We are the proud authors, illustrators and publishers of 4 therapeutic children’s books with more planned for the future.
Here is a summary of our books and the links to buy them on Amazon. If you wish to purchase multiple copies or to have them sent to a different country please contact me directly with your requirements at belong@belongts.com
Why Can’t I Do That? – A Book About Brain Switches
‘This fantastic book shows that there is treasure to unlock, or ‘switch on’, in each and every child.’
Louise Bomber – Attachment Support Teacher Therapist.
Authors: Fi and Gail Newood and Foreword by Louise Bombèr
Description: ‘Why Can’t I Do That?’ is a children’s book that explores the reasons why so many children feel very different to their peers. The story follows a boy called Ben through his day at school and evening at home with his foster family. Using the switches metaphor (© Belong 2013) it gives a blame-free explanation of why he struggles to do the things his friends do and how his key adult can support him with this.
Suitable for: children with complex issues, developmental delay, attachment difficulties, trauma and abuse backgrounds, emotional and behavioural problems, learning difficulties and other disabilities. Also helps other children to understand differences in their peers.
This book can be bought online at Amazon through this link.
Sometimes I Fight – What Happens in Fighting Frankie’s Brain When He Feels Unsafe.
Description:
The story of Fighting Frankie explains to children why they may want to fight in times of anxiety. This may be fighting physically, in words or through defiance and control. The book focuses on the biological reasons behind this fighting and uses the Brain Switches concept (Belong 2013) to help readers understand that they are not to blame. This aims to reduce any shame and offers hope that their switches can change.
Young people are encouraged to own the book by colouring, doodling and writing in it. The story is again written in a monologue style to help readers understand that their internal dialogue is not unique. We find that many young people feel very alone in their ‘fight tendencies’ and the feedback we had from our trial group was that they felt the book was written for the ‘voice in my head’. We feel that if young people can identify with the character then they can see more hope in the overall messages.
Sometimes I Fight also opens up conversation about involving a key adult to support them with their ‘brain switches’. In fact the key message is that it’s okay to feel this way, understandable on a biological level to fight but it’s probably too hard to deal with this alone. We hope that the book might also educate adults to be more helpful too – which was the feedback from our second book.
Suitable For:
All Children, especially those prone to fighting when they get anxious. It’s ideal for foster and adoptive parents to use with their children as well as teachers, social workers, counsellors and therapists to use in their work. It might even be useful for you too – after all, the ‘fight switch’ is in us all!
Therapeutic Topics:
Fight mechanisms, neuroscience, trauma, triggers, shame and self-esteem.
Sometimes I Fight is priced at £8.99 and available from Amazon via this link here 
Sometimes I Run – What Happens in Running Riley’s Brain When He Feels Unsafe
Description:
The story of Running Riley explains to children why they may want to run in times of anxiety. Focusing on the flight and freeze responses it uses the Brain Switches concept (Belong 2013) to help readers understand that they are not to blame for wanting to escape and offers hope that their switches can change.
It also opens up conversation about involving a key adult to support them with their switches. Young people are encouraged to own the book by colouring/doodling/writing in it and there is a helpful worksheet for them to consider their own switches.
Suitable For:
All Children, especially those prone to running away when they get anxious.
You can buy this book at amazon by clicking this link.
Sometimes I Get Things Wrong – How Worrying William Deals With Shame
Description:
The story of Worrying William considers the issue of shame in a way that is in itself, non-shaming.
The central character worries that he is ‘bad’, that he will get in ‘big trouble’ or that people will see him how he sees himself. William has a lot of ways of trying to avoid situations where he has or might get things wrong. He denies, he lies, he blames others, he minimises and, if those don’t work, he gets angry. The book introduces the idea that these are behaviours that shield young people from their shame and that this is understandable.
As with our other books, the final message is to seek a ‘helpful adult’ who can work with the child to explore these feelings and find better ways to respond. William’s adult is able to explain to him that everyone gets things wrong, that no-one is perfect and to come up with a plan to help him.
Suitable For:
All Children, especially those with self-worth issues. It’s ideal for foster and adoptive parents to use with their children as well as teachers, social workers, counsellors and therapists to use in their work. It might even be useful for you too – after all, don’t we all feel not good enough sometimes?
Therapeutic Topics:
Shame, neuroscience, trauma, managing behaviour, triggers, self-worth and self-esteem
Sometimes I Get Things Wrong is priced at £8.99 and available from Amazon via this link.
