ABOUT THE BOOK
Books By Jane B. Anderson
THE PEACOCK AND THE POLICEMAN
An injured leg, an hour-long road trip, and a stressed-out bird screaming “HELP!” at the top of its lungs.
Real life on a farm is defined by beautiful, unpredictable chaos. In The Peacock and the Policeman: One of the Fern Valley Farm Kids & Animal Series, young Lissa takes immense pride in managing her vibrant flock of ten peacocks. But leadership is tested when the stakes are high. When her favorite male peacock, Rajiv, suffers a sudden foot injury, Lissa is forced into a rapid-response scenario.
Because specialized exotic animal care is located over an hour away, Lissa must execute an emergency transit operation. Transporting a high-strung bird with a delicate, four-foot tail inside a vehicle is complex enough; it becomes a full-scale comedy of errors when Rajiv’s defensive instincts take over.
Terrified by the motion of the car, Rajiv deploys his booming vocal cords to shriek defense cries that sound identical to a human calling for rescue. This sonic misunderstanding triggers an intense traffic stop with the highway patrol, forcing Lissa to maintain her composure, de-escalate a chaotic situation with law enforcement, and safely deliver her dramatic passenger to medical care.
Perfect for reluctant readers who reject passive stories, this high-energy caper utilizes relentless situational comedy to keep pages turning. It covertly introduces children to the concepts of deep accountability, cool-headed problem solving, and the unglamorous realities of animal stewardship, proving that true compassion requires showing up when things get messy.
GOOD NIGHT DAVEY
What happens when a little boy’s calming evening ritual is completely turned upside down?
Stability is the invisible anchor of childhood. In the Good Night Davey bedtime story, that anchor is abruptly severed. We follow a young boy named Davey, caught in the unsettling liminal space of a major family relocation. Stranded in a sterile, unfamiliar long-stay motel room while his family transitions between houses, Davey faces intense nighttime isolation and anxiety. Without his familiar bedroom, his routine crumbles, leaving him overwhelmed and crying for the dog he left behind.
The catalyst for peace arrives in the form of Nugget, a wise, thirteen-year-old golden retriever who is temporarily staying at the same motel. Nugget understands the disorientation of a broken routine, yet her people-loving spirit remains entirely unchecked. Sensing Davey’s profound distress, Nugget initiates a sequence of quiet, intentional interactions.
Through a brilliant display of intuitive comfort—offering high-fives, balancing a milk bone on her nose, and sharing a gentle doggie prayer—Nugget creates an immediate psychological sanctuary. She diffuses the ambient stress of the motel room, anchoring Davey’s racing mind and establishing a secure pathway to a relaxing sleep time story book experience.
This text serves as a practical diagnostic tool for parents and educators navigating childhood stress. Rather than dismissing a child’s fears, this comforting children’s bedtime book provides a visible blueprint for co-regulation. It helps young minds process structural changes, travel anxiety, and environmental vulnerability, turning a stressful evening transition into an intimate masterclass in emotional resilience.
Violet Takes a Bow
Can a stubborn, flower-eating goat overcome her deepest fear of the rain to become a high school theater star?
Identity and stubbornness take center stage in the profile of Violet, a gorgeous French Alpine goat with a massive personality, a distinct love for wheat crackers, and an absolute, non-negotiable hatred of downpours. Violet’s predictable pasture life undergoes a major shift when she is recruited to perform a live animal role in a local high school senior theater production.
Violet excels throughout the controlled environment of rehearsals, perfectly executing her cues when motivated by snacks. However, opening night delivers the ultimate environmental disruption: a sudden, torrential rainstorm. Paralyzed by the wet weather and digging her hooves into the mud, this reluctant diva refuses to move, threatening to shut down the entire production before the curtain rises.
What follows is an inspiring, humorous demonstration of collective teamwork. Refusing to let the storm win, a group of resourceful friends coordinates a logistical rescue mission. Armed with a station wagon, a box of crackers, immense patience, and plenty of physical pushing, they help Violet navigate her sensory panic. She reaches the stage just in time to deliver a show-stopping performance, claim her standing ovation, and contentedly consume her celebratory bouquet of daisies in this beautifully illustrated goat picture book.
Violet’s theatrical journey provides a brilliant framework for children dealing with performance anxiety, social hesitation, or a fear of stepping into the unknown. By showcasing a character who is allowed to feel stubborn and afraid, yet succeeds through the support of her community, the book teaches the value of flexibility, grit, and structural initiation in the face of life’s unexpected storms.
Why This Collection Commands Space on Modern Bookshelves
Radical Empathy Over Rigid Lessons: The emotional insights—whether navigating displacement, managed panic, or heavy responsibility—develop organically through high-interest plots rather than forced, heavy-handed lecturing.
Scientific and Behavioral Accuracy: Because these books are written from a lifetime of authentic farming and boarding kennel experience, they preserve accurate animal traits, introducing kids to real breed behaviors and characteristics.
Uncompromised Read-Aloud Value: Crafted with crisp dialogue, sharp pacing, and vivid physical comedy, these texts are designed to ensure the adult reader is just as entertained as the child listening, creating a shared interactive experience.