousin who is and that knowledge can be passed on.”

McLaughlin is currently a second-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She’s also working on a tuition waiver project with a professor at Mount Saint Vincent University, advocating for former youth in care to access post-secondary education.

Only 0.8 per cent of former youth in care graduate from post-secondary programs, she said, a number she hopes to help change.

“I’ve always said I’m here to blow up the system and rebuild it,” she said. “Some people laugh, but others say, ‘Hell yeah, I see you doing that.’”

McLaughlin said she’s proud of the book, even if it’s uncomfortable to celebrate her own success. She hopes it helps kids feel less alone and reminds them they’re worth fighting for.

“You deserve love and respect,” she said. “Your voice matters.”