A FARNHAM mum who started writing stories for her daughter during the Covid lockdowns has published her first children’s book in aid of anti-bullying charity BulliesOut.

And as well as benefiting from copy sales, the charity will also now be including Katie Wowers’ debut book The Crocodile with the Crooked Smile in their primary school projects, as a story they’ll read to children during anti-bullying workshops in schools

Katie, 38, wrote a total of six books for her daughter during her maternity leave, some of which (including The Crocodile with The Crooked Smile) have a moral message about kindness.

She said: “I wrote them for fun, to keep my mind active when I wasn’t working, and most importantly, as a unique way to teach my daughter kindness and strength as she grows up.

“I would write them on my phone as I fed her, and spend our daily walks coming up with silly ideas, story lines, characters and rhyming words.”

The Crocodile with the Crooked Smile is about a sweet and loveable croc who just wants to be everybody’s friend. It has three key messages: Bullying will never beat kindness, actions have consequence, and when things get difficult, be true to yourself and look for your inner-strength.

The book is beautifully illustrated and it’s a fun rhyming story, that confronts the matter of bullying in a way children relate to and enjoy.

It also gives us grown-ups a fun and unique platform, from which to discuss a difficult topic.

Katie continued: “Sadly, most people experience or witness bullying at some point in their young lives. I would like this book to be a crutch (should they need it), to give them confidence if they’re feeling vulnerable, and to make children think twice about bullying others.

“But it’s also written to give children a good laugh too! Who wouldn’t want to learn a few new words for a hippo’s bottom?”

The Crocodile with the Crooked Smile is aimed at children aged five to nine years old – and available on Amazon for £6.99 in paperback and £2.99 on Kindle.

Katie will make a donation to charity BulliesOut (https://bulliesout.com) for every book purchased, supporting its mentoring programmes for children affected by bullying and workshops in schools.