Anna Payne's friends experienced the sad loss of their 8 week old baby, which meant that their 3 year old daughter also lost her sibling.
The parents were unable to find a book suitable to help their daughter understand what had happened, so Anna wrote 'Extra Special' especially for them. Anna currently lives in Winchester with her husband and three children.
The short story focuses on Ben and Fiona, who love to visit the home of their elderly friend Theo. They delight to spend time poring over Theo's collection of Extra Special Things. Their favourite item is a butterfly studded with precious jewels, and it is their love of this butterfly that teaches Ben and Fiona that sometimes we have to release back to the 'owner' even those things that are extra special to us.
Simon Says has endorsed 'Extra Special' and has written some guidelines for adults supporting young children. If you would like to buy a copy at £4.99, contact the Simon Says office.
