Parents and teachers will be combing home and library bookshelves over
the next few weeks and months for stories to comfort their children and
students. While there are no books that specifically address the events
that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, there are titles
that will ease young fears and offer kids hope. Below you’ll find some
recommendations from School Library Journal’s Book Review staff. We welcome your suggestions; please feel free to add them to our comments section.
K-Gr 3-Daniel’s friend owns the neighborhood grocery
store. When Mr. James is injured during a robbery at his store, the
six-year-old child must deal with fear and anger. Helped by his parents,
teacher, classmates, and Mr. James himself, Daniel learns how to cope
with his feelings. An introduction aimed at parents explains how they
can help their children understand the existence of violence and develop
compassion and empathy in spite of it. Cohn presents the issue in a
sensitive and generally nonthreatening way. The actual assault is never
shown and the injury is not serious; just enough is described to
initiate discussion. The full-color pastel illustrations provide a
comforting view of Daniel and Mr. James’s story, as well as of the
multicultural community. Given the presence of violence in almost every
community, the topic will, unfortunately, be familiar to most readers.
An excellent book for both school librarians and parents to share with
their young children.-Mary Rinato Berman, New York Public Library
Gr 6-10–In the introduction, Rabbi Gellman and
Monsignor Hartman explain that their intention is to help readers avoid
becoming either overly frightened by or desensitized to the ongoing
flood of bad news on television and in the newspapers. In each chapter,
they elucidate ways to understand why these things happen as well as
ways to fix them, if not now, then as readers grow up. Chapters cover
terrorism; school violence; natural disasters; physical, sexual, and
emotional abuse; hatred and racism; “bad sportsmanship”; serious
illness; and more. The discussions offer definitions and examples,
followed by sections called “Stuff to Understand,” about the forces and
factors that precipitate such events, and “Stuff You Can Fix,” practical
suggestions for coping with disaster or contributing to solutions. The
authors emphasize, however, that many problems are for adults to handle.
They remind readers that there is oftentimes room for negotiation and
mutual understanding between children and parents, and that some things,
like clothes, are about taste, which is different from good and bad.
They close with the gentle reminder that the world is not yet perfect,
but that that is OK. The book is illustrated with collages of headlines.
It would be useful in a number of classrooms, including
social studies, civics, and journalism, and for initiating discussions
on the realities of the destruction of the World Trade Center.–Sylvia V. Meisner, Greensboro Montessori School, NC
PreS-Gr 2–How does one address the attacks of September
11, 2001, in a picture book for young children? Patel’s efforts to make
her own peace with the subject have resulted in a book that does so
quite effectively. Her tissue-paper collages depict, at first, a world
that is “very big, and really round, and pretty peaceful.” The white
expansive backgrounds allow viewers to focus completely on the images
and message. The author goes on to explain that “sometimes bad things
happen because people act in mean ways and hurt each other on purpose.”
(Even preschoolers know this to be true.) The accompanying scene is
simply a collage outline of America. Patel then offers a variety of ways
that children, or anyone, could help the world: sharing, playing and
laughing, taking care of the Earth, and being kind. Concluding pages
point to the strength of the goodness that exists; listeners are
reminded that they are part of that. Short sentences build into longer,
cumulative lines; this repetition plugs into a familiar, oral tradition,
while providing reinforcement for the ideas. Both this textual pattern
and the circular, connected lines of the art break at the delivery of
the terrible news. They resume, subtly, in the denouement. This book
will be welcomed by those who want to mark the anniversary of the
tragedy with children; it is worth noting that it would also be useful
to open a dialogue in the context of any violent act.–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
Rotner, Shelley & Sheila Kelly.
Good-Byes. photos. by Shelley Rotner. Millbrook. 2002.
PreS- Gr 1-As readers come to learn there are all kinds
of good-byes and at times they can be difficult. Accompanying this
simple text are clear color photographs depicting children saying
farewell to a host of familiar people from a parent at the start of a
school day to the local grocery store owner when as they leave a shop.
The author touches on the good-byes of a child who has two homes,
between friends when families move, and when a loved one has died and
the feelings these events evoke. The author states: “The hardest
good-bye is a good-bye that’s forever…” Every page includes a large
photograph, except this last one. The book ends on a lighter note with
the line: “…but most good-byes are ‘Good-bye for now!’” A superb choice
for introducing this subject with young children.-Meghan R. Malone, East Milton Public Library District, MA
The following titles were not reviewed in
School Library Journal, but are recommended for libraries:
Cohn, Janice. 
Gellman, Nathan & Thomas Hartman. 
Patel, Andrea. 
