1st Edition
The Night Crossing and Storybook Manual A Lullaby For Children On Life's Last Journey
This beautifully illustrated and sensitive storybook is designed to be used therapeutically by professionals and caregivers supporting children with an untreatable illness. With gentle and colourful illustrations that can help children with fears and feelings, it tells the story of the final journey made by a Boy with a Bear, as the Boy says his goodbyes and comes to terms with his life-ending illness.
In this bundle, it is accompanied by the Storybook Manual, a resource that has been designed to support practitioners and caregivers with practical and creative ideas on how to use illustrated storybooks therapeutically with children.
Key features include:
- An inviting and sensitively written fairy tale, with a story and illustrations that have been specifically designed to support children going through difficult life-events
- A supporting manual that offers a range of prompts, ideas and activities to encourage children’s imagination and creativity, develop confidence and emotional literacy as well as deepen engagement and understanding of storybooks.
- Downloadable worksheets to support the story and explore specific themes further
This is an invaluable resource for all professionals looking to use stories and images therapeutically with children suffering from a life-ending illness. The resources can also be adapted for wider use with siblings and other family members.
Storybook Manual The Night Crossing: A lullaby for children on life's last journey
Biography
Pia Jones is an author, workshop facilitator and UKCP integrative arts psychotherapist, who trained at The Institute for Arts in Therapy & Education. Pia has worked with children and adults in a variety of school, health and community settings. Core to her practice, is using arts and story as support during times of loss, transition and change, giving a TEDx talk on the subject. She was Story Director on artgym’s award-winning film documentary, ‘The Moving Theatre,’ where puppetry brought to life real stories of people’s migrations. Pia also designed the ‘Sometimes I Feel’ story cards, a Speechmark therapeutic resource to support children with their feelings. www.silverowlartstherapy.org.uk.
Sarah Pimenta is an experienced artist, workshop facilitator and lecturer in creativity. Her specialist art form is print-making, and her creative practice has brought texture, colour and emotion into a variety of environments, both in the UK and abroad. Sarah has over twenty years’ experience of designing and delivering creative, high-quality art workshops in over 250 schools, diverse communities and public venues, including the British Library, V&A, NESTA, Oval House and many charities. Her work is often described as art with therapeutic intent, and she is skilled in working with adults and children who have access issues and complex needs. Sarah is known as Social Fabric www.social-fabric.co.uk.
Both Pia and Sarah hope these Therapeutic Fairy Tales open up conversations that enable children and families’ own stories and feelings to be seen and heard.
A sensitive and poignant tale to aid and support children who may be facing an untreatable illness. The Night Crossing can help soften the fear about the journey into the unknown.
Hephzibah Kaplan, Art Therapist, Director, London Art Therapy Centre
The Night Crossing is so sensitively written, with beautiful illustrations. I found it honest and touching, a sympathetic aid that could be revisited whenever needed. In our experience, children take in as little or as much as they feel comfortable to deal with when they are ready. I also feel this book could help siblings of a child who is very ill and for parents or carers to help gauge other children's questions and emotions.
Family member, Anonymous
As children are so naturally at ease with metaphor, I imagine The Night Crossing could answer some of the unspoken fears of a child and families at this time with honesty and kindness. It acknowledges the wisdom of the child who in his heart knows what is happening. I would also hope that this story could open up the possibility of conversations between parent and child. A touching and sensitive work, with beautiful illustrations.
Anna Ledgard, Arts Producer, End of Life doula trainer
A sensitively written and delightfully illustrated book that provides support and comfort to both a seriously ill child or siblings. The Night Crossing provides a safe space for parents and professionals to explore the fears and emotions a child may experience but also provides the opportunity for a child to ask difficult questions.
Janey Treharne, from Jigsaw (South East)
This book has done something very beautiful and reassuring with a very difficult topic.
Taylor Smart, Art Psychotherapist
