Books for Children

Resources

Gilley the Giraffe … who changed
Written by Nimmi Channa
Illustrated by Phil Lynch

The book has been written by a mother for the siblings of her child recovering from encephalitis. Being the parent of a child recovering from encephalitis can be a bewildering and lonely experience. Being the young sibling of that child, or indeed the child him or herself can be equally bewildering. "How can he look the same brother, yet act so differently?" "What has happened to me?" "Why has he started having seizures?" "When will we be a normal family again?"

The story of Gilley is carefully and sensitively told, with appropriate language and a context within which young children can relate. Beth Wicks, Education Consultant, says “Having worked for many years with children who have suffered encephalitis, their families and schools, I know how difficult it is for children to understand what has happened to them. Parents and teachers are frequently at a loss regarding how to explain to a child why he or she feels different; becomes tired or irritable; can’t keep up at school or at play; or no longer has the same friends, particularly when they may not fully understand this themselves”.

View inside pages

Tony Eves, one of the Society's Trustees, was inspired to design and produce this special Gilley the Giraffe soft toy. Tony has donated the toys to the Society and all income produced, will go directly to the work of the Society.

Have you got a Gilley?
Send us a photo

An initial copy of the book is available at no charge to Encephalitis Society Members; however we do ask that you pay the postage. To receive a free copy, a membership number is required. Additional copies and copies for anyone not directly affected by encephalitis or living outside the UK and Republic of Ireland are £7.

To become a member of the Society, please download and complete a membership form, (no cost).

Online Shop

My Mum Makes the Best Cakes & My Dad Makes the Best Boats

Dr Jo. Johnson

These little books by Dr. Jo Johnson are designed for children in primary school age, whose mum or dads have been affected by traumatic brain injury. They aim to give parents and/or carers of children whose mother or father is affected by TBI strategies to explore feelings, face fears and share emotions and facts. They are easy to read with big writing and simple words. Although they are designed so that most children aged 7 and above can read them by themselves, they are really meant to be read with an adult known to the child, possibly a relative, parent (affected or not) or a teacher or carer.

If read in this way the books can actually become very useful and easy to use tools to discuss emotions and facts connected with brain injury in a child friendly way and think about it in a personal way. The books span the length of one year in a child life and most of the pages are self contained narrative, exploring 1 topic about brain injury by connecting it to ordinary events in most children life (birthday, sport day, village Fete, mother/father day etc) seen by a child whose mother or father has been affected by TBI. Most topics (pages) have a child friendly activity that reinforces the concepts explained or opens the door to further reflection.

I think both books and their activities could be very useful to facilitate discussion of areas that may be difficult to approach by parents /carers and even more difficult to understand by children, such as emotions and brain injury facts. I think the activities are very good in making the books “personal” and relevant to each family and child using them. Although the books are not specific to Encephalitis, they would help primary school children in any family where a parent has suffered Encephalitis and would complement “Gilly” quite well.

Available from Catherine.portman@thedtgroup.org

Review by Ada Harwood, Regional Representative Volunteer Oxfordshire

Different Dan - How a family copes with childhood brain injury
By Jenny Tunstall & David Shum
Illustrated by Andrea Quinn
When Dan suffers a brain injury, all family members are affected - Dan himself, his brother. sister, mother, father, and Fuzzles the cat, too. Fuzzles describes how family life changes and how the family copes with those changes. There are the practical changes, such as visits to hospital that interrupt family routine, and extra chores that the brother and sister must now do. There are cognitive changes, such as confusion and memory problems. And there are emotional changes, such as feelings of anger and loss. But the family discovers that talking about their worries, problems and feelings helps them cope.

Online Shop

Sam and the Green Velvet Monkey - a charming picture book for young children about a boy coming to terms with his brother’s accident and brain injury.
from Child Brain Injury Trust www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

Elvin, The Elephant Who Forgets - an illustrated book, suitable for younger children, that shows the struggles, emotions and confusion of a child with a brain injury.
from Child Brain Injury Trust www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk/

Learning from the Experts - A set of leaflets written by young people with an acquired brain (ABI), namely “the experts”. These leaflets offer information and tips to other young people with ABI. The set of 4 leaflets includes 1) an introduction, 2) ideas to help with school work 3) ideas to help at home and with your friends and 4) tips on managing fatigue.
from Child Brain Injury Trust www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

My Mum has a Brain Injury
Produced by Angus Council

"Children of brain injured adults often feel lonely and isolated because of the way the injury has affected their mother or father. They may find it hard to get information from adults, and they often worry that in some way the brain injury has been their fault"

Wendy Murray
Service Manager
Angus council
Lunan Park Resource Centre
Guthrie Street
Friockheim by Arbroath
Scotland DD11 4SZ

My Dad has a Brain Injury
Produced by Angus Council

This book is "intended to answer a child's common questions and to help them to understand the nature of their parents illness, especially the 'hidden disabilities' such as forgetfulness and irritability."

Wendy Murray
Service Manager
Angus council
Lunan Park Resource Centre
Guthrie Street
Friockheim by Arbroath
Scotland DD11 4SZ

That's What Friends Are For - this book is aimed at 5 to 8 year olds and is based around a young child who is coming to terms with a diagnosis of epilepsy and looks at how the different reactions of his friends and family affect him. This book will be a particular help to young children with epilepsy and their siblings and friends.
Buy from Epilepsy Action www.epilepsyaction.co.uk

Seizure Diary for Children

This exciting book will enable children and their parents to learn a little about the condition and keep track of their own seizures. The diary is child friendly and has contributions from over 50 well known, popular children’s illustrators. The book is packed with beautiful illustrations, fun activities jokes and information all designed to help the child engage with the book. The hope is that this attractive resource will encourage children to begin to take responsibility for recording their seizure activity whilst at the same time receiving reassurance that their condition is one that can be managed.

Get a Free Seizure Diary

Epilepsy Seizure Diary for Teenagers

The new teenage seizure diary ‘All about me’ is now available from the NCYPE. It has been specifically designed and written for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19, and helps them monitor their seizures (sometimes known as epileptic fits) and take control of their epilepsy.