The journey from research to children’s literature
Something big happened in 2024. The CAFO Research Center did something we never thought we’d do: we wrote a children’s book. We typically lead research studies and translate research into practical resources for professionals, parents and practitioners, so a children’s book is a bit outside our lane.
How did this come about? As is often the case, there’s a short story and a long story to tell, so we’ll share both.
The Short Story
We saw a need for parents and caregivers to have tools to explain the concept of resilience to their children, and what better way than a children’s book?! The result is an engaging book featuring Caleb Koala, designed to teach children about resilience in a fun and memorable way.
The Long Story
Venturing into children’s literature was a surprising change from our standard approach of applying research to practice. It reflects our deep commitment to making vital information practical and accessible, extends it to people of all ages, and weaves in the power of storytelling. The heart of our work lies in the mission of supporting trauma recovery and nurturing resilience in children and as we began to see the gap in resilience-related resources for children, we felt compelled to do something we’d never done before.
This is that longer story – the story behind the story of Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride.
The growing interest in resilience
Our journey into children’s literature began with a recurring observation.
Throughout many of our live events, webinars, coaching calls and learning cohorts, discussions of trauma and resilience came up frequently. These topics resonate deeply within our organization because we see that resilience is to hope as trauma is to discouragement.
With CAFO’s focus on helping parents and caregivers to support trauma recovery in their children, we initially produced an ebook on the topic in 2018 to better guide our community in this process. That ebook for parents, caregivers, and anyone involved in caring for vulnerable children quickly became one of our most downloaded resources. However, in recent years we began to recognize the need for a significant update to keep pace with evolving needs and a growing body of research.
What started as a simple revision quickly evolved into a comprehensive overhaul. We enriched the content with new narratives and examples, incorporated findings from over 100 research studies, and restructured the material to make it more practical, accessible and enjoyable. All of this resulted in a new book, Overcoming: What Scripture and Science Say About Resilience, which sits squarely at the intersection of scriptural wisdom and scientific evidence and provides parents and caregivers with an essential resource as they seek to nurture resilience in children who have experienced adversity.
But even with this greatly improved resource in the works, we continued to note the significant gap in materials designed specifically for children. This nagging thought developed into an important question…
Could we create a children’s book about resilience?!
Filling the bookshelf gap for young children
Albert Einstein is often quoted as saying, “If you can’t explain it to a 6 year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” This concept resonated as we considered how to make the topic of resilience more accessible.
As parents and professionals ourselves, we know that translating this complex idea into a child-friendly concept can be challenging even for those working in this field who have a good understanding of resilience.
We understand and experience the everyday realities of caring for young children. We know that even with a solid understanding of a concept like resilience, it can be a struggle to find the right words or energy to explain it to children, especially during busy times … like bedtime. We’ve all experienced those moments when our creative efforts are spent and we’re simply ready to call it a day.
This is where the idea of a children’s book came in. We started to envision what it would look like to create an engaging book that would help parents, grandparents and caregivers teach children about resilience in a fun and playful way. A children’s picture book could serve as a tool, providing adults with the language and framework to discuss resilience with their children, even when they’re tired or pressed for time.
Storytelling is a powerful tool in helping complex ideas stick. Children (and adults!) often remember and internalize concepts better when they’re presented through relatable characters and engaging narratives. Developing a story about resilience could help to ensure that children would store this knowledge in their hearts and minds, preparing them to be resilient individuals throughout their lives.
Meet Caleb Koala
With these goals in mind, we set out to create a children’s book that would make learning about resilience fun and memorable. The result is a story featuring Caleb Koala, our lovable and relatable protagonist.
Caleb Koala’s journey serves as a metaphor for building resilience. Through his experiences, children learn about the key components of resilience: facing challenges, developing coping strategies, and bouncing back from setbacks.
We carefully crafted Caleb’s character and story to resonate with children from various backgrounds and cultures. Whether a child is facing everyday challenges or dealing with more significant trauma, Caleb’s experiences offer valuable lessons and encouragement. The story is designed to be engaging and entertaining while subtly introducing important concepts related to attachment and perseverance.
We worked with illustrator Aixa de López to ensure that the visual elements of the book would captivate young readers and reinforce the story’s messages. Aixa’s beautiful illustrations draw readers in and bring Caleb’s world to life.
As they learn about resilience through Caleb’s adventures, children can begin to understand and internalize these important concepts in a way that’s both enjoyable and impactful.
Creating Caleb Koala and his story
Creating a children’s book was a new challenge for our team of researchers and child welfare professionals. We had to shift our thinking from academic writing to storytelling, which required a totally different set of skills and considerations.
After identifying the key aspects of resilience that we wanted to convey to children, we worked on developing a storyline that would incorporate these elements in an age-appropriate and engaging manner.
The illustration process was another new adventure for our team. We collaborated closely with Aixa to bring Caleb and his world to life. This visual component was crucial in making the story accessible and appealing to young readers.
Throughout the writing and production process, we continually referred back to our research findings and expertise in child welfare. We wanted to ensure that this fun and engaging book remained grounded in evidence-based principles of resilience and child development.
After many rounds of writing, illustrating, and refining, we finally had a children’s book that we were proud to share with the world. Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride: A Journey to Overcoming represents the culmination of our research, practice, and creativity, packaged in a format accessible to our youngest audience.
From academic research to bedtime stories
Our journey into children’s literature with Caleb Koala has been unexpected, challenging and immensely rewarding. It has pushed us to think creatively about how we can make complex concepts accessible to the youngest members of our community.
Initial feedback from families and professionals in our network has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have shared that the book has sparked meaningful conversations about resilience and has helped children better understand and articulate their emotions and experiences.
Together, Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride and Overcoming, our new book for adults on the topic of resilience, reflect our commitment to providing comprehensive resources for everyone involved in caring for vulnerable children. These books offer a holistic approach to understanding and nurturing resilience in children, equipping both adults and children with the tools they need to overcome adversity.
From academic research to bedtime stories, we’re dedicated to developing tools to support trauma recovery and nurture resilience in children of all ages.
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Get your copy of Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride and Overcoming at the CAFO2024 Summit in Nashville!
Come by the Summit bookstore to buy your books and get a special gift designed for the little ones in your life!
Learn more about Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride and Overcoming and sign up for updates on additional resources related to resilience!
