Fantastic Florence It's NOT Your Fault!: A Story about Bullying

About the Book

Fantastic Florence - It’s NOT your fault! is a series of books for children, each of which tells a story about a child, or children, experiencing different traumatic experiences. Florence is a wise and loving magical bag who hears the thoughts of children, and writes them messages when they are suffering. Florence assures the children in each story that the painful challenges that life is presenting to them are not their fault. She encourages them to speak to someone they trust about what is happening to them. Each story is designed to be a safe space for children to see themselves in the story’s characters and is an invaluable tool for parents and caregivers, therapists and educators. The stories can open the door to the hard conversations that children need to have in order to begin the healing process. In A Story About Bullying, a young girl named Ella is being bullied by her classmates. Florence hears her pain and uses her magic powers to soothe Ella’s anxieties by encouraging her to reframe the situation and reach out for help. Florence’s brave, caring insights and message help Ella feel supported and less alone, and to realize that it is not her fault that she is being bullied. Children and adults are sure to fall in love with Florence as she gently helps children navigate the specific traumatic situation they are experiencing, but are too young to understand. Florence gives children a name for the trauma/s they are experiencing and, most importantly, she comforts children by telling them that it is NOT their fault when bad things happen and that it is okay to reach out for help.

About the Author

Lesley Zafran started writing stories and poetry when she was a little girl growing up in London and Miami. Her passion for words led to a career in educational publishing and her B.A. in English Literature from the University of London. She then turned to her other passion – education. She has worked as a consultant for schools and nonprofits for the past twenty years. As a mother of two who struggled through her own childhood, she believes each child needs love, support and encouragement to feel brave and confident about themselves. Creating Florence is her answer to that need. Tara Kellogg, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist with over 25 years of clinical experience. Tara received her bachelor’s degree from Castleton University and her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. She specializes in individual and family counseling focusing on family preservation and trauma-related stressors disorders. Tara is a nationally certified therapist for Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) and is a Qualified Florida State Supervisor. While Tara’s approach to therapy is integrative and tailored to meet the individual needs of each client, she maintains a strong dedication to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Mindfulness techniques. Currently Tara is a Director of Clinical Supervision for a community mental health center. She also works in a private practice and runs a consulting business. Dr. Cinda Kane is a life-long educator and learner. Her academic accomplishments include a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Penn State University, a master’s degree in Education and Curriculum from Castleton State University, and a doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University in Higher Education Administration. She is the mother of one and has worked in public education for 27 years. Currently, she teaches at Nova Southeastern University, Broward College, and is the Dean of Students at The College Academy at Broward College. She has authored, co-authored, and edited several professional articles and academic books.