‘The Listeners’ is a book of four interweaving children’s tales, covering common challenges such as bullying, bereavement, fear and frustration. 

The book can be read by young children of reading age, or even better, read to children of any age by their parents to engage discussion.

The tales seek to instruct how children can use their own instinct, wisdom and inner voice to guide them through life and bring them independence, confidence and happiness. 

An inner voice that most adults have forgotten how to listen to themselves.

www.richardswanbooks.com

Erin was sad. 

She was in her bedroom, lying on her bed with her face in the pillow, crying.  Erin was a lovely little 4-year-old girl with beautiful curly hair and she was normally very happy and smiley.  But she had lost her favourite cuddly toy and it had made her very sad indeed.

‘What’s wrong?’ said a voice in the room

‘I can’t find Tigger.’ cried Erin without looking up

‘Yes you can,’ said the soft, calm voice

‘No I can’t!’ shouted Erin into the pillow, ‘I’ve looked and looked, and I can’t find Tigger!’ she cried as streams of tears flowed down her cheeks and onto the soaking wet pillow.

‘Yes you can, you know where Tigger is,’ assured the voice

‘No, I can’t Mum!  I can’t!’ Erin cried louder

‘I’m not your mum.’ whispered the voice

‘Well I still can’t find it Dad!’ screamed Erin

‘I’m not your dad either.’ said the voice

Erin suddenly stopped crying.  She almost stopped breathing.  When she had heard the voice to begin with, she just assumed it had been her mum that had come into the room to calm her down. 

If the voice wasn’t her mum and wasn’t her dad - who was it?  Very slowly and very silently Erin lifted her head up off the pillow and turned her body so that she could look around the room.

Richard Swan is an author currently residing in Scotland, with his wife Joanna and two daughters Erin Rose and Cara Jane.

www.richardswanbooks.com