Latest News

5th May 2026

2nd May 2026

It is always a great event. If you are in the area, come and see us!

We will have Bess’s next book available here also and maybe even a few surprises!

The Bess Book Will Be Available At The SENsational Festival in Billingham in September

25th April 2026

Photo Shoot With The ‘Real’ Bess of Clara Vale

On our way up to the Scottish highlands today we stopped off for a wee photo opportunity with the inspiration for my books, the ‘real’ Bess of Clara Vale. Bess is the most gentle black Labrador and part of the team at one of Autism North East’s Assessment service and post-diagnostic support bases in Clara Vale.

You can read more about their therapy dog, Bess, and find out more about this extremely experienced and professional multidisciplinary team on their FB book page, ‘Autism North East’.

NOTE: Bess is only present if clients request her presence and not for those who would prefer her not to be.

5th April 2026

Bess On The BBC

‘I write books I wish I had as autistic child’

An author who writes children’s books about neurodiversity said she would have loved to have read those types of stories as an autistic girl.

Lin Fidgin’s story about a Labrador with autism draws upon her own lived experience of feeling “out of sync with the world” and having sensory differences, comfort in repetition and routine, and struggling in social situations.

Fidgin, from Hartlepool, said she did not want to others to feel “broken or excluded” as she gave copies to Teesside schools, libraries, autism services and the children’s ward at the University Hospital of North Tees…..

Read The Full Article Here

2nd April 2026

Nurse Lin Fidgin has published a children’s book, inspired by her own journey to self-acceptance as a woman with autism.

Lin, a nurse at the University Hospital of North Tees, wrote and illustrated ‘Bess of Clara Vale’. The story draws on Lin’s personal experience of autism and describes what it feels like to be a little ‘out of sync’ with the world around her.

Lin said: “I wanted to write the books I wish I had as a child. I felt so different to everyone else around me, but had no mirror to see myself reflected or to help me understand why I wasn’t like my peers. “

If I can help make education about autism and neurodiversity accessible to those who need it most, then it can only be a good thing. I want to make a difference.”

Read more on our website: www.nth.nhs.uk/news/nurse-writes-childrens-book-autism www.nth.nhs.uk/news/nurse-writes-childrens-book-autism #WorldAutismAcceptanceMonth

1st April 2026

Back in Stock: Second Print Run Arrives for Autism Awareness Week (March 30th – April 6th)

To celebrate this week, we are offering a 20% discount on our books, for this week only.

Add Discount Code DM43KPH9 to checkout!

29th March 2026

Bess is a qualified ‘Visiting Therapy Dog’, working at Autism North East in Clara Vale. She was awarded her certification after an assessment by a Specialist Dog Trainer earlier this year with her owner, Lucy. Bess has ‘confidence, flair and steadiness with a high level of training’. If you are going to an appointment at their service and feel it would be helpful to have Bess around, you can let them know, and they can organise it. Of course, if you really would prefer she wasn’t there, equally, just let them know that too, as they understand that some people aren’t keen on dogs. I loved meeting Bess. She was the inspiration for my books