First Place - A story book helping kids to understand cleft palate & cleft lip (Special Stories Series 1) (Volume 1)
Kate Gaynor graduated from University College Dublin in 2003 with a BA Degree in English and Sociology. She currently works and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Note From the Author: I first began work on this series of books in 2005. Drawing from the personal experiences of friends, relatives and healthcare professionals for my inspiration. My mother worked as a social worker for over twenty years in foster care, adoption and child protection, so even from a young age I was always very conscious of the struggles of children at risk. Now, with my own friends working as play therapists, social workers and teachers the need for suitable literature for very young children became even more apparent. Before writing the series I spoke to a number of professionals working with children on a daily basis. I discovered that many were being forced to use sub-standard and inappropriate material, totally unsuitable for young children considering the sensitive subjects they were dealing with. The objective behind the Special Stories Series was that children would no longer have to contend with leaflets and dreary booklets to help explain such sensitive issues as those address in the Special Stories books. Instead they could hear the story of a child in a similar situation to their own, with language they could understand, illustrated in a vivid and colourful way. This in turn would make it easier for a parent or professional to discuss their situation and any feelings of anxiety that their child might have. My hope is that books from Special Stories Publishing will help to normalize these issues for young children and their families throughout the world.