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Amongst the beauty of the Okavango delta in Botswana, Cleo the Crocodile loved having fun with all of his animal friends. That is, until one day Hogan the Hippo, who was supposed to look after Cleo, started to act mean and hurt him.

To keep safe, Cleo has to leave the swamp to find a new home – he’s scared and snaps and snarls to keep the other animals away from him so that they can’t hurt him like Hogan did.

How can Cleo find a new safe home and start to let others in?

This story has been written to help children aged 5-10 who have experienced trauma to begin conversations around big feelings around hurt, anger and trust.

About this series: Dr. Treisman’s Big Feelings Stories are written to help kids aged 5-10 to understand their feelings. If you enjoy this book, why not check out Dr. Treisman’s Activity Books series; Cleo the Crocodile Activity Book for Children Who Are Afraid to Get Close features the same story and comes with an abundance of extra guidance for adults, and a wealth of creative expansion activities and worksheets.

Reviews

Louise Michelle Bombèr, Clinical Lead of TouchBase Centre CiC
The evocative story of Cleo powerfully and accessibly demonstrates how letting others get close is a big ask for children who have experienced relational trauma
Healthy Books
This is a lovely story with lots of beautiful glowing illustrations, and could make a great parable for children who have suffered really serious abuse in their lives. There is a picture to be coloured in which can be photocopied, and some questions that parents and carers can ask when discussing the book.

Dr. Treisman's Big Feelings Stories