Using Books to Help Children Cope

Through books and stories, children learn to cope more constructively with complex emotions like fear and jealousy or stressful experiences like starting school or moving to a new neighborhood. Children often identify strongly with storybook characters, fanciful or realistic, and indirectly work through their day-to-day problems by reading about others' similar problems and solutions. Children take comfort in knowing they are not alone.

Once you find a particular book at the library or bookstore, read it through before sharing it with your child to determine whether it will help your child make sense out of his or her feelings. Books can form a vital springboard for parent-child discussion.

To enhance the therapeutic value of books for your child:

• Select books that sensitively portray a similar problem or emotion your child is experiencing.
• You might gently introduce your child to the book by saying it is about an experience the main character is having with a certain problem or feeling. Do not make a direct association between your child and the storybook character. In addition, do not force your child to read or listen to a story. (Older children are usually resistant to a direct book recommendation from a parent. Instead, have books on topics like divorce, death, or sex education openly available.)
• Read the book over and over again. Your child needs time not only to absorb how the character handled the situation, but also to think about how the problem and solution might personally apply.
• Informally discuss the problems and concerns of the book's main character.
• Listen to your child's interpretation of the feelings and expectations of the main character.
• Stop to answer all of the questions your child asks. Your conversation is more important than the story itself.
• Finally, tell your child about a time in your childhood when you experienced a similar feeling of vulnerability, fear, excitement, or disappointment.

Learn the real life story of the authors of the authors of the childrens book on Curious George - Margret Rey, along with her husband H. A. (Hans Augusto) Rey. The Complete Adventures of Curious George and Margret and H.A. Rey

Shop for childrens' books

Walt Disney's Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - for the first time ever, all of the classic childrens books of Winnie the Pooh from the popular animated films have been collected in this charming children's literature treasury.

The childrens books of Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle Find out who was the loving inspiration for the childrens stories of Raggedy Ann and Andy? Learn the origin of Raggedy Ann, and her little brother Raggedy Andy - the best known rag dolls in the world.

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young - Poems about picnics, pretend, and puppies make this book the book to introduce little ones to poetry. Jack Prelutsky, one of today's most respected children's poets, has selected more than 200 short poems, old favorites, traditional rhymes, and humorous verses, that will delight young listeners.

Random House's Children's Treasury: Fairy Tales, Nursery Rhymes & Nonsense Verse, illustrated by famous artists, contains the best of children's poetry, childrens stories and fairy tales.

Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr Seuss charmed his way into the minds of generations of children and adults. Dr Seuss 's magic survived his death in 1991, continuing to be the world's best-selling childrens book author, and his characters, including the irrepressible Cat in the Hat, are considered among the most influential "media" personalities in young children's lives.

Painting the Sky : Writing Poetry With Children by Shelley Tucker teaches children to write poetry using the poetic elements of everyday language - metaphor, simile, personification, repetition, alliteration, and more. Arranged around these elements, each chapter of Painting the Sky includes writing exercises, suggestions, models for students, and sample poems written by poets of all ages.