“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
Marcus Aurelius

We teach our children the
“ ins and outs ”
of the physical world…

Now there’s
a children’s book...

That guides a child
to an even greater understanding
of their “inner world.”

The mesmerizing images in “Don't Feed the
Animals,” guide the reader through a young
girl's challenges in a weird and wonderful zoo.
With each obstacle on her path, her negative
thoughts magically turn into “thought”
animals that hug, grab and hold on tightly to
her.
Will she free herself of the burden of the
animals? …only if she sees the signs and learns
how to not “feed the animals,” i.e. her negative
thoughts.
This book gives parents and teachers the
opportunity to help children realize; they have
the power within them to CHOOSE their
thoughts, change negative thoughts to
positive thoughts, no matter what is
happening to them in the outer world.

Stories film vignette
“An important
entitled “Life with Zoe”—
message about self-
choose how to relate to
same meaning). The
life events and that we can esteem and loving
“food” is the negative
have an impact upon how oneself”
lines, thoughts, and
we \"travel\" through the You probably remember
feelings one takes to heart
journeys of our lives. I am that when you visit the
which “feeds” the animals
looking forward to zoo there are signs telling
attaching themselves to
exploring \"Don't Feed The you: Don't Feed the
the person. It is a
Animals\" with my clients. Animals . This is meant to
delightful tale and one I
Ronald R. Rein, Ph.D ensure that the animals
hope will help teach
-Clinical Psychologist, receive the proper diets. It
“Connection… children to be positive and
Licensed By The State of is also a safety issue to
Connection to our not to “feed the animals”
New York keep the public from
universe, to our world, that feed off negativity.
-Member, American getting too close to the
to others and ultimately Other descriptive items
Psychological Association animals and possibly
to ourselves... “ in the book are the Road
getting harmed.
Tima Vlasto's playful and of Obstacles, the People's
The author, Tima Vlasto,
intriguing illustrations Place, the Mountain of
saw this as a teaching
invoke us to truly Challenges, and the Sea of
opportunity. In this case
experience a journey Feelings. Subtly isn't the
the animals are negative
through her \"Zoo of Life\" style of this book, but
thoughts or vibes that one
integrating emotion, maybe the direct path is
carries in life. A young girl
intellect and spirit in the best method of
visits the “zoo of life” (this
\"Don't Feed The relaying an important
book came from Greece
Animals“. message about self-esteem
and I wonder if the author
The subtle narrative of the and loving oneself.
used this phrase
story with an empowering Reviewed by: John L.
deliberately, since “zoo”
underlying message of Hoh, Jr.
comes from the Greek
self-efficacy awakens our Rating:
word “zoos,” which means
awareness that we can www.bookideas.com
“life”; Like the New York

\"Ingenious and \"Loved it“ \"Excellent Learning Tool!
artistically illustrated\" This is a perfect book to Dear Tima, Rating: Highly
Tima Vlasto has written help open the right
Just received your Recommended
an excellent children's mindset for developing a
book...\"Don't Feed The A young girl's imagination
book offering the solid good self esteem.
Animals\".
potential to reshape a Ingenious and artistically turns anxieties into strange
child's negative brain illustrated. creatures that ―feed‖ on her
babble. LOVED IT! fear.
Don't Feed the Animals Sherry Russell This wonderful children's
is an asset to parents and Grief Management Congratulations and best book teaches children that
teachers in conquering the Specialist
wishes for success. they have the ability within
ever present doubts in Reviewer
I will share it with our center them to change negative
developing young minds. Midwest Book Review
The author creatively in Sausalito. thoughts into positive ones.
Florida Writer's
transforms downbeat Association Society of www.attitudinalhealing.org As a tool—parents can teach
thoughts into vivacious Authors and Writers tots \"not\" to feed the
creatures leading children Love and peace and animals, thus giving them
to learn how \"not\" to feed
gratitude, more confidence and
the animals.
Jerry control. That no matter what
Children will romp along
Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. occurs within the
on a journey through the
surrounding's – we have the
Zoo of Life with a little -founder of the Center for
girl as she starts to Attitudinal Healing in ultimate power to change
understand the results of Sausalito, California course as to how events will
self-defeating judgment. -author of \"Love is Letting turn out.
While visiting the Zoo of
Go of Fear \", \"Shortcuts to Author Tima Vlasto has
Life, she meanders
God\" and co-author of created an entertaining ―how
through the Road of
Obstacles, People's Place, \"Forgiveness: The Greatest to‖ for kids of all ages!
Mountain of Challenges Healer of All\" Betsie
and Sea of Feeling .
Betsie‘s Literary Page

“Wonderful tool” ‗The Mountain of “Unique!” Charlotte says she's going
Challenges,' and the ‗Sea
to have fun telling us 'not
of Feelings.'
Don't Feed the Animals to feed the animals'
―Don't Feed the Animals‖
This story can serve as a
will guide you through a
wonderful tool to help whenever we say
young girl's challenges in by Tima Vlasto. Bright
children with confidence
a weird and wonderful anything negative!
and beautiful illustrations
and to be more aware of
place called the ‗Zoo of
guide you through this
their thoughts. In turn it
Life.‗
will help children realize positive, different and Lucy Burnett
Her imagination turns that they have the quite unique book for
anxieties into strange www.veganfamily.co.uk
POWER within them to
creatures that ―feed‖ on children. A young girl
CHOOSE their thoughts,
her fear. Romp along with takes a trip through a
change negative thoughts
her as she starts to to positive thoughts, no metaphorical zoo
understand the results of matter what is happening gathering animals
self-defeating judgment to them in the outside
while walking down the symbolic of her negative
world.
‗Road of Obstacles' where thoughts.
Reviewed by:
her negative thoughts
She chooses to transform
magically turn into Erin Kelly-Allshouse
―thought‖ animals that Children of the New her state of mind and be
hug, grab and hold on Earth Magazine free of the clinging
tightly to her.
creatures. Very simple so
Will she free herself of
suitable from very young
the burden of the animals?
…only if she sees the upwards, though Daniel
signs and learns how to (13) and Charlotte (11)
―not feed the animals,‖ really enjoyed it too –
i.e. her negative thoughts!
Other descriptive items in
the book are the ‗People's
Place,'

The book’s first run sold out in
Greece in 2007, some of the final
copies were distributed to children’s
lending libraries in the villages of
Greece after the forest fires. It was
also awarded an honor by the
Hellenic Book Society and on
Starbucks list of recommended
books for teachers in 2007. This
book is looking for a new publisher .
The author currently lives in NYC.
Please contact: Tima Vlasto
tvlasto@nyc.rr.com

Tima Vlasto
tvlasto@nyc.rr.com