Talulah the baboon visits the watering hole on the hot Savanna to drink and mingle with the other animals. What the other animals do not realise is that Talulah finds the noises, sights, smells and the hot Savanna sun too overwhelming.

This is a story to help autistic children and young people, their families, friends, educators and therapists to understand the ways autistic people may think and the difficulties and challenges they may experience.

About the Authors:-

Talya Bruck is a Dramatherapist, Creative Arts Supervisor and Systemic Practitioner. She works in CAMHS and has a private supervision practice; she also works on a multi-family group KidsTime workshop supporting families where a parent has a mental health difficulty. She is passionate about supporting young people and their families to dream big and live the lives they deserve. She is the Founder of Savanna Therapeutic Stories.

Dr Stella Mo is a Clinical Psychologist with a passion for better understanding the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Her doctoral research explored the impact of social-cultural values on autistic woman. She works in CAMHS and has spent a number of years working with children and adults. Clinically, she applies an integrative therapeutic approach to supporting autistic children and their families. Stella has a longstanding interest in the power of storytelling, particularly in the way they can transcend time and cultures to reach out to different people.

Rachel Ryan is a family support worker working closely with the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to support families who have an autistic child or young person. She has a Master’s in Child Development and has worked for many years in nurseries and schools supporting children with additional needs. Rachel has always valued reading and became inspired to create new stories for children due to her son’s love of picture books.

About the Illustrator:-

Erin Cooper is 17 years old. She has been drawing since she was very young and particularly loves drawing animals. She thinks that visual storytelling is a great way to teach children about complex topics. As someone who is autistic, pictures always make more sense to her than words and that is why she has enjoyed illustrating books for Savanna Therapeutic Stories.