Elephant in the Classroom

Elephant in the Classroom shines a light on the issues faced by students who find school isolating and a challenge to their ability to learn and make friends.

Young Sophie finds her school environment difficult to cope with. There's so much for her to try to remember, with all the rules and expectations and the noise adding to her sense of insecurity. Sophie is typical of children who find it a struggle just to get to school and stay there. This book provides a resource to help teachers, health professionals and families remove the stumbling blocks that discourage children like Sophie from thriving in school.

The story is also about friendship, and Sophie and Oliver's relationship highlights the importance of fostering empathy and kindness in young children. Oliver is a friend to Sophie when she needs it most and this shows the power of connection and caring for and including others.

The beautiful artwork that Sophie's class composes acts as a reminder that everyone has something special to contribute and that beauty and friendship can emerge when we work together.

A love of language and learning about different cultures led Amy to complete a B.A. at Sydney University, where she majored in French. After travelling and working in London for a few years Amy is raising her family in Sydney where she is studying Speech Pathology, which combines her love of language with helping others with their communication needs. Amy enjoys running into people she knows unexpectedly and meeting friends for a walk and a chat. She is an avid reader with a cup of tea by her side and is a recent convert to coffee drinking. Amy loves rugging up in coats and scarves in winter and hopes to one day see the Northern Lights with her family.

Siobhan Skipworth is a freelance graphic designer specialising in illustration and an avid watercolourist and ink artist, who sheepishly hides behind the moniker 'Shesasheep'. Since winning a scholarship with the Queensland Art Gallery at age 11, Siobhan has concentrated her creative efforts into a strong and distinctive style, expanding her skillset as an artist and challenging herself with endeavours personally and professionally.