The Princess and the Fog is a children’s book about dealing with depression. I really liked this book because it showed what the princesses signs were (she didn’t want to do anything she used to like to do, she didn’t want to do anything her friends offered, she wanted to stay inside and felt like she was always alone, even when she wasn’t, etc.) and how the princess was able to get help from her community and just talking to them about the fog. And while the fog did go away, it also talks about what the princess did on the days that the fog did end up coming back.
This is a great tool to help teach kids about depression and help them realize that there are a lot of people all around them – parents, friends, professionals, who care about them and are there to help them and that they should talk about it if they feel like they have the fog too.
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review.
About the book
Once upon a time there was a Princess. She had everything a little girl could ever want, and she was happy. That is, until the fog came…
The Princess and the Fog is picture book to help sufferers of depression aged 5-7 cope with their difficult feelings. It uses vibrant illustrations, a sense of humour and metaphor to create a relatable, enjoyable story that describes the symptoms of childhood depression while also providing hope that things can get better with a little help and support. The story is also a great starting point for explaining depression to all children, especially those who may have a parent or close family member with depression.
With an essential guide for parents and carers by clinical paediatric psychologists, Dr Melinda Edwards MBE and Linda Bayliss, this book will be of immeasurable value to anyone supporting a child with, or affected by, depression, including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, arts therapists, pastoral care workers and school staff, as well as parents and carers.