Oh, oh! Here come those butterflies again!
Tommy Corbin is a Grade 3 student whose favourite part of school is gym class. He especially loves learning new soccer drills. But sometimes during the day, millions of butterflies begin flying around in Tommy’s belly and he finds it impossible to concentrate on his school work.

Now Tommy has a mystery to solve. He overheard his teacher say he has ang(sigh)ety, and he’s determined to figure out what that strange word means. But it’s not easy. His classmates can’t help him and some adults don’t want to talk about it. Luckily, Tommy finds a friend in his gym teacher who helps him understand and deal with ang(sigh)ety.

Butterflies in My Belly is a hopeful story about childhood anxiety that is a useful resource for parents, children, and people who work with children. It will make them feel more comfortable talking about anxiety and help them take steps to resolve it.

Jackie MacKay is a therapist who counsels children in a play therapy setting. Butterflies in My Belly was inspired by her work with young children. Jackie works at The Children’s Centre, a division of the Catholic Family Services Bureau in Charlottetown. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. Jackie lives in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, with her husband and two children.

Brenda Whiteway is an artist who lives in Charlottetown.