A Bristol author has just published her third children’s book - and has launched a city-wide treasure hunt to find it.
Ruth Drury’s books focus on helping children deal with mental health issues, and her latest one Introducing Sherman helps show younger children how to handle feelings of guilt or being ashamed.
To launch the book this week, she’s hiding 50 around the city, and posting clues on her website and on social media to help parents and children find them.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bristolian author has written three children’s books, each dealing with a different children’s mental health topic.
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“My first, Too Many Pants, was about having too many emotions at once overwhelming children, and teaches them ways to calm."
“My second is The Angermometer which teaches children that anger is normal and ok, but how to manage it so it doesn't cause problems for yourself and others,” she added.
The third is called Introducing Sherman.
“This book Introduces Sherman, a busy man, with pants that were bright red,” she said. “Sherman’s job is to help create those funny feelings in your tummy which big people know as shame. But poor Sherman, all he wants to do is retire and go fishing!
“It’s written for children to help with mental health issues,” she added. “It’s about shame and teaching children how to handle feeling guilty and ashamed. This is a really tricky emotion for children, so Introducing Sherman is there to help children find ways to manage this,” she said.
“It’s here to help those children, and help them understand that it’s a normal feeling, with ways to help them get past that and feel better about themselves.
“What I’m doing this week is I’m hiding loads of copies all over Bristol and beyond, so you can find it and take it home and have a copy for yourself,” she added.
“Next week is mental health awareness week and it is so important to begin helping children understand their own emotions and mental health, from an early age.
“I’d like whoever finds one to send a photo to my social media on the card included, to show us who found the book and share that it has been found. Clues will be posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to help folk find them,” she added.
