About the Author

Dr. Dragan Antolos graduated as a dentist in 1982, and has a dental practice in Melbourne, Australia.

His practice addresses all aspects of dental health. However he has a special interest in orthodontics (especially the effect of thumb sucking on permanent teeth and dental development). Married in 1988, he has two daughters (one of whom was a thumb sucker!).

His frustration at the lack of children's literature addressing this common childhood habit lead him to write and illustrate the story of Oliver, The Little Bear who Sucked his Thumb. His experience has lead him to regard restraining aids and devices as a very last resort, as a means of tackling the thumb sucking problem; instead adopting positive psychology and encouragement, to inspire children and turn the solution into a fun and interactive experience using the book and chart.

Having achieved great success and positive feedback from parents of children who are thumb suckers, Dr Antolos was encouraged to use the same approach to highlight the important issue of child safety and stranger danger. Little Bear Beware is the second book in the ‘Oliver the Bear’ series, helping to open avenues of communication between children and their parents.

Using the character of Oliver the bear in a series of stories, provides continuity and a familiarity that children will enjoy and look forward to, further optimising the positive messages within the books.