Healing Stories blog news

"Story of the week" posts have been appearing weekly for over eight years now, since September 2006, when Healing Stories was published. New posts will now be on hiatus for an undetermined time. I may perhaps post when I happen to run across a book that seems important to write about, but at least for a while, I won't be posting weekly. This blog will remain online so that the posts are available to you as a resource. Wishing you and the children in your life healing in the stories you read and in the experiences you live.

Big Sister Now: A Story About Me and our New Baby by Annette Sheldon

Illustrated by Karen Maizel. 32 p., Magination, 2006. When there's a new baby at home, you don't get to be the baby any more. At first, Kate doesn't like this. It feels confusing, and she worries that the adults have forgotten about her. Not only that, but when she needs something, she has to wait until baby Daniel's needs are met first. But she does get what she needs eventually, and her Mommy and Daddy are empathic. Kate starts to understand that although she doesn't like not being the baby any more, she does like feeling big. She begins to help take care of Daniel. Her wise Grandma, who up until now seemed only to be paying attention to Daniel, asks Kate to help her bake cookies - because Kate is big enough. This story includes an afterword for parents about how to help children adjust to a new baby. The illustrations convey emotion expressively. With Kate, children will learn that being big can still be as "warm and safe and lovey" as being the baby was. Ages 2-6