Charlotte Olson is a mum to children, one with Asperger’s Syndrome. She is a trained National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) Nursery Nurse and has always worked with children, most recently as a teaching assistant before giving up her job to start writing Suzie Books, a series of books that help young children understand and cope with new situations. I caught up with her to find out more…
Your Suzie Books’ series help families cope with new situations…why were you inspired to write them?
I decided to write as a way in helping other children cope with certain situations that we have encountered with our son when he was younger. The idea is that each story can explain to a child, just what they might expect to happen when being in a new situation. Children learn through visual resources and can relate to the character.
How many books are in the series and what topics do they cover?
I have written 12 titles to date and four of them have been published:
- Suzie goes to a Funeral
- Suzie’s Toilet Time
- Suzie’s Dressing Up Day
- Suzie Goes on an Aeroplane
Future titles will cover the following situations:
- Moving house
- Visiting grandparents
- Star chart
- New food day
- Going to the hairdressers
- Bathtime
- Going to the seaside
- Going to the swimming pool
- Going to the park
Who is the ideal reader?
The stories are aimed at children between 2-6 years.
You have a son who has been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Have your books been of help for him? How so?
If my son had social stories like these, he would have benefited greatly when he was younger as they are easy to understand and explain the situation simply, hopefully taking away any anxieties.
How can Suzie Books help other families with a loved one on the spectrum?
Suzie Books can help children on the spectrum because they are fun and easy to absorb, while helping to put them at ease. Change is a big deal for any child, especially those on the spectrum, so these books are a useful way to help children understand, even express their fears and cope.
What is your overall message or theme…what do you want people to take away from this interview?
I would like families to enjoy and use the books that I have created. If they can help in any way then I know my work has been worthwhile. I am proud of what I have created and want others to have Suzie in their lives.
Where can we purchase your books?
You can purchase the books from suziebooks.co.uk or from Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles online.
Find more about Suzie Books on:
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