What If …?

Issy uses the words ‘what if...’ a lot. What if there is a monster in my cupboard? she wonders before going to sleep. Or What if my floor turns into quicksand and swallows my bed? For her, ‘what if...’ are two little words that start worries and lead to uneasy feelings. But maybe they can be used for something a little more fun...

Share Issy’s wonder and excitement as her mum shows her that asking ‘what if...’ can lead to imaginative adventures far beyond the everyday. After all, What if trees had cupcakes hanging from their branches instead of leaves? Or the clouds were purple and orange and green? These kind of ‘what ifs’ are what this creative and hopeful story is all about.

Showing children that their ‘what ifs’ can lead to feelings of fun, happiness and freedom is key in teaching them how we can change the way we feel simply by changing the way we choose to think. Written by an experienced author/clinical psychologist and illustrator/art therapist duo, What if...? is an exploration of how little worriers think, and how they can choose to turn those worries into wonders. Young children, parents, carers, teachers and therapists alike will find methods to manage anxiety and to open conversations about worry in this playful and accessible tale. Plus, kids will love the imaginative adventures their ‘what ifs’ can create!

A fun way to start conversations about the power words and our choices have over how we feel.

• Ideal for early and primary education on mental well-being
• A fun, imaginative, and beautifully illustrated approach to talking about worries
• A positive psychology approach from a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working with children who suffer from anxiety.
• The ‘topsy-turvy’ nature of the different scenes actually engages a different part of the brain to the part that is dominant in anxiety. Therefore, using the ‘fun type’ of ‘what ifs’ is a worry management ‘strategy’ as well.

Download File

"A valuable and practical resource to help an anxious child."
- The Daily Telegraph

"A delightful book … written by an experienced author/clinical psychologist and illustrator/art therapist. It’s an explanation of how children think and how we can help them ‘turn those worries into wonders’."
- Literacy, Families and Learning