The Perfect Fit

Have you ever wondered what a hermit crab goes through when his old shell is too small or is broken? Just remember, the grass isn’t always greener.
Follow Hermie in his adventures as he searches high and low for a new home and fingers crossed he finds his perfect fit.

The Lost Shell

“The Tantrum” is no stranger to most of us!

In supermarket queues the sight and sound of a prostrate three-year-old giving it all in the pursuit of emotional release, is not something to forget! Yet, this plucky little person is expressing how it feels to be in the grip of a tangle of unidentifiable emotions, unable to communicate when asked “What’s the matter?” In the simple story of The Lost Shell, a Granny uses story to find a way through the confusion of a child’s pent-up emotions, preceding the birth of a sibling. The Lost Shell is designed to be enjoyed by carer and child together, and allows the child to read the pictures and tell the story in their own words.

In talking about the story and pictures the child may identify with some of the emotions shown there. Among the possible feelings may be anger, sadness, loss, separation, love, comfort, change, joy, friendship, co-operation, curiosity, generosity, kindness, fear, achievement, and satisfaction in initiating bonding (making friends) with another. A child may recognise only a few of these feelings, but the list might prove useful to the carer, perhaps in identifying some familiar feelings of their own! We are never too old to learn. How many of us “grown-ups” have nearly “lost it” on occasion and even sensed the tantrum at our shoulder! The Lost Shell can become a delightful resource to share over and again, building mutual self-awareness while fostering the emotional intelligence, vital to navigating the future - without running aground on Tantrum Island!

The Lonely Pea

Parents, have you ever noticed that even when you’ve really gone to a lot of trouble cleaning up after dinner, there always seems to be a single pea left behind? One pesky pea that refuses to meet his fate on the plate.
And have you ever imagined how that pea must feel?
No? Just me?
Well, let me enlighten you...

The Little Wonky Pumpkin

Being different is wonderful. It makes us who we are! Every single one of us is unique, which means there is only one of you in the whole world! Magical and exciting Halloween is nearly here when an enormous box arrives in store, bursting full of beautiful pumpkins ready to find families to love them. Come and meet a little pumpkin who’s just a little bit different from the others… Will the little pumpkin be able to learn what being different means to her?

The Little Cat With Stars in his Eyes

A little Cat who sleeps all day
And never seems to want to play.

He just lies around without a care
On the warmest bed or the softest chair.

But when the sun goes down at the end of the day,
The little Cat wakes and slips away.

He hurries to a hilltop high,
Where he sits beneath the twinkling sky.

To watch the stars as they play and chat
Means all the world to this little Cat.

Returning home at morning’s light,
Where he sleeps right through until the night.

When once again his heart desires,
To see the stars…that he so admires.

The Kite Hill Kids: Discovering Nature

The Kite Hill Kids are a group of young friends, a bit like you; they just happen to have lots of fun playing outside!

Jump into their world and discover what fun it is to go kite flying or butterfly hunting, what wildlife you might find in your own garden or local park, if only you looked – a stag beetle under a tree root, a hedgehog under a pile of leaves or a robin nesting in an old tin can!

Whether you live in a town, city or the countryside, you’ll discover how amazing the Natural World can be and how much fun it is finding out about it!

Either in a safe home environment or exploring further afield with their parents and friends, follow Tilly, Fred, Jin, Bill, Pritee and Ayla, discover for yourself the wonderful world of Nature and lots of activities to enjoy!

The Gift

When little Serena's birthday wish is bashed, will she learn to appreciate the beauty within?

The Garden Creatures of Fairfax Lane: The Dipping Dragonfly

At the end of the road on Fairfax LaneBehind a small wall—surprisingly plainThere is a garden that’s full of lifeTenderly cared for by Mr Crankshaw’s wife The Dipping Dragonfly learns to focus on one thing at a time, getting twice as much done, to have double the fun. Follow along with our rhyme…The aim of this picture book series, The Garden Creatures of Fairfax Lane, is to supply your children with the tools to manage their mental health. Each story provides an example of a subtle change you and your child can make to manage your thinking. It provides you with a medium to navigate developmental themes and, therefore, project the characteristics of the creatures in real-life scenarios.

The Forest – Big Oak

As Ashton was cycling home from school one autumn day, he heard an almighty sigh coming from the forest, “Aaaahhhhh…” and then a loud crying, sniffling and weeping noise. When he eventually got home after cycling as fast as he could, he asked his daddy, mammy and two big brothers what the noise could have been. They all had suggestions but Ashton knew that they were not the right answers.

With the help of his best friend, Jack, they decided to investigate themselves. Walking through the forest in fear, the two boys stumble upon a very big oak tree crying out loud to himself. After they befriend the big oak tree, they invite their school friends, family and teacher Miss Brownson to join them in decorating the big oak tree for Christmas. Along the way, they make more friends including two crows and get a surprise that happens right beside the big oak tree.

Ashton asked his granny for help as winter was coming. The days are getting colder with snow starting to fall. All of Granny’s friends join her in the forest knitting woolly scarves and jumpers for the big oak trees. There are grannies knitting, laughing and singing everywhere. They are high up and low down with their legs wrapped around the branches holding onto the big oak trees. This is just the start of many more adventures to follow in the forest.

The Bean Team Visit A Country Farm

In this story, The Bean Team visit a country farm to see the animals and meet Farmer Joe, his wife Ann, and their children, Lily and George. Get to know the Bean Team’s seven boys and seven girls, from Sally Soya Bean and Gemma Jelly Bean to the boys Rory Runner Bean and Hans Baked Bean along the way. On this fun adventure at the farm they will see the goats and pigs, Samson the Shire Horse, collect eggs from the chickens, and pet the rabbits.

Fantasy Beans in real life scenes! 

The Bean Team Four at The Zoo

This is the story of four Bean Team characters enjoying a trip to the zoo. Yoko Cocoa Bean, Johnny Jumping Bean, Bobby Bobo Bean, and Gemma Jelly Bean. They see the elephants and tigers. They watch while the giraffes are being fed. They see the monkeys showing off their tricks. They see the penguins being fed their fish and diving and darting about, Visiting the aquarium to see the fish, all colours of the rainbow. They see big brown bears, chimpanzees, zebras, camels, hippos, hyenas, crocodiles, flamingos, and the cuddly meerkats running around like children. Yoko, Johnny, Bobby and Gemma have the time to have a picnic before finally taking a ride on a monorail around the zoo. Can the Bean Team Four treat you to a trip to the zoo? All in the imagination, of course.

Fantasy Beans in real life scenes!

The Bean Team At The Seaside

This is a story about The Bean Team going to the seaside and enjoying a day out. There are fourteen characters in The Bean Team: seven boys and seven girls. The girls include Bea Butter Bean, Chloe Coffee Bean, Yoko Cocoa Bean, Sally Soya Bean. The boy’s team include Hans Baked Bean, Rory Runner Bean, Benny Black Bean, and Enrico Mexican Bean. Once at the seaside, they all enjoy a game of beach ball and a picnic on the beach and later split into three groups to experience various seaside activities. Four of them go on a fishing trip while five have a ride in a pony and carriage along the seafront and a special visit to a toy shop. Finally they all meet up in the fish and chip shop and tell each other their experiences. A fun day out!