Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper. 32 pages. Tanglewood Books, 1995.
Sassafras (a skunk) wants to hide from his friends because he is embarrassed by the possibility that he might smell bad. The wise old skunk Poppy explains to Sassafras that the stink is a way for skunks to protect themselves. When a stranger frightens the animals, Sassafras sprays it. The stranger turns out to be a gray fox who just wanted to play with them – and who is embarrassed by the plainness of her fur. Sassafras is able to share with her the lesson he's learned from Poppy, and to accept himself as a result. This story will help encourage children to accept even the "stinky" parts of themselves.
Ages: 4-7
Cultural Context: non-human
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tom Mouse by Ursula LeGuin
Illustrated by Julie Downing. 40 pages. Roaring Brook, 2002.
Tom Mouse leaves his home to travel the world on trains. He's mostly excited, although lonely and scared at times. He ends up sharing a compartment with Ms. Powers. He's careful not to let her see him, because he worries that she'll scream and he'll be thrown off the train. When she does find him, she doesn't scream - she offers him more food. She seems to understand him, and they become friends. He accepts her invitation to travel with him in her coat pocket. Although told from Tom's point of view, rather than Ms. Powers', this story might be a good example of putting aside automatic reactions and prejudices to open the possibility of finding a friend.
Ages: 6-10
Cultural Context: multicultural
Tom Mouse leaves his home to travel the world on trains. He's mostly excited, although lonely and scared at times. He ends up sharing a compartment with Ms. Powers. He's careful not to let her see him, because he worries that she'll scream and he'll be thrown off the train. When she does find him, she doesn't scream - she offers him more food. She seems to understand him, and they become friends. He accepts her invitation to travel with him in her coat pocket. Although told from Tom's point of view, rather than Ms. Powers', this story might be a good example of putting aside automatic reactions and prejudices to open the possibility of finding a friend.
Ages: 6-10
Cultural Context: multicultural
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Pepito the Brave by Scott Beck
32 p. Dutton, 2001.
Pepito is a little bird who is afraid to fly because he is afraid of heights. When it's time to leave the nest, he climbs down the tree and, following the advice of other animals, he runs, hops, swims, and tunnels until he reaches the tree where his brothers and sisters have flown. They tell him that if he is brave enough to do all it took him to get there, he must have enough courage to fly. Hearing this, he flies. With Pepito, children can use this experience to consider possibly unacknowledged sources of their own courage.
Ages: 2-6
Cultural Context: N/A
Pepito is a little bird who is afraid to fly because he is afraid of heights. When it's time to leave the nest, he climbs down the tree and, following the advice of other animals, he runs, hops, swims, and tunnels until he reaches the tree where his brothers and sisters have flown. They tell him that if he is brave enough to do all it took him to get there, he must have enough courage to fly. Hearing this, he flies. With Pepito, children can use this experience to consider possibly unacknowledged sources of their own courage.
Ages: 2-6
Cultural Context: N/A
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About the Author
- Jacqueline Golding, Ph.D.
- Jacqueline Golding, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice in Pleasanton, California who works with children, teens, and adults. A graduate of Yale University, Dr. Golding earned her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Central Contra Costa County Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Service in Concord, California. She holds an appointment as Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco and has published over 100 articles in scientific and professional journals on topics such as trauma, depression, and cultural issues in mental health. Dr. Golding is represented by the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.
