Illustrated by Stacey Schuett. 32 pages. Whitman, 2001.
Making connections can be an important part of coping with disaster. When a fire destroys Carla and Mama's apartment building, all Carla has left is a book about the pilgrims' Thanksgiving, which becomes a source of hope as she waits for a new home. After nearly a year in a hotel, they get a new apartment two weeks before Thanksgiving. She wants to plan a feast, but all Mama says is "Fat chance." Carla enlists the help of a new friend to hold a potluck in the apartment lobby, and by the end of the story, many new friends share a feast. Children will see how imagination, problem solving, and persistence promote healing from the losses of a fire.
Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Never, No Matter What by Maryleah Otto
Illustrated by Clover Clarke. The Women's Press, 1988.
Mark's Mum doesn't pick him up at day care. When his teacher tries to call home, the line is busy for a long time. She takes him home, where it's clear that Dad has been beating Mum. The teacher reminds Mum that Dad's behavior is not acceptable, and gives her the phone number of a women's shelter. Moments later, Mark's little sister, Sara, tears up a picture Mark made at day care, and Mark responds by yelling at her, cussing, and punching her. Mum stops him immediately, first yelling and pushing, then crying and hugging him. When Dad leaves the house, Mum calls the shelter and takes Mark and Sara there. The adults and children there are kind to the family. The shelter director explains that it is never OK for Dad to hit them, and Mum tells Mark that they may not live with him any more because it isn't safe. Mark misses his home, but feels safe at the shelter. The story is followed by some questions and answers about partner violence. This story should probably only be used with children who have shown aggressive behavior similar to Mark's.
Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural
Mark's Mum doesn't pick him up at day care. When his teacher tries to call home, the line is busy for a long time. She takes him home, where it's clear that Dad has been beating Mum. The teacher reminds Mum that Dad's behavior is not acceptable, and gives her the phone number of a women's shelter. Moments later, Mark's little sister, Sara, tears up a picture Mark made at day care, and Mark responds by yelling at her, cussing, and punching her. Mum stops him immediately, first yelling and pushing, then crying and hugging him. When Dad leaves the house, Mum calls the shelter and takes Mark and Sara there. The adults and children there are kind to the family. The shelter director explains that it is never OK for Dad to hit them, and Mum tells Mark that they may not live with him any more because it isn't safe. Mark misses his home, but feels safe at the shelter. The story is followed by some questions and answers about partner violence. This story should probably only be used with children who have shown aggressive behavior similar to Mark's.
Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural
Sunday, October 14, 2007
The Hope Tree: Kids Talk About Breast Cancer by Laura Numeroff and Wendy S. Harpham
Illustrated by David McPhail. 26 p., Simon & Schuster, 1999.
This book is written in the format of a scrapbook by members of a support group for (animal) children whose mothers have breast cancer. Each page addresses one issue common to these children, and is written in the first person and signed with a first name and age (5-12). The book explains what cancer is in a very simple way, and addresses children's worries about contagion, visiting the clinic, how Mom feels when she has chemotherapy, making the best of the bad days, family functioning, having a range of feelings, and helping out even though children can't cure their mothers' cancer. The last child shares her hope tree, saying that no matter how bad things get, she can always have hope. This story offers children the empathy of a "virtual support group", models of ways to have a positive, but realistic, outlook, and constructive ways to cope.
Ages: 5-12
Cultural Context: non-human
This book is written in the format of a scrapbook by members of a support group for (animal) children whose mothers have breast cancer. Each page addresses one issue common to these children, and is written in the first person and signed with a first name and age (5-12). The book explains what cancer is in a very simple way, and addresses children's worries about contagion, visiting the clinic, how Mom feels when she has chemotherapy, making the best of the bad days, family functioning, having a range of feelings, and helping out even though children can't cure their mothers' cancer. The last child shares her hope tree, saying that no matter how bad things get, she can always have hope. This story offers children the empathy of a "virtual support group", models of ways to have a positive, but realistic, outlook, and constructive ways to cope.
Ages: 5-12
Cultural Context: non-human
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Harry and the Dinosaurs say "Raahh!" by Ian Whybrow
Illustrated by Adrian Reynolds. 28 p., Random, 2004.
Harry is a little frightened of going to the dentist because he worries that he might have to have teeth drilled. He takes along his toy dinosaurs, who help him feel safe. When Harry tells the nurse at his dentist's office that he's a good boy, "but my dinosaurs bite," we understand that he's basically fine, but has some fears that feel a bit out of control. To let Dr. Drake know who's in charge, Harry presses a magic button on his tyrannosaurus, and the dinosaur grows huge, terrifying the dentist until Harry makes the dinosaur small again. Harry is now in control of his fears, and so he's able to allow the examination. Unfortunately, there are two references to Harry being "good" (he also gets to choose a library book "for being so good"), which tends to confuse his behavior with who he fundamentally is. But this otherwise delightful story can show children that fears of the dentist are manageable.
Ages: 3-6
Cultural Context: European American
Harry is a little frightened of going to the dentist because he worries that he might have to have teeth drilled. He takes along his toy dinosaurs, who help him feel safe. When Harry tells the nurse at his dentist's office that he's a good boy, "but my dinosaurs bite," we understand that he's basically fine, but has some fears that feel a bit out of control. To let Dr. Drake know who's in charge, Harry presses a magic button on his tyrannosaurus, and the dinosaur grows huge, terrifying the dentist until Harry makes the dinosaur small again. Harry is now in control of his fears, and so he's able to allow the examination. Unfortunately, there are two references to Harry being "good" (he also gets to choose a library book "for being so good"), which tends to confuse his behavior with who he fundamentally is. But this otherwise delightful story can show children that fears of the dentist are manageable.
Ages: 3-6
Cultural Context: European American