Helping Children Deal with Trauma

Yesterday I spent all day at Book Expo in NYC.   I had forgotten how nice it is to talk about books all day with other people who love them.   While I was there I came across a publisher of self help books for children.   I was very interested in this subject.   There has been so much horrible news of late that I have been wondering how children are dealing with it.   If the images from the floods and tornados are making me cry than I am sure it is affecting them too.   I have wanted to recommend some books that would help children deal with natural disasters, sadness or trauma but hadn't been able to find books I liked.   Luckily I stumbled across Magination Press and found they have the perfect books to deal with just these situations.  

A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes and illustrated by Cary Pillo is described as "a story for children who have witnessed violence or trauma".   The book is written in a language children can understand with a character they can relate to.   Because it doesn't say specifically what the child witnessed, it can be used for any type of situation.  Which makes it more universal.

Jenny is Scared When Sad Things Happen in the World by Carol Shuman, PhD and illustrated by Cary Pillo is also a perfect book to help children deal with what they see on television.   We can try to hide the images but kids have a way of noticing things we don't want them too.  

I'll Know What to Do A Kid's Guide to Natural Disasters by Bonnie S. Mark PhD and Aviva Layton with illustrations by Michael Chesworth  is book that not only deals with facts about hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes etc but it also talks about the feelings and emotions these natural disasters can incur.   This is for an older child but I think younger children can also get some good information from it.


I hope these suggestions can help a child deal with the world and events going on today~