Book Series

Lynne Steffy

BA, BSW, MSW, RSW, Canadian Play Therapy Training Levels 1 & 2  

Lynne Steffy acquired her Masters degree in clinical social work from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Lynne also received training in child play therapy from the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy.  Lynne has gained broad experience in clinical counselling with adults and children, and has facilitated therapeutic groups for children and worked with children in crisis.

Many therapists use narrative therapy to reach children with complex emotional and behavioural issues. Lynne has found it to be an astoundingly effective method. During the course of her work with troubled children in a wide range of clinical settings, Lynne realized that there was a need for more child-focused, therapeutic material to assist therapists, teachers, and parents in their work with children. Lynne’s Felt Feeling series of therapeutic children’s books was written to address this need.

Elephant in my Room 

Elephant in My Room is intended to be used with children who struggle to express feelings. Children are often disempowered and feel that they do not have a voice. They need to be allowed to express feelings in a healthy environment that fosters growth and self expression. Inhibited feelings can contribute to anxiety and depression in children. As such, this story will be particularly effective with children who exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression.

In Elephant in My Room, the hero is a boy named Joshua, who has an elephant in his room. The elephant arrives mysteriously in his bedroom and grows larger each time Joshua internalizes his feelings. As Joshua tries to hide the elephant from his family, he learns that the only way to get rid of the pesky creature is to shrink it by expressing his feelings as they occur.





Elephant from Elephant in My Room, is a great way to make the story come to life, providing an interactive, and memorable experience for the listener.

The Elephant puppet is available for purchase through Image Puppet Productions.

COMING SOON! Free pdf lesson plan for the story, Elephant in my Room!

The Angry Lizard 

The Angry Lizard is intended to be used with children who have been expressing anger in inappropriate ways. When children experience anger, it is important that they are supported to express it. The story does not endeavour to eliminate anger, but to help children understand that there are appropriate ways of expressing difficult emotions.

In The Angry Lizard, the main character, Matthew, is forced to contend with his pet lizard, who breaks all of the rules when he feels angry. Matthew is perplexed. He receives help from an unlikely character who enters the scene unexpectedly and helps teach Matthew and his lizard about the appropriate expression of anger.

Stretch 

Stretch  is intended to be used with children and families who are coping with family conflict. Given the numerous stressors faced by today’s families, conflict is a common occurrence. Frequent, unresolved family conflict can be detrimental to child development and cause long-lasting emotional difficulties.

Stretch is a story about fictional characters called Woogles. In the story, the hero, Stretch, learns—with the help of a little magic—to express his feelings of discontent regarding hi parents’ conflict. In turn, Stretch’s parents learn an important lesson about the need to resolve conflict in an effective way.

The Telling Bee 

The Telling Bee, was designed to encourage children to disclose abuse or bullying. Many children endure the pain of being abused or bullied without disclosing the abuse to adults who can support them and protect them from future abuse. Unfortunately, when children do disclose abusive experiences, they are not always listened to or protected.  The Telling Bee, explains the importance of disclosure and teaches children that they many need to reach out to more than one adult before they are helped.

In The Telling Bee, the main character, Carrot, a lovable little bee, is hurt by a bigger bee. Carrot decides to tell what happened in an effort to get help for himself. He tells, but is not heard or helped. The brave little bee continues to tell his story until he eventually comes across a slow-moving turtle who has the time and the ability to help Carrot be safe.

The Butterfly Blanket 

The Butterfly Blanket is intended to be used with children who have lost a caregiver to illness. It was written to encourage children to express thoughts and feelings about death. It was designed to foster hope in bereaved children that, despite their death, their caregiver is still connected to them. This story promotes the concepts of faith, unity, and spirituality, without subscribing to a specific religion.

In The Butterfly Blanket the main character is a child named Michelle. Michelle is forced to cope with the death of her mother when her mother becomes ill and then dies. Michelle feels alone and scared but is comforted when butterflies arrive in her yard. After her mother dies, Michelle is reminded that she remains connected to her when she sees the butterflies floating into the sky in the shape of her mother.

The Butterflies

Glo's Amazing Journey 

Glo’s Amazing Journey is intended to be used with children who are dealing with challenges created by illness or disablility. The tale of the valiant character, Glo, helps foster hope in children that they too can reach accomplishments when they do not allow obstacles to prevent them from working towards their goals.

Glo’s Amazing Journey is a story about a young lightning bug who, unlike other lightning bugs, cannot light up. Throughout the story, Glo faces many challenges. She is forced to cope with spending time at the hospital and is fearful when she is required to have an operation. Glo faces her most significant challenge when she attempts to complete a long journey to the sea with her family and friends. Despite the fact that Glo cannot light up like the others, she perseveres through the long journey, overcoming many obstacles.

Crustback and the Wormhole 

Crustback and the Wormhole is intended to be used with children whose parents are separated when one of the parents is not spending the expected amount of time with the child. There are many possible reasons why one parent might be less involved in a child’s upbringing; no matter what the reason, the lack of involvement can be very painful for the child. It can be especially difficult for children who have had frequent interactions with that parent in the past.

In Crustback and the Wormhole the hero, Crustback, is a lovable little snail. Crustback becomes confused when his parents separate. Crustback’s father tells him that he will visit and then does not come when he says he will. Scared and sad, Crustback sets out into the garden where he lives. He falls into a large hole in the earth where he meets a large, but friendly worm. The creature helps him understand conflicting emotions regarding his father. Crustback learns to cope with his troubles and finds a way out of the hole with the help of his new friend.

Shelly's Shell 

Shelly’s Shell is intended to be used with children who have been sexually abused. The story introduces abused children to the concept of trust, the impact of trauma, defense mechanisms, and the used of coping skills. It encourages abuse survivors to nurture themselves and talk about how they are feeling.

In Shelly’s Shell, the main character is Shelly, a beautiful and happy turtle. When Shelly is sexually abused she feels too overwhelmed and ashamed to tell her mother what has happened to her. Shelly begins to feel different after the abuse and withdraws from activities that used to bring her joy. Shelly’s shell grows thicker to protect her. However, before long her shell is so thick that it prevents her from moving and growing. Shelly is sad and lonely until she meets a wise swan. The swan teaches her to nurture and protect herself and reclaim her life.