Children are often taught to recognize obvious bullying, but subtler forms of manipulation—such as blame-shifting, distorted narratives, and triangulation—can be harder to identify. A new children’s book series, Emotional Safety Fables, is being developed to help families start conversations about these complex dynamics in a way children can grasp.
The first published book, The Lion, the Hyena, and the Monkey, follows Doro the lion as he becomes entangled in a confusing conflict marked by repeated mistreatment, twisted stories, and the reactions of others who initially misunderstand the situation. Written under the pen name Justin Author, the series uses animal characters and simple scenarios to explore questions like: What happens when someone tells only part of a story? What should we do when appearances don’t match reality? And how can we protect our peace by disengaging from conflict?
Justin created the project after recognizing patterns of manipulation and misunderstanding that he believes many people don’t learn to identify until adulthood. “I wanted to create the kind of stories I wish I had much earlier, and that I wish other children had available to them now,” he said. “Kids can understand when something feels wrong. But they don’t always have the words to explain what is happening when a situation becomes confusing, when someone changes the story, or when other people begin reacting without knowing the full truth.”
The second book, Doro the Lion and the Unhelpful Helper, reflects Justin’s own realization of complex dynamics encountered along his personal healing path. It is expected to be available in early 2027. A third book, currently titled Niah and the Crocodile Tears: A Doro Fable, is also in development and is intended to explore harmful social dynamics involving distorted perceptions, relationships, and influence.
Rather than relying on clinical language, the series uses relatable animal characters and recognizable emotions to help young readers think critically about fairness, emotional safety, social pressure, responsibility, and truth. Parents, guardians, and other trusted adults are encouraged to read the stories alongside younger children and use them as a starting point for age-appropriate conversations. Older children may read independently.
“The lesson isn’t that every disagreement has a villain,” Author said. “It is that children can learn to notice patterns and understand that the loudest or most emotional version of a story is not automatically the whole story.”
The goal is not to tell children whom to trust, but to encourage careful observation, healthy boundaries, and independent thinking. The series reflects a simple idea: children do not need adult terminology to begin learning important emotional and social lessons. Sometimes a lion, a hyena, a monkey, and a story are enough to begin the conversation.
The Lion, the Hyena, and the Monkey is newly available through Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H48CDN3H. More information about the book and the developing series is available at the project’s official website: https://bison-mdqfks.my.canva.site/emotionalsafetyfables.
