Meet King.
Travel along with King,
a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, and his friends as they experience, observe, and grow through new experiences together.
Each story introduces a new adventure, the sensory challenges that can be associated with it, and some tools to help overcome any fears and anxieties. Whether a child benefits from OT-specific strategies or from learning by successfully regulating unfamiliar experiences, these books can support all children as they navigate new adventures.
Our collection.
Will king take a bath at the car wash?
King and Ben head to the car wash, where their senses are tested to the limits as they fully experience the sights, sounds, smells and feelings associated with this new activity.
Ben helps King navigate his first tubby!
After a day of working hard, playing, and getting dirty in the garden, King, a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, is nervous about taking a bath. King’s best friend, Ben, a boy with sensory sensitivities, shares the tools he’s learned in occupational therapy (OT) to help King overcome his fear and anxiety.
These books will provide concrete examples of common tools that OTs may recommend to support a particular child at home, in the classroom and in the world. Once a child is able to recognize which stimuli elicit a particular reaction, what that reaction is, and what tool can be used, the more successful that child will be in his or her daily occupations.
“Praise for king’s day out! I highly recommend that every parent read this book to their child before their first car wash or any new adventure! King and Ben show how everyday things can be difficult the first time you experience them. they use their special tools to comfort each other as step by step they travel through the soapy bubbles, new sounds, splashy water, and the loud whir of the dryers. in the end, success! King and Ben are no longer afraid of a car wash.”
— Donna Seim, MA in Special Education and Award-winning children’s author
Every child has their own unique way of viewing and interacting with the world, and that includes individualized responses to sensory information.
“As a pediatric occupational therapist for over 20 years, I have worked with countless children who are incredibly smart, vibrant, and endearing, but who have difficulty participating in daily activities of life due to challenges processing and responding to sensory information in their environment. Along with helping children with sensory processing challenges to self regulate, OTs provide tools and strategies for self-awareness, self-advocacy and task success.” - Dr. Wheadon
The King’s Day out book series is designed to be a resource for children, families, schools, and pediatric medical professionals.
“Awesome explanations for any child to understand. we need more of these short and helpful stories.”
— G. Fazio, Children’s Librarian at The Penn Brook Elementary School
meet the authors.
Maggie van Galen
Maggie van Galen is an author, storyteller and writer. Her previous works, The Adventures of Keeno and Ernest children’s book series, have all received the nationally acclaimed Mom’s Choice Awards.
Maggie lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, a cat, and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Koning (Dutch for King!)
Amy Wheadon
Amy Wheadon is a pediatric occupational therapist, the owner of kidSHINE LLC in Rowley, Boxford, and Amesbury, Massachusetts and the owner of the EXERSHINEkids Power Bootcamp Program®—a structured, evidence-based program that uses intense physical exercise as a change agent to improve self-regulation skills in children with sensory differences.
Amy lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with her three children and their puppy, Luna.
Leslie Beauregard
Leslie is an artist who loves to create vibrant and whimsical narrative art for children’s books. Her hope is that her work is engaging and makes people smile.
Leslie Beauregard lives in north of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and their rescue dog, Skipper. She is a member of the Seacoast Artist Association, the Newburyport Art Association, the Greater Haverhill Arts Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
bring an authors to your school
Reading, Movement & Fun
for your classroom or group.
Maggie loves to connect directly with kids and students with engaging presentations, full of reading, questions, and other fun stories. Whether it’s for groups of 3 or 300, she’ll accommodate and work with your group to make it work!
Contact us to learn more about scheduling and pricing.
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“The story is engaging from the very start and so beautifully supports this new and potentially scary adventure for king and ben. it is comforting and encouraging at the same time.”
— Angela Letizia, Early Childhood Educator of 30 years (Lakeland School District, NY)
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“All I can say is that this book is amazing! it truly speaks to how sensory processing disorder is experienced in day-to-day activities. the clinical accuracy of tools that can be used for sensory needs is represented with knowledge and care. i know most of my students would absolutely benefit from this book, and their parents too. this is a very exciting and much-needed series to help bridge the gap for those who have sensory processing needs!”
— Dr. Gretchen Hyssong, OTD/OTRL, Occupational Therapist, Warwick, RI Public Schools