Everyone’s Included at the Animal Party!

Written by Dr. Catie “Aunt Kiki” Greene

Illustrated by K.K.P. Dananjali & Zeeshan Toqueer

A children’s book series fostering healing through reflection, dialogue, and engagement between children and the adults who read with them.

Though each story in the series covers different aspects of inclusion, diversity, and socioemotional skills, a few key themes are central to the entire series:

Challenge

A character faces challenges that lead them to feel deeply.

Mentorship

Character(s) are supported to identify their feelings, needs, and solutions through the support of another, whether a frog, parent, or a friend.

Community

The existence of and responsibility to community serves as a facilitator of learning.

Why does the Everyone’s Included at the Animal Party series have Reflective Questions?

In my work as a counselor educator, I have often found that the most simple questions can have the most powerful impacts on healing, such as “what are you feeling right now?” and “where do you feel it in your body?” Many adults say they wish they had been taught such skills when they were young! Having not been taught them in their own youth, many adults struggle to identify opportunities to engage children in these ways. Through the Everyone’s Included at the Animal Party stories’ themes and reflective questions, children and adults can have deep conversations on important topics such as feelings, coping skills, inclusion, diversity, boundaries, and more!

"When have you felt disappointed recently?"

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Have you ever heard of the word included before? What does being included feel like to you?

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Do you ever feel like you need to be the same as everyone else instead of being who you are?

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"When have you felt disappointed recently?" 〰️ Have you ever heard of the word included before? What does being included feel like to you? 〰️ Do you ever feel like you need to be the same as everyone else instead of being who you are? 〰️

The Little Boy Learns about Feelings, Inclusion, & Coping

The first in the series, written by Catie “Aunt Kiki” Greene and illustrated by Zeeshan Toqueer, this story captures the feelings of isolation and frustration the Little Boy experiences when he is overlooked at the playground.

With the frog as his guide, the Little Boy bravely communicates “Hey! I want to play too!” But not before he learns a tough lesson about inclusion when his instinct is to not invite the big kids to the Animal Party. When the Little Frog asks him, “what good is it when hurt people, hurt other people too?” the Little Boy chooses instead to practice empathy.

Whether teaching a lesson about inclusion and diversity in a classroom or counseling group, or helping a child you love to practice communicating their desires when they are feeling overwhelmed with apprehension, this book offers the tools to help children navigate these every day playground challenges. Most importantly, they will know that they have a safe space with you to talk about such challenges!

“I have highly sensitive children. Finding literature that helps them understand and relate to real life situations can be tricky. Even with older children, they completely relate to this book. Not only is it beautiful, but the inclusivity of it is beautiful.”

Five Star Customer Review
“This book is a great tool to teach children about inclusion, coping, kindness, empathy, and overall feelings. The children I work with have loved reading this book during therapy sessions, and it has made learning about emotions fun, easy and clear. WE LOVE THIS BOOK!”

Five Star Customer Review
“My 7 year old especially struggles with making friends and joining in. This book was a great story with the most amazing talking points throughout. My kids could relate to what was going on in the story and we had really great conversations about times we have felt left out and how we handled it. So glad I found a book like this, I have never found anything like it!”

Five Star Customer Review
"I am a teacher in an inclusion classroom and my kids loved it!! Definitely recommend!"

Five Star Customer Review

The Little Girl Learns about Patience & Imagination

Transitions are hard! Especially when we are so excited and we just can’t wait for a day at the beach with our dads! In this story, written by Catie “Aunt Kiki” Greene and illustrated by K.K.P. Dananjali, a full-blown melt down is avoided, possibly twice.

By involving the Little Girl in creating a plan for getting to the beach and by teaching her the wonders of using her imagination when that plan goes awry, this story offers readers a look into the life of a queer family who calmly supports their daughter to learn important self-regulation skills. And, yep, they find an Animal Party!

“When I feel impatient or bored or when the world is unkind, I always remember that I can create beauty with my mind.”

The Everyone’s Included at the Animal Party series is devoted to teaching sociocultural skills in the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This story reflects the family diversity that is the reality of children’s lives. The family diversity in this story is fact more so than it is a focal point, with questions to offer readers ample opportunity for reflective dialogue.

“As a parent of a 3 year old this book was amazing. Patience is so hard to teach a little one and I felt hopeless every time another tantrum would unfold! I would highly recommend this book to parents!”

Five Star Customer Review
“This is a delightful book which touches on sensitive topics in a visually pleasing design. This selection should be in every public library and introduced in every elementary school."

Benjamin Franklin Editorial Reviewer
“In keeping with this book’s ethos of inclusivity and acceptance, the little girl is part of a two-dad family, with her fathers’ affection for her and each other evident in their interactions. At the end of the story, Daddy B and Daddy Y share a quiet moment together on the beach, remembering a time when their loving marriage could have only existed in their imaginations. This will provide children and adults the opportunity to talk about the many different ways families can look."

Professional Reviewer
"Great book highlighting excitement and patience. The latter is not always easy for youngsters and this book provides insight into gaining it. I really like the bottom of the page notes and prompts which deliver a nice interactive touch. Clever use of imagination to distract from frustration. "

Benamin Franklin Editorial Reviewer

The Little Bear Learns to be Body Aware

Children are so new to life and have so much to explore! Learning all of the social dynamics of play, boundaries, and body awareness can be extremely overwhelming. This story takes the perspective of a Little Bear who is essentially bumbling through life and is met with natural consequences when his rough play accidentally hurts his dear friend, Turtle.

In the process, the reader learns about skills for body awareness, body boundaries, empathy, and consent in a developmentally appropriate and relatable ways for young children.

Great for a therapeutic setting, classroom, or home, this story empathizes with BOTH the experience of accidentally hurting others as we develop skills of body awareness and the experience of setting our own body boundaries with others!

“As a parent of a 3 year old this book was amazing. Patience is so hard to teach a little one and I felt hopeless every time another tantrum would unfold! I would highly recommend this book to parents!”

Five Star Customer Review
“This is a delightful book which touches on sensitive topics in a visually pleasing design. This selection should be in every public library and introduced in every elementary school."

Benjamin Franklin Editorial Reviewer
“In keeping with this book’s ethos of inclusivity and acceptance, the little girl is part of a two-dad family, with her fathers’ affection for her and each other evident in their interactions. At the end of the story, Daddy B and Daddy Y share a quiet moment together on the beach, remembering a time when their loving marriage could have only existed in their imaginations. This will provide children and adults the opportunity to talk about the many different ways families can look."

Professional Reviewer
"Great book highlighting excitement and patience. The latter is not always easy for youngsters and this book provides insight into gaining it. I really like the bottom of the page notes and prompts which deliver a nice interactive touch. Clever use of imagination to distract from frustration. "

Benamin Franklin Editorial Reviewer