The book is a collaboration between child therapist Lauren Stockly and illustrator Ellen Surrey. This may be the pair’s first published work together, but their partnership began in Kindergarten when they began writing and illustrating as a team. They have since refined their talents and couldn’t be more pleased to share this collaboration rooted in lifelong friendship.

Libro en rústica: Presta atención a los monstruos

Presta atención a los monstruos sigue a Ezzy en una jornada de sentimientos difíciles que evita y se convirtieron en monstruos y aprendió aceptarlos con bondad. Inspirado por la práctica de conciencia pura, esta historia nos revela como nuestras emociones se manifiestan por sí mismas y como nosotros podemos aprender a vivir en armonía con ellas. A lo largo de este libro los pequeños van aprender cómo enfocarse a sentimientos desagradables con cuidado antes que resistirse. Este es un hábito que promueve el bienestar emocional. Escrito por una Terapeuta Infantil Lauren Stockly e ilustrado por la artista celebrada Ellen Surrey, Presta atención a los monstruos combina un propósito terapéutico con el poder de narración para ayudar a guiar a los niños en las complejidades emocionales de la vida.

Presta atención a los monstruos se puede disfrutar por sí mismo, o en conjunto con el libro Terapéutico de trabajo que contiene actividades, intervenciones y páginas para colorear.

What makes “Be Mindful of Monsters” special?
Relatable: All children experience overwhelming feelings at times, but they don’t always know the best strategies for coping with and processing those emotions. By exploring universal themes such as sadness, anger and fear, “Be Mindful of Monsters” can resonate with any child, regardless of their specific circumstances. Told through the eyes of a racially ambiguous, gender-neutral protagonist, the book invites kids from diverse backgrounds to see themselves in the story no matter who they are.

Adaptable: This book is designed to meet a wide range of needs, from reading for fun to targeted therapy. It is intended to spark dialogue between children and their caregivers, and gives space for families and therapists to tailor the story’s message to each individual child. Plus, “Be Mindful of Monsters” provides subtle opportunities for adults to relate the book to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing children to explore and express their feelings about the current situation. This book will soon be available in Spanish and Mandarin.

Therapeutic Message: In the story, Ezzy learns coping strategies based around Mindfulness metaphors rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Although Mindfulness is extremely beneficial for children’s emotional wellbeing, the idea of accepting uncomfortable emotions rather than pushing them away can feel very challenging. The goal of “Be Mindful of Monsters” is to demonstrate how mindfulness works and why emotional acceptance is necessary, even if it’s hard. Getting children to understand mindfulness requires helping them to change their entire relationship with their thoughts and feelings, from one of judgement and resistance, towards one of support and acceptance. Furthermore, the idea of moving through difficult emotions by allowing oneself to feel them, rather than push them away, can seem counterintuitive to many children. “Be Mindful of Monsters” overcomes this hurdle by showing emotional dynamics through narrative and metaphor, rather than explanation.