Who’s Afraid of the Monster? A Storybook and Guidebook for Managing Big Feelings and Hidden Fears

A vital resource, this set comprising a storybook and adult resource guide is designed for working with children aged 4-9 to manage the big feelings they may have in relation to hidden fears and anxieties.

In the quirky and accessible Who’s Afraid of the Monster? storybook, children are introduced to a monster who nobody has seen or heard and a King who pretends to be brave but is in fact very scared. The story shows how, often, the big feelings elicited by the unknown are scarier than the thing itself, and how to manage the feelings associated with these fears.

The companion guidebook for use by adults working with children, is divided into three easy to follow parts. Part 1 presents the theory behind how and why big feelings in children arise and how creative art and drama can help. Part 2 contains activities and exercises with photocopiable instructions, as well as a list of resources for each activity and guidelines for safe working. Part 3 offers further activities and ways in which to exploit the story such as discussion points, plays and models. Underpinned by substantiated theory into the stages of children’s emotional development, it offers realistic solutions for parents, carers, teachers, and classroom assistants who simply do not have the time or resources to attend to their children’s very real but hard-to-verbalise fears.

Together, the storybook and guidebook offer the following:

• A quirky and amusing tale for adults to read to children

• A relatable story about big feelings which makes the child stop and think

• Easy to follow and implement, photocopiable creative arts activities

• A way of addressing the anxiety and fear of the unknown within children’s mental health following the pandemic and other relevant issues

• Hope and support for carers of overly anxious children.

Taking a creative approach using universal characters, this is the ideal resource for educators, support staff, practitioners and parents looking to help children understand and manage the big feelings associated with their fear of the unknown.