Thousands of children in Christchurch will receive books to help them deal with anxiety, which in some cases was sparked by the Valentine's Day quake earlier this year.
Wishes and Worries and Maia and the Worry Bug will be given to children to help them discuss the issue of anxiety, and give parents and teachers the tools to manage it.
Illustration from the book Wishes and Worries Photo: Supplied/Wishes and Worries
The books are written by registered psychologist Julie Burgess-Manning and teacher Sarina Dickson were handed out to 23,000 children from new entrants up to year four, including 9000 Christchurch four-year-olds.
Funding from the The New Zealand Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal means the two books will be made available to every four year-old in the region's 214 early-childhood centres.
Ms Burgess-Manning said there are still a lot of children in Canterbury suffering from anxiety, particularly after the Valentines Day earthquake.
Sarina Dickson, author of Wishes and Worries and Maia and the Worry Bug Photo: Supplied
"Anxiety is not easy to spot in children - it can be easily mistaken for bad behavior. Being extra clingy, obsessive, unable to focus or even rudeness can be linked to anxiety."
Ms Dickson said they've had great feedback from families and teachers of the children who read the books last year.
"We are looking forward to seeing them make a difference in the region's younger children too."
Both Ms Dickson and Ms Burgess-Manning have dealt with anxiety in their own children.
"We were really heartened by the response from parents and teachers of primary aged children, but many parents of younger children shared similar concerns about unexpected behaviour and school readiness," Ms Dickson said.