Nan visited the Serengeti to learn about the characters in her books. Seeing the animals in their natural environment helped her visualize how to portray them in her stories. The books can help children learn about their emotional needs and they can help adults learn about meeting those needs. She uses situations that often occur at home and school to reinforce her messages. The strategies the animals use to solve problems in the story can also be practiced by children, with adult support, until they are able to implement them on their own.Nan is a pediatric occupational therapist who writes books about doing hard things at home and school. The books are about emotional regulation, social-emotional learning and solving problems that come up in everyday life. Her mission is to provide tools for families that will have a positive impact on children's mental health.