Lesley Millard Zafran

This is the second story in the Fantastic Florence series. Florence is a beautiful, strong, bright orange bag who lives with a family that she loves. She feels a special connection to the children, Elliott and Elyse, and learns that they experience many different emotions. When Florence tries to find a way to help Elyse and Elliott after they have a bad argument, she discovers that she has magical powers Florence uses her new powers to help Elliott and Elyse find a way to talk to each other again. Florence is so happy and she makes an important decision about her future. She will use her powers to help children who need comfort and support whenever she can.

Fantastic Florence - It's NOT Your Fault - A Story about Neglect tells the story of Camille and Bryan, who cannot rely on their parents to look after them. Their grandparents bring the children to their house, but Camille feels worried. What if her parents return home and she and Bryan are not there? Is it okay if she feels safer being with her grandparents? Florence's magical powers enable her to hear the children's thoughts, and she decides she must do something She sends them an empowering message to help them bravely face what is happening, using validation and empathy to comfort them. Florence explains the situation is NOT their fault, and encourages them to share their feelings with their grandparents.

Florence was born when a supermarket bag flew across Lesley Millard Zafran's windshield. The first moment she could, Lesley pulled into a parking lot and started writing a children's story about a marvelous, strong bag that bravely leaves her comfortable store to have wonderful adventures. What Lesley was not expecting was that this first story would lead her to write a series of children's books that also address the traumatic experiences that some children face. In these stories, Florence wisely and lovingly comforts children, and validates their feelings as they struggle with situations they are too young to understand.

Florence is a beautiful, strong, orange bag - bright orange like an ice-cold Popsicle. Florence used to live in a very special grocery shop which she loved but then she decided to go home with a family. One day the family put a home-made chocolate cake inside her and took her to a friend's house. And from that time on, she has been taken to many different places. Children and grownups fill her up with all sorts of wonderful and ordinary things.

Fantastic Florence - It's NOT your fault is a series of books for children, each of which tells a story about a child, or children, experiencing different traumatic experiences. Florence is a wise and loving magical bag who hears the thoughts of children, and writes them messages when they are suffering. Florence assures the children in each story that the painful challenges that life is presenting to them are not their fault. She encourages them to speak to someone they trust about what is happening to them. Each story is designed to be a safe space for children to see themselves in the story's characters and is an invaluable tool for parents and caregivers, therapists and educators. The stories can open the door to the hard conversations that children need to have in order to begin the healing process. In A Story About Bullying, a young girl named Ella is being bullied by her classmates. Florence hears her pain and uses her magic powers to soothe Ella's anxieties by encouraging her to reframe the situation and reach out for help. Florence's brave, caring insights and message help Ella feel supported and less alone, and to realize that it is not her fault that she is being bullied. Children and adults are sure to fall in love with Florence as she gently helps children navigate the specific traumatic situation they are experiencing, but are too young to understand. Florence gives children a name for the trauma/s they are experiencing and, most importantly, she comforts children by telling them that it is NOT their fault when bad things happen and that it is okay to reach out for help.