This must-have collection of behaviour tales offers story medicine as a creative strategy for parenting, teaching and counselling. Telling the right story at the right time can help children face challenges and change behaviour.

All 42 stories begin with an undesirable or out-of-balance situation. Then, through metaphor and an imaginative story journey, they lead to a more desirable resolution. The stories also have the potential to nurture positive values.

Following the alphabet from A to Z, each behaviour is identified in the story title: angry, anxious, bullying, demanding, fussy, greedy, jealous, loud, obnoxious, quibbling, uncooperative, and so on.

The stories, some humorous, some serious, are especially relevant for children aged three to nine years – and the child in every adult! They are for telling and adapting: turn them into home-made picture books or puppet shows, or even create new tales from them. A pencil illustration by Allmut ffrench accompanies each story.

Susan Perrow has an extensive background in teaching, writing and therapeutic storytelling. She travels nationally and internationally giving keynotes and running seminars for teachers, parents and therapists.

‘Susan is a trailblazer for the movement for healing stories… The playfulness of this book makes it clear to you, the reader, that you can adapt Susan’s tales for your own situation or even create your own. I hope you enjoy this delicious story medicine!’—Georgiana Keable, Storytelling teacher, founder of Fortellerhuset (the Storytelling House) and The Norwegian Storytelling festival, and author of The Natural Storyteller, from the foreword

Zestless Zebra by Allmut ffrench