Tom the Lion

Tom the Lion books nurture emotional well-being and literacy in young readers through engaging stories based on the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ framework.

Our 5 ways to well-being books

The New Economics Foundation’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing is a long-established approach to improving physical and mental health through five acts: connect, keep learning, be active, take notice and give. So that children can access this approach in a meaningful and accessible way, our education team here at Raven have been inspired to create a series of 5 stories based on the 5 ways.

About the books

Published in 2024, our first series of books feature Tom, a lion, and his squirrel friends, Sid and Hazel. Tom and his friends learn how each way to wellbeing helps them feel good about themselves and their lives.

Did you know that the character, Tom, is already part of our product portfolio – our Sleeping Lions biometric device centres around the user enabling Tom the lion to calm down, lower his heart rate and fall asleep?

Audience

The Tom the Lion books are designed for young, newly independent readers, typically aged 6 to 8. Available in both English and Welsh, these stories provide an engaging, age-appropriate way to introduce key wellbeing concepts.

Give young readers the gift of wellbeing with the Tom the Lion series—engaging stories that nurture emotional growth and literacy. Start your child’s journey today!

Testimonials

“The five themes Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Give and Take Notice could easily fit into all our schools’ mottos and values. I love the way feelings are usualised and reflected upon from loneliness to happiness, impatience to gratitude. The stories show how simplicity and thoughtfulness are such important part of all our lives.”

Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson

Head Teacher, Anderton Park Primary School, Birmingham

This series of five bilingual books is a great resource for teachers to present in our schools and for parents, carers and family to present in the home. Individuals can read them independently, adults and children can read them collaboratively, or the audio books can be listened to.

Dewi Roberts

Lecturer in the Department of Educational Sciences, Bangor University
and an Independent Education Consultant

The books give each message across very clearly, with the curriculum links being an added bonus. It would be nice to use them alongside teaching units, especially as a starting point, either giving purpose to the learning, for example, growing our own plant to give someone else, going on our own noticing walk, writing a poem or sharing personal feelings about how we feel about learning new things/ different activities.

Jade Lovelock

Language Coordinator, Burleigh Primary School, Hertfordshire