Paraparaumu Beach's writer's 'dizzy waggle' creatures help children with their emotions

Children's author Cloe Willetts, left, and illustrator Fabienne Joni Sopacua. Photo / David Haxton

Creating a book that was fun but offered children help with various emotions has been a long-time dream of writer Cloe Willetts.

Cloe, from Paraparaumu Beach, wished she had such a book, back in her childhood days, to help her with a few challenges including anxiety.

Years later, with an accomplished magazine and newspaper writing background behind her, the time was right to create that book she had long believed in.

Her dream has now become a reality with the release of The Dizzy Waggle Who Lit The Dark.

"It's the book I wish I had as a child. It's basically a glowing tale about the power of big feelings."

The book, beautifully illustrated by Fabienne Joni Sopacua, from Levin, is a about a group of dizzy waggle creatures including the main character Zozo who was born with a glowing heart.

As the siblings get older they notice that Zozo is different because of the glowing heart.
But the changeable glow represents Zozo's various feelings.

Different experiences bring different emotions for Zozo but, importantly, the creature learns ways to deal with them.

"I wanted to create a fluffy adorable imaginative character rather than a child because I didn't want gender, ethnicity and stuff like that.

"But I still wanted it to be imaginative and fun because it's a complex topic about big emotions such as anxiety, being overwhelmed, sadness and some of the harder feelings.

"I didn't want it to be confronting for them but still fun.

"It covers some of the big emotions that deep-feeling kids, or any kid really, experience.

"I also wanted it to be uplifting at the end as well as to empower children."

Cloe said a lot of the book was written from her own experiences.

"It was quite healing for me which I didn't realise."

With a love of writing from a young age, it had always been her desire to one day write a book.

The desire grew stronger as she got older, understood more about stuff like anxiety, and that she could help children.

"Anxiety wasn't something that was talked about when I was little, or I didn't know how to verbalise it, so I never said anything about it.

"It was always internalised for me, which was quite hard, so I decided I needed to do something to help other kids who were similar to me – sensitive and deep feeling - so they could understand and learn how to work through the emotions themselves."

She thanked everyone who had helped her, especially Fabienne. "She's amazing."

Fabienne was more than happy to be involved. "I loved the story and even cried at the end."

The Dizzy Waggle Who Lit The Dark, published by Precise Print, is available via www.thedizzywaggle.com. Copies are $22.99 each.