Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Power of Children's books

NPR has a lovely piece "Kids' Books with Lessons for Life."
All Things Considered, November 9, 2004 · One of the toughest tasks for any parent is helping their children cope with a painful situation. Whether it's rejection, bullying or a thorny teenage breakup, finding just the right words to soothe a troubled child is very difficult. In those moments, s often lament that parenting doesn't come with some sort of instruction manual.

But there are books that can help -- children's books. Fables, fairy tales and novellas can do more than just entertain and delight. They can also ease young people through some of life's challenges.

Classics like Where the Wild Things Are, Ramona the Pest, The Hundred Dresses all have life lessons that can be helpful to kids. Young books can "entertain and assure" kids making the transition to hood. Two books I like for, 5th grade and up were on the list, What Every (Except Me) Knows by Nora Raleigh Baskin (adolescence) and The s by Amy Goldman Koss (cliques.) One of my daughter's favorites, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (adolescence) was also included.

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