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This is the story of Oliver, the boy who was brave enough to talk about his feelings. 

CHAPTER 1  Let’s meet Oliver

It was busy as usual this morning in the tiny village of Anse De Pie. Yes, you read that correctly, the village is called Anse De Pie, and nobody really knows why. The villagers, however, are very proud of the name and don’t want it to change, and funny enough, they all love pie. Anse De Pie is a small village on Dot Island, a beautiful island in the Caribbean. There are lots of mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lovely beaches, and a really cool lush rainforest. This is the village where Oliver lives, with his parents and dog Mr. Silly. Oliver has named his dog Mr. Silly because he can be really, well, you guessed it, silly. Anse De Pie is a coastal village situated on a mountain with a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea.

This is the story about Oliver and how brave he was to talk about his feelings. First things first, Oliver would like to introduce himself.  

 

Hi readers and listeners, I’m Oliver, 8 years old. I love to go to school and play with my friends and, of course, with my dog, Mr. Silly. My teacher is Ms. James. You know, she can be very strict, but she always encourages us to do our best. She is the best teacher in the whole world, and we love it when she tells one of her many stories or cracks one of many funny jokes. I will share one of her jokes, and it will make your belly shake from laughing. I just know it will. Here it is: Why do sharks swim in salt water? Because pepper water makes them sneeze, of course.

Oliver has lots of friends. There is Tom, who can never sit still in class, Kayla, who talks way too much, Joep, who recently moved here from the Netherlands, and finally Abigail, who he secretly has a crush on. Shhh, please don’t tell anyone. 

Life is great in Anse De Pie. Every day, when Oliver comes home from school, his mom is there waiting for him with cacao tea and freshly baked mastiff bread. After he finishes his homework, he always meets his dad on the farm. Oliver loves spending time on the farm, and he is proud to help his dad feed the chickens or carry the eggs to the shed. 

Oliver has asked his dad permission to invite his friends to come over and visit the farm. Oliver’s father is a proud farmer, and he would love to show Oliver’s friends the chickens and the pigs, the pawpaw tree, and the lettuce and carrot beds. 

Jumping up and down with joy, Oliver walks home from the farm, and in his head, he is already planning the afternoon. Of course, his friends have to get permission from their parents, but Oliver is convinced that will not be a problem. He hopes his mom will have cacao tea and fresh bread when his friends come over.

That night, Oliver has trouble falling asleep, as his head is spinning with ideas for the day when Tom, Kayla, Joep, and Abigail are coming to visit. Then he remembers something Ms. James once taught in class, a breathing exercise to calm himself down, and while doing his belly breathing Oliver soon falls asleep.