'WHAT IF...?' BOOK

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!

KEY POINTS:

• A book with universal appeal due to the widespread issues of anxiety and ‘what if’ thoughts.

• 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.

Lynn Jenkins

Lynn is an author as well as a practising clinical psychologist and mum, Lynn is very passionate about assisting children with social and emotional issues via the platform of picture books and their coinciding school visits.

She wrote Lessons of a LAC, Brave and Perfect Petunias — which are the first, second and third books in a five-book series — to give children a way to think about and manage worry and anxiety.

Kirrili Lonergan

Kirrili Lonergan is a picture book illustrator, art therapist and a former paediatric nurse who relates warmly to the needs of children. She is the illustrator for the Lessons of a LAC picture book series and the co-creator of the Lessons of a LAC anxiety management package. She has numerous other titles including the Healthy Harold preschool books for Life Ed Early Years Learning Program, supporting health, safety and emotional well-being in children. She was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology of Australia Awards in 2018 for 'Ollie's Treasure' and 2022 for 'But I'm NOT Hungry for my Dinner.'

Together, Lynn and Kirrili visit schools to present the Lessons of a LAC Workshops. These workshops extend the lessons in the picture books and leave children with a clear understanding of what anxiety is and a tool-belt of skills to manage it. They believe that EARLY INTERVENTION is the key.