Always, Always by Crescent Dragonwagon

Illustrated by Arieh Zeldich. 32 p., Macmillan, 1984.

A girl describes the transition between her mother's urban apartment, where she lives during the school year, and her father's cabin in the woods, where she lives during the summer. Her sadness about being away from each parent is acknowledged, as well as her joy in the special parts of her relationship with each parent and in the life she has with each of them. Although they're different in many ways, both parents will always love their daughter. Kids may ask why the girl travels alone on an airplane or is allowed to ride in a pickup truck bed. But her feelings of loving and missing each parent, and her sense of resolution in their shared love for her, offer empathy and hope to children whose parents have divorced.

Ages 7-10
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American

Jason's Story: Going to a Foster Home by Deborah Anderson and Martha Finne

Illustrated by Jeanette Swofford. 47 p., Dillon Press, 1986.

Seven-year-old Jason was placed in a loving foster home during infancy, after being neglected by his 16-year-old single mother. At the age of two, he was reunited with his mother. Around the age of four, his mother repeatedly physically abused him, and he felt he was a bad boy. He was placed in another foster home, where he felt lonely. He learns from a new social worker that he is not to blame for his mother's troubles, and with this social worker's help, is again reunited with his mother, who has finally learned to care for him properly and to talk with him, not hit, when he does things he's not supposed to do. Jason's feelings about separation, angry feelings in his home, and multiple placements are addressed sensitively but realistically. This book contains a glossary and an afterword for adults. This book can help children understand what foster care is like, and is especially helpful in its emphasis on the idea that children in foster care are not to blame for their families' problems.

Ages 5-9
Main character's cultural background: African American
Cultural context: African American

Just Like Home / Como en Mi Tierra by Elizabeth I. Miller

Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Mira Reisberg. 32 p., Whitman, 1999.

This bilingual book tells the story of a Latino family's immigration to the United States. The daughter notices what is "just like home" and what is "not like home." The family stays with relatives for about two months until they get their own apartment. Although the kids at school aren't friendly, the girl's cousin helps her to get along there, but doesn't always include her with other children. Finally, when other children invite her to play, the girl has fun, and begins to feel at home. An appendix invites readers to find various objects on each page, encouraging monolingual readers to learn the language they don't know. This story conveys empathy with the experience of immigration, and the upbeat ending offers hope of a positive outcome.

Ages 3-8
Main character's cultural background: Latina
Cultural context: multicultural

Healing Feelings: A Healing Story for Children Coping With a Grownup's Mental Illness by Leslie Baker, M.A., MFT

24 p., Tate, 2010.

It can be confusing and upsetting when your parent, or another important adult, has a mental health problem. In this rhyming story, author and marriage and family therapist Leslie Baker demystifies adults' mental disorders. After reviewing feelings that are familiar to children, she explains that sometimes, adults' feelings don't work in the way they should, as a source of information that will "help our minds know where to guide us." She empathizes with children's sense of loss of the happy parent (or other adult) they once knew, and reassures kids that their adult will feel better again, with the help of therapists ("feeling healers") and physicians. Reading this story offers children understanding and hope in a painful situation.

More information about the book is available at The Healing Feelings Book.

Ages 3-8
Main character's cultural background: none
Cultural context: multicultural

Mike and Tony: Best Friends by Harriet Ziefert

Illustrated by Catherine Siracusa. 20 p., Viking Kestrel, 1987.

Mike and Tony are friends who have a positive, cooperative relationship. One evening they have a pillow fight, which leads to an argument about who won. Mike stomps off. With his mother's help, Tony finds Mike. Although Mike is still angry, they're able to agree that no one won, and to be friends again. This story shows children that even good friends disagree and fight, but when they put their friendship ahead of the disagreement, they can find a way to stay friends.

Ages 4-7
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: multicultural

Hurricane! by Jonathan London

Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 32 p., Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1998.

A boy and his brother, who live in Puerto Rico, go snorkeling on an ordinary day, when a hurricane comes suddenly. The children, their parents, and their dog hurry in their car to a shelter. The hurricane shatters a window of the shelter. People sing "Silent Night" together, because it "made us feel better." When the storm is over, the family goes home, and finds their house still standing, although there is debris from trees. The boy feels that little has changed. The next day, he and his brother run to play at the beach again - everything is all right. This story shows that even in a disaster, there is a way to be safe, and the disaster will pass.

Ages 5-8
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: multicultural

Blueberries for the Queen by John Paterson and Katherine Paterson

Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. 32 p., HarperCollins, 2004.

During World War II, William is too young to do war work like his parents, or even his older brother, who helps at a farm. But he often wins the war in his imagination. When Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands comes to stay in his town for a few months, he wants to visit her. He thinks she doesn't come to meet him because he's too young to do war work. Even when William helps his Dad pick blueberries, he wonders whether that could be considered war work somehow. Dad wisely tells him that picking blueberries is peace work, because eating blueberries makes people feel happy. This gives William an idea. He picks a basketful of blueberries, and in spite of his brother's teasing, takes them to the queen. He is allowed to give them to her himself, and she thanks him graciously. As a result of this experience, William comes to value his capacity for peace work. According to an afterword, this story is based on a real event in the author's life. This story works against children's sense of helplessness related to war by showing them a way to value their positive contributions.

Ages 4-8
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American