Victor the Vigilant Viper
Victor the Vigilant Viper
Big Feelings, Brave Hearts — An Alphabet Collection for Kids
By Jessica Schoettle
Victor is a viper who is very good at noticing the world around him. He watches carefully, listens closely, and trusts his senses to help him feel safe. Victor’s awareness helps him recognize sounds, movements, and changes that others sometimes miss.
But sometimes, noticing everything makes Victor’s body feel tense and tight.
When the world feels busy and overwhelming, Victor becomes very still as he tries to stay safe. Other animals do not always understand why he seems so serious or quiet. Victor begins to feel misunderstood, even though he is only trying to protect himself. With gentle guidance from a caring friend, Victor learns that being vigilant does not mean staying tense all the time. He discovers how to check in with his body, notice when he is safe, and allow himself to relax.
As Victor practices breathing, noticing calm surroundings, and trusting his body’s signals, he learns that awareness can help him feel both safe and calm at the same time.
This meaningful story helps children learn:
• How body awareness helps recognize safety and stress
• Calming strategies for managing tension and anxiety
• The value of awareness and trusting body signals
• Emotional regulation and self-confidence
• Understanding different responses to busy or overwhelming environments
• Social-emotional learning through relatable storytelling
Victor the Vigilant Viper is part of Big Feelings, Brave Hearts — An Alphabet Collection for Kids, a heart-centered series designed to introduce children to emotions, character strengths, and social-emotional skills through lovable animal characters and developmentally appropriate storytelling.
Each book in the series encourages meaningful conversations between children, parents, caregivers, and educators while supporting emotional growth for children ages 2–6.
Perfect for:
- Bedtime reading
- Preschool and early elementary social-emotional learning lessons
- Speech and emotional development support
- Classroom read-alouds
- Gifts for toddlers and young children
- Parents and educators teaching self-awareness, safety recognition, and calming techniques
Help your child discover that noticing their surroundings and trusting their body can help them feel both safe and calm.
Victor is ready to show them how.