FernFolio

Sophie is afraid of big dogs, thunderstorms, snapping turtles, and the moon falling on her house, but most of all, she’s afraid of sea monsters. However, when she finds a little blue sea monster under her bed, she realizes that he is even more afraid than she. He’s scared of leopards and anteaters and whales and eels and sharks. He’s even afraid of water and… sea monsters!
It takes a while, but Sophie draws the little sea monster out from under the bed and helps him confront and overcome his fears, and, as she helps him, Sophie conquers her own worries!
This fun story is beautifully illustrated by Michael Martchenko.
FernFolio Editor
After listening to this story, children in the Primary division talked and wrote about what scares them and tried to come up with plans to deal with these fears!

Insects
Spiders – Get away from them, take their webs out of your way, and vacuum up the spiders.
Scorpions – Do not go to the place they live.
Big Ants – I can march the ants outside in a line.
I am scared of Mosquitos. I use bug spray, and I swat them, and squish them!
I am scared of black widows and my shadow.
I am scared of spiders. I see them everywhere. I see tarantulas.

Ghosts
Flush them down the toilet.
Call a ghost buster.
Leave a vacuum cleaners on all night.
Run to the house, go to your mom’s room, and shout!
I will hold onto my teddy bear. I will say, “Go away!”
I am afraid of ghosts at night. I calm myself with saying they only come at 12:00, and if I’m not sleeping at night they’ll take me!

Robbers and other maniacs
Maybe I could shut all the windows, shut all the curtains, lock all the doors, and turn of all the lights. Maybe that would help.
Go to my bed and snuggle with my panda at the corner of my bed and scrunch up the covers.
Monsters – Throw water on them.

Bullies
Stand up to the bully.

Other Scary Things
We’re scared of the subway.
I am scared of a Big foot.
I’m afraid of rhinos and this is what I do. I look at the pandas.
Bears – drop to the ground and play dead.
Mice – Ask my cat to catch them.
Guns – Do not get near strangers. And dodge bullets.
Walking Alone in the Night – Just don’t. And thank God I cannot go outside at night until I am 13.
Clowns – Go to the circus, go to a clown and hold its hand, and talk to the clown.
Elevators – Go up and down with someone, keep on doing this, and learn more about elevators.