Farfanela

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the problem that is troubling you and ruining your day

In the Land-of-Constant-Dancing there lived a small, pink pudding of a girl called Farfanela, who had everything her pink little heart desired. Everything that is, except one thing: a pink hair clipper. That small hair clipper is enough to make Farfanela cry.

A sweet, charming fairytale about a flawed heroine that will make you sigh and smile and maybe, make you see the world a different way.

A note for parents and teachers written by clinical psychologist and author Andrew Armatas (MA, DCH, MISCPaccred), is included in lieu of an epilogue and it offers some valuable advice on how to navigate the everyday world, with its many disappointments.

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Extended summary:

In the Land-of-Constant-Dancing there lived a small, pink pudding of a girl called Farfanela, who had everything her pink little heart desired. Everything that is, except one thing: a pink hair clipper. That small hair clipper is enough to make Farfanela cry so much that she loses her color, and the little pudding is no longer pink, but white.

Her misery only grows, and she soon loses her tears, her flowerpot, her favorite embroidered handkerchief, and, more importantly, her place in the Land-of-Constant-Dancing! Her father, the chubby Mr. Conical, is tired of her crying, and he orders her to leave their land and go out in the world where she will undoubtedly find things to cry about.

Our little Farfanela starts her adventure inconsolable, and poorer than ever before. However, by learning to appreciate the small joys of life and not dwell on negativity, the little pudding regains the many things she lost, and learns some valuable lessons along the way, lessons that she is more than willing to share with the citizens of Land-of-Constant-Dancing and with the readers themselves.

Farfanela is a sweet, charming fairytale about a flawed heroine that will make you sigh and smile and maybe, make you see the world a different way. The story is beautifully illustrated by Sofia Gali, in a way that compliments and underlines the key elements of the story, penned by Eleni Vlachou and Constantinos Dalamagas, two talented young voices in the genre that we will definitely be hearing from again in the future.

To help you alter your world view and learn the lessons Farfanela teaches, there is a small note for parents and teachers written by clinical psychologist and author Andreas Armatas (MA DCH MISCPaccred). Armatas offers some valuable advice on how to help both parents and children navigate the everyday world, with its many disappointments, without becoming like Farfanela. He talks about gratitude, the importance of maintaining a positive outlook, and how to slowly train ourselves to focus on the good things, the little blessings, instead of the little misfortunes.