A book aiming to break the culture of silence surrounding abuse will be gifted to every primary school. The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus by New Zealand author Avril McDonald teaches children to trust their instincts and speak out if something is wrong. With funding from the Wright Family Foundation, the book will be sent out with a guide to help teachers.
The book was launched in April by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro as part of a broader campaign - supported by Life Education Trust, Women's Refuge and Save the Children - to break the culture of silence around sexual and other forms of abuse in New Zealand. Dame Cindy said anything that improved the ability of children to deal with complex feelings and with things happening in their lives that they cannot control was hugely important. She wanted to see New Zealand do better at encouraging children to speak out and find help.
"We have to look for ways that help children process these feelings, and articulate what's happening to them, and look to supportive friends and adults who can help them deal with it." McDonald was the author of the Feel Brave series of books, little stories about big feelings for four- to seven-year-olds. She is also the founder of Feel Brave, which aimed to give all children access to tools that help them manage tough emotions and reach their creative potential.
Each book told a story about a real-life situation that children might face while offering a simple strategy to cope. Kylie Wright from the Wrig.