Nervous Nigel

Poor Nigel. This little crocodile comes from a family of high achievers or, as the text says: ‘a long line of greats’. A double page underlines the message showing a wall full of awards and photos of his family – from Granny Lou to brother Ralf – coming first in races and competitions. It’s true that Nigel does love swimming, but his family expect him to be a champion and that’s where the trouble starts. The closer his first race gets, the more nervous Nigel. Can he find a way to explain how he feels to his family, and how will they react? Even the very young will understand the problem Nigel faces, thanks to Bethany Christou’s sensitive, effective story. Fortunately, Nigel’s family are ready to understand him, and by then he’s found a lovely way to stand out in the water too, all while helping his animal friends.

Children and adults alike will identify with Nigel and his story is a great way to start what could be really useful conversations. Bethany Christou’s earlier book Slow Samson is worth looking out too as a book to build emotional intelligence.