Dunwoody Mothers Tackle Tough Subject in New Children's Book

Two Dunwoody mothers have turned a difficult subject into what they hope is an accessible and even fun lesson for children.

Tatiana Matthews and Allison Fears have just self-published their first children’s book ‘Fred the Fox Shouts “No!”,’ a book that takes on the issue of sexual abuse.

“A few years ago I realized that there was a huge hole in the publications and curriculum that was offered for kids,” Matthews said. “Everything seemed to be focused on stranger danger and there was very little that was geared toward safety with people we know and trust.”

Matthews, a licensed professional counselor, who works out of the Alpharetta/Johns Creek area, said that more than 90 percent of children who are victimized know their offenders.

“I knew the statistics and I saw it within my own practice after 13 years,” she said. “It validated what I had been taught and it scared me as a parent.”

So Matthews started writing the book.

The colorful, illustrated book walks the reader through a series of questions about how Fred the Fox should respond in certain situations.

The book deals with concepts of ‘private parts’ and safety with familiar people, and the book teaches children to say ‘no’ in bad situations.

The book is not only to help children learn when it is OK and good to say no, but also a way to help parents lift a stigma and have an easier time addressing the issue and acknowledging that it is something to be attentive about.

Matthews said parents can many times let their guard down.

“When they have those gut instincts, ‘I don’t like the dynamic between that adult and my kid,’ – the paternal instinct is sparked,” Matthews said. “But this is still such a taboo subject that instead of acting on our protective nature, we get caught up in making it more of an issue of niceties.”

A level of vigilance is important, she said.

“Making everyone around us feel cozy, cozy is not nearly as important as keeping my kids safe,” she said.

Two years ago, Matthews had another person lined up to illustrate, but things didn’t work out.

She and Fears, who are neighbors in Dunwoody, met 12 years ago through their husbands, who had been fraternity brothers at the University of Georgia.

One day, when Matthews started talking to Fears about finding an illustrator.

“She said ‘I’ve got an idea – What do you think of this?’” Matthews recalled. “And she drew out Fred and I said, ‘That’s him. This is it.’”

For Fears, a lifelong doodler who worked as an advertising account manager, it was the first opportunity she’s had to illustrate something.

“I love children’s books, and it was just something that I’ve thought about for a long time,” she said.

But the task was a bit daunting.

“As far as the subject matter, it was hard for me to wrap my head around it because it is something that as a parent you don’t want to think about,” she said. But that got easier.

“My hope with this book is that it will make other parents feel comfortable presenting this to their kids,” she said.

Matthews read the book to a group of eight children two weeks ago and was happy with their response.

“They are having a good time and they are learning and they are animated,” she said, referring to a video of that reading. “There is an emotion that is attached to their interaction with the book that makes it so much more meaningful.”

Matthews and Fears will be marketing the book locally and hope to do presentations in local schools, at social events and in religious institutions on prevention.

They are selling their book through their website, Amazon.com and have already scheduled several local events.