Managing mammoths: Cambridge children’s book helps families learn about diabetes

A children’s book called How to Manage a Mammoth, published by Cambridge University Press, will be read by actor James Norton on the BBC’s CBeebies Bedtime Story programme at 6.50pm on Friday, 14 June.

The book, written by Dr Rose Stewart and illustrated by Richard Dwyer, was created to help families and young children explore how they feel about living with diabetes. It encourages them to think about the condition as an animal: one which won’t go away, but which they can learn to accept and manage.

Sarah Marsh, Medical books Publisher at Cambridge explained: “The Press doesn’t often publish children’s books – but in the case of How To Manage a Mammoth, it was clear we needed to make an exception.

 “There is a gap in psychological health resources for people living with diabetes. By publishing Mammoth, as well as other books in the Talking Type 1 series, we seek to support families in having constructive and empathetic conversations about living with diabetes.”

James Norton, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 22, was invited to imagine his own diabetes as an animal – and he explained that his is “a big shaggy dog called Bruce.”

“When I first got Bruce, he was a puppy,” added Norton. “He was difficult to control because he was always overexcited. Now, he's a bit older and calmer.

“He still gets scared when someone's at the door or he’s hungry. And then he barks very loudly. Or when he gets excited, he still runs around and knocks things over. But generally he strolls along by my side. Bruce is my pal. I'm pleased to say that today Bruce is under control and very calm, which makes me feel very happy and relaxed.”

In How to Manage a Mammoth, eight-year-old Jake is learning to live with his diabetes, which he imagines is a mammoth called Mel. Jake and his Mum join forces with their friends to work out how to shrink Mel the diabetes mammoth to a manageable size.

Author Dr Rose Stewart said: “We wrote the children’s book as a way to help families explore how they feel about living with diabetes, using the format of a fun picture book that helps things to feel safe. It also gives families a way to talk about diabetes and their feelings about diabetes in a different way, and to make it less scary or boring. 

“We’re also hoping that being able to communicate about the stresses of living with a long-term condition on a mainstream TV slot like CBeebies will help children and families around the UK feel supported and empowered, and – crucially – to know that they are not alone if they feel like they are struggling.” 

You can watch James Norton on CBeebies Bedtime Story on Friday, 14 June at 6:50pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.