Don't Think About Purple Elephants

It seems there are many books written about children's fears and concerns. So much so that there are quite a few lists about them out there too. One from Readings. Or Kids Book Review. Don't Think About Purple Elephants is a great addition to this topic.

Some child are born confident, plucky and happy-go-lucky. Others are born worriers. Sophie is usually a normal, confident girl enjoying her school, her family and her friends. She has a safe life, with a supportive loving family. But at bedtime the worries start to crowd in.

Sophie's worries aren't huge, they aren't life and death, but they are enough to stop her getting to sleep and can disturb her enjoyment of the next day.

Thankfully her mother is very clever and she, and some purple elephants, help ease the burden of Sophie's anxiety. It is all beautifully illustrated by Gwynneth Jones. Don't Think About Purple Elephants was inspired by Susan Whelan's daughters struggles with bedtime anxiety when she was seven.

I came across Don't Think About Purple Elephants back in March because it was launched at the Newcastle Writers Festival. It was a great festival and I saw many wonderful sessions. So many in fact that I didn't get the chance to go to the launch. But I did make sure to buy a signed copy, which I will now donate to my local library. Thankfully author Susan Whelan blogged about the launch.

http://australianwomenwriters.com