Written By: Dallas Shirley, M.Ed,
Registered Clinical Counsellor
BC Registered Play Therapist
Illustrated By: Amanda Shirley & Dallas Shirley
Woodland Wisdom books are FREE children’s books and guides for parents, caregivers, educators, support workers, social workers, counsellors, mental health clinicians, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or any adult wanting to help support children as they navigate tough stuff like grief, loss, anxiety, and anger.
Working in non-profit agencies, I recognize resources are not always available to fund enough staff to meet the needs of communities. I wanted to create resources that will be helpful to children who are on wait lists to receive counselling services and children who may never end up attending counselling for whatever reason.
These books are designed to be read after something difficult happens. The hope is that what the characters go through helps to normalize the experience that they may be experiencing.
Woodland Wisdom Books starts with tips for adults on how to help support children in tackling tough stuff. Then there is a story for children told in straightforward and honest ways. At the end of the books, there are activities I use as a children’s counsellor and play therapist, that you can do together, to try to process and express thoughts and feelings in healthy ways.
I have decided to make these books FREE so they are accessible to all. Click the links below to read the Woodland Wisdom Books series.
Vol. 1 ~ Death, Grief, and Loss begins with a guide for adults to help navigate difficult subjects with children.
Then the story for the children begins. We follow Ann the Arctic Fox, who is a Social Worker in Woodland Woods, as she helps the community find healthy ways to deal with the death of the Great Elk. Ann starts a Grief Group and many animals from Woodland Woods come to share their experiences with having someone they love die. Ann shares some information about grief and encourages the group to find healthy ways to express their feelings.
After the story, there are a few activities some might find helpful to express their thoughts and feelings and to help them connect with the loved ones they are remembering.
Vol. 2 ~ My Many, Many, Many Feelings & My Stinking Thinking Thoughts follows Cole the Coyote through a difficult week at school. Each day he has a different problem to face until one day he finds a way to help him process his thoughts and feelings in a healthy way.
This book focuses on how our feelings affect our bodies and can cause all sorts of symptoms such as stomachaches, backaches, and headaches. We can help support children to settle their symptoms by modeling healthy ways to express how we feel and helping them find what works best for them.
This book also has a guide for adults on supporting children with difficult issues and activities for you to do alongside the child to help them find healthy ways to express their thoughts and feelings.
Vol. 3 ~ The Difference Between Anger & Abuse: Coping with Anger in Healthy Ways follows Dallas the Deer who was having a difficult time expressing her anger in healthy ways after her classmate Rowan the Raccoon budged in front of her in the lineup to go on the super-duper-fun-times zip line.
She goes on a journey to discover why we sometimes act the way we do when we are angry and then learns to express and cope with anger in healthy ways.
This book also has a guide for adults on supporting children with difficult issues and activities at the end for you to do alongside the child to help them find healthy ways to process, cope with, and express their thoughts and feelings.
Dallas Shirley 