^{The following words are provided for readers or carers who want a ready-made story rather than to make up their own.}

Picture no.

1.  Janet was walking in the park.

2.  Janet looked around. She felt happy.

3.  Janet saw a woman with a baby and a pushchair.

4.  Janet wanted to hug the baby. The mother held her baby tight. She did not want Janet to hold her baby.

5.  The woman was cross with Janet, “Go away,” she shouted. “Strangers don’t touch babies.” Janet felt upset and empty.

6.  Janet walked on. She saw some children playing. She liked playing with children.

7.  Janet tried to play with the children. They were scared of her.

8.  The children shouted names at her. They ran away. Janet didn’t understand.

9.  Janet walked on. She saw a couple kissing. She felt warm inside.  “Me too” ….she thought!

10. Janet tried to hug them. The man and woman looked startled.

11. The couple shouted rude things at Janet. They walked away. Janet wondered why they were so angry.

12. Janet walked on. She felt upset and lonely.

13. Janet went home. She was trying not to cry. She thought “Nobody wants to hug me”!

14. Indoors it was private. Janet let herself cry.

15. Janet remembered her friend, Monica. She decided to ring Monica.

16. “Hello, Monica. This is Janet. Nobody likes me, and I’m all alone.”

17. There was a knock at the door. Janet wondered if it was Monica.

18. Monica came in. Janet felt sad and awkward.

19. Monica asked “What’s the matter?” Janet found it hard to say at first. Monica waited. She comforted her quietly.

20. Janet told Monica all about the people in the park.

21. Monica and Janet had a big hug. Monica said “It’s OK to hug good friends when we both want to. But it goes all wrong if we touch strangers.”

22. Monica said “Let’s go out. We’ll try and do it better.”

23. Monica said “Here’s a friend of mine. When we meet someone new, we smile and say hello.”

24. “We might shake hands, and say our names. This is my friend, Barbara” said Monica. “Hello, I’m Janet”, said Janet.

25. Janet, Monica and Barbara went for a drink. Janet asked Barbara about herself. Barbara said she works in a shop. She told Janet she has a boyfriend called Harry.

26. Harry came to join them. He kissed Barbara on the cheek. Janet felt a bit left out.

27. Janet shook hands with Harry. She said “Hello, I’m Janet”. That was OK.

28. Barbara and Harry had a dance. Janet wanted to dance too.

29. Harry asked Janet for a dance. She enjoyed it very much.

30. Janet’s new friends walked home with her. “Nice to meet you”, they said and they shook hands with her.

31. “Thank you, Monica,” said Janet. “I had a lovely time - it was much better - nobody is angry now”.

32. “Goodnight” said everyone. “See you”.

33. Janet had a hot drink. She thought about what she had learnt about hugging and touching.