Watch this space
Leanne Hardinge is set to release 'My Friend Filly' to everyone on Amazon.
What started as a mother’s insight during a moment of laughter with her son in Alice Springs became a powerful behavioural analogy that would eventually help children across the country better understand natural responses to stress.
Leanne Hardinge came to DAIS with a vision: to bring her beloved ‘Frilly Analogy’ to life in a children’s book that could empower young readers to look at the behaviour of others, adults and children alike, in a very different light.
We worked closely with Leanne to capture the heart of her story, designing a visual experience that speaks to both children and adults. Collaborating with illustrator James O’Hanlon, we brought Frilly into full colour, pairing expressive illustrations with playful, hand-drawn typography that mirrors the emotional energy of each scene.
The challenge was to craft a book that wasn’t just beautiful, but purposeful in its design: visually engaging, emotionally resonant, and simple enough to help children recognise themselves in Frilly’s fear-based behaviours, without feeling judged.
Illustrator James O’Hanlon brought Frilly’s reactions to life with expressive character work, while our team designed a layout that mirrored the analogy in action: on each spread, Frilly’s instinctive responses are paired with real-world child behaviours. To support the storytelling, we crafted hand-drawn typography that echoed the energy of each moment—soft, bold, or bursting—depending on the emotional cue.
The result is more than a traditional picture book. It’s a valuable resource for parents, therapists, and educators to support early conversations about self-awareness and emotional resilience.
