PRESS RELEASE: Local publisher given Duchess of York’s blessing as children’s anxiety skyrockets

Melbourne, Australia: This morning, local publisher Ethicool Books woke to some incredible news: their book, Samson C. Turtle, had been selected from millions of titles sent to the Duchess of York’s office to be read on her YouTube channel, Storytime with Fergie and Friends.

The beautiful book, which explores the topic of children’s anxiety through the eyes of a wise old sea turtle, has been a sell-out hit, owing to its serene ocean scenes and sing-song like rhyme. But the book’s author, Clare Flory, believes that the Duchess selected the book for another important reason:

“The pandemic is continuing to take a toll on all of us, but it is considerably worse for many children in the UK at the moment. The idea that you need to simply take a deep breath and count to three (the book’s central message) is incredibly powerful and incredibly needed right now.”

Clare, a special education teacher and former singer, created the book after seeing how children’s anxiety could affect parents.

Ethicool, a sustainable publisher focused on creating meaningful books about the world’s big issues, acquired it last year. Ethicool’s Co-Founder, Teigan Margetts, says that it is heart-warming to see the book reach such high places ahead of Ethicool’s European launch later this year:

“We’re in the process of setting up a warehouse in London, so it was great to get recognition from Fergie. But beyond that, I’m grateful that Ethicool has had this platform to help little ones and their parents with their mental health in such a challenging time.”

Founded in March 2020, Ethicool Books has sold over 15,000 books to more than 16 countries. They’ve been featured in Startup Daily, Women in Tech, Mama Disrupt and Foundr. They have also received an Amazon Innovation Grant