June Children’s Title of the Month: Charlie and the Dog Who Came to Stay
Charlie and the Dog Who Came to Stay by Dr Ruth Spence & illustrated by Kimiya Pahlevan
Published in English by Cherish Editions
Stay (verb) /steɪ/: To live or be in a place for a short time as a visitor. To live somewhere permanently.
Charlie was a happy girl; she was just like anybody else. That is, until she made friends with a dog...
Written by a research psychologist, Charlie and the Dog Who Came to Stay helps children to understand and deal with their symptoms of depression. It's a sensitive story written with warmth, describing the symptoms of childhood depression and some techniques that can help with getting better. The story is great for starting discussions about depression and includes some activities to try. This makes it the ideal book for anyone supporting a child who has, or is affected by, depression - including psychologists, school staff, parents and carers.
About the Author
Dr Ruth Spence is a research psychologist who works in academia. Her research focuses on mental health, including common disorders like depression and anxiety, as well as attachment and life events. Although she has published in academic journals, she decided to write a picture book so she could reach children and families that might be affected by mental health issues. She hopes the book can put the research into practice in a useful way that can help those that need it. Ruth lives in London with her two children and her partner Ben.
About the Illustrator
Illustrator Kimiya Pahlevan was born in 2001 in Iran. Kimiya has been interested in art for as long as she can remember. She even wrote two short stories and illustrated them with markers and colored pencils when she was seven. She moved to Vancouver, Canada at the age of 16 and is currently a student at the University of Victoria. She works in different mediums such as photography and digital illustration. Charlie and the Black Dog is the first published book she has ever illustrated, which she is very excited about. You can check out more of her illustrations on Instagram @kimiillustrates.