The Children’s Book List: A Shopping Guide for Parents
The Children’s Book List: A Shopping Guide for Parents, provides parents and caregivers with age-appropriate books on life experiences. It is a resource so you can learn, as a parent or caregiver, to communicate with your child or teen about sensitive issues, child development and life experiences. These books, along with better communication and understanding by the parent or caregiver, can help children and teens better cope with these experiences. The purpose of this book list helps to educate parents to be more informed and help to communicate better with your child. It is not meant to provide medical or mental health advice. If you have questions or concerns, talk with your child's doctor or mental health professional.
CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA
Children can be exposed to psychological trauma, such as a physical or psychological threat or assault to the child’s safety, sense of self, integrity, or to that of another person significant to the child. Specific traumatic experiences might include, divorce, loss of a loved one due to suicide or other death, exposure to intimate partner violence, abandonment, school shootings, bullying, personal attack by another person or animal, natural disaster (earthquake, flood, fire, etc.), witness to violence in the home, neighborhood or school (fight, knifing, shooting, drive-by shooting), war or other military actions, or medical procedures among the child or loved one (i.e. accident, illness, surgery).
Children can be exposed to psychological trauma, such as a physical or psychological threat or assault to the child’s safety, sense of self, integrity, or to that of another person significant to the child. Specific traumatic experiences might include, divorce, loss of a loved one due to suicide or other death, exposure to intimate partner violence, abandonment, school shootings, bullying, personal attack by another person or animal, natural disaster (earthquake, flood, fire, etc.), witness to violence in the home, neighborhood or school (fight, knifing, shooting, drive-by shooting), war or other military actions, or medical procedures among the child or loved one (i.e. accident, illness, surgery).
AFTER EFFECTS OF TRAUMA
The effects of a single traumatic experience or ongoing, repeated traumatic experiences can affect the child’s capacity and ability to function and self-regulate both physically and emotionally. These can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a wide range of behaviors, including but not limited to, heightened startle response/hyper alertness, over arousal or under arousal, difficulty sleeping or eating, difficulty digesting food, withdrawal or dissociation, preoccupation or reenactment of the traumatic experience, sleeplessness, or terrified responses to sounds, sensory input, sights, etc. that trigger the experience. Children who lack secure attachment are at a greater risk for developing dysregulation and developing posttraumatic stress symptoms. Children who have abusive or unresponsive parents (those who do not model healthy coping skills or downplay the effects) are at risk of developing chronic hyper arousal which contribute to the child’s inability to self-regulate their emotions or self soothe. These children lack protection in their most important relationships, whether biological or other significant caregiver, and if exposed to a traumatic experience, have limited coping skills and are more likely to be overpowered by stress. When a child has no choice but to cope alone, they have limited options and as a result respond with hyper arousal or dissociation.
The effects of a single traumatic experience or ongoing, repeated traumatic experiences can affect the child’s capacity and ability to function and self-regulate both physically and emotionally. These can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a wide range of behaviors, including but not limited to, heightened startle response/hyper alertness, over arousal or under arousal, difficulty sleeping or eating, difficulty digesting food, withdrawal or dissociation, preoccupation or reenactment of the traumatic experience, sleeplessness, or terrified responses to sounds, sensory input, sights, etc. that trigger the experience. Children who lack secure attachment are at a greater risk for developing dysregulation and developing posttraumatic stress symptoms. Children who have abusive or unresponsive parents (those who do not model healthy coping skills or downplay the effects) are at risk of developing chronic hyper arousal which contribute to the child’s inability to self-regulate their emotions or self soothe. These children lack protection in their most important relationships, whether biological or other significant caregiver, and if exposed to a traumatic experience, have limited coping skills and are more likely to be overpowered by stress. When a child has no choice but to cope alone, they have limited options and as a result respond with hyper arousal or dissociation.
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
Unfortunately, exposure to trauma is common among children and adolescents. They experience trauma in more forms from betrayal of physical and sexual abuse from trusted caregivers to victims of and witness to violence in their family, community, and school. Protective factors however are shown to help reduce the aftereffects of childhood trauma. These can include self-efficacy, capacity for emotional regulation, positive beliefs about self and the world, motivation to take positive action on the child’s behalf, information and intelligence, and social support (competent and caring parents and caregivers). These protective factors are primary prevention factors, which provide a safe, nurturing relationship for the child. However, whether an exposed child has the proper secure, attached, healthy adult caregiver to provide them with a nurturing relationship, or if they do not, secondary prevention efforts important for early identification of being exposed to a traumatic experience. Early identification and timely intervention to create or reestablish safety and self-regulation is necessary to establish health development in the child.
Unfortunately, exposure to trauma is common among children and adolescents. They experience trauma in more forms from betrayal of physical and sexual abuse from trusted caregivers to victims of and witness to violence in their family, community, and school. Protective factors however are shown to help reduce the aftereffects of childhood trauma. These can include self-efficacy, capacity for emotional regulation, positive beliefs about self and the world, motivation to take positive action on the child’s behalf, information and intelligence, and social support (competent and caring parents and caregivers). These protective factors are primary prevention factors, which provide a safe, nurturing relationship for the child. However, whether an exposed child has the proper secure, attached, healthy adult caregiver to provide them with a nurturing relationship, or if they do not, secondary prevention efforts important for early identification of being exposed to a traumatic experience. Early identification and timely intervention to create or reestablish safety and self-regulation is necessary to establish health development in the child.
Sex Abuse and Prevention/Personal Boundaries
- Please Tell! A child's story about sexual abuse (Author: Jessie (9 year old) - Ages Preschool-2
- It's My Body: A Book to Teach Young Children How to Resist Uncomfortable Touch (Author: Lory Freeman) - Ages Preschool-3
- The Trouble with Secrets (Author Karen Johnsen) - Ages Preschool-5
- Your Body Belongs to You (Author: Cornelia Spelman) - Ages 3-6
- Those are My Private Parts (Author: Diane Hansen) - Ages 4-8
- My Body is Mine, My Feelings are Mine (Author: S. Hoke) - Ages 5-9)
- Ned's Secret-A story about child sexual abuse (Author: Teri Stephenson) - Ages 5-12
- U Touch I Tell (Author: Chi Hosseinion) - Ages 7-9
- Please Knock (Author E. Dolgan. 2007 IPPY Bronze Award Winner - Best Childrens Picture Book ) - Ages 7 and up
- If I Tell (Author: Susan Marcy-Webster)- Ages 9 and up
- Let's Talk About S-E-X: A Guide for Kis 9 to 12 and Their Parents (Authors: S. Gitchel & L. Foster) - Ages 9-12
- My Body, My Self for Girls: The "What's Happening to My body?" (Authors: Lynda Madaras & Area Madaras) - Ages 9 and up
- My Body, My Self for Boys: The "What's Happening to My body?" (Authors: Lynda Madaras & Area Madaras) - Ages 9 and up
- Boundaries: A Guide for Teens (Authors: Val Peter & Tom Dowd) - Ages 13-17
- A Touching Book-For little people and for big people (Author: Jan Hindman) - For parents
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Parental Issues
- Why Are You So Sad: A Child's Book About Parental Depression (Authors: Beth Andrews, Nicole Wong, et al.) - Ages 3-8
- Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry (Authors: Bebe Moore Campbell and E.B. Lewis) - Ages 4-8
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Divorce
- Mama and Daddy Bear's Divorce (Authors: Cornelia Maude Spelman and Kathy Parkinson) - Ages 4-8
- I Don't Want to Talk about It: A story about divorce for young children (Author: Jeanie Franz Ransom) - Ages 4-8
- At Daddy's on Saturdays (Authors: Linda Walvoord Girard and Judith Friedman) - Ages 4-8
- My Parents Are Getting A Divorce...I Wonder What Will Happen To Me (Authors Karen Kaye and Hara Washholder) - Ages 4-12
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Bereavement (Grief from the loss of a loved one or animal)
- Bereavement When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Authors: Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brow) - Ages 5-10
- What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? (Author: Trevor Romain) - Ages 5-10
- When Someone Dies: A Children's Mindful How-To Guide on Grief and Loss (Author: Andrea Dorn) - Ages 4-10
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Bullying
- Berenstain Bears And The Bully (Authors: Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain) - Ages 8-12
- Bullying Just Kidding (Authors: Trudy Ludwig and Adam Gustavson) - Ages 8-12
- Bullying Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain (Author Trevor Romain) - Ages 8 and up
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Self Esteem
- The Berenstain Bears and the Double Dare (Authors: Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain) - Ages 3-6
- When I Feel Sad (Authors: Cornelia Maude Spelman) Ages 3-6
- The Paper Bag Princess (Author: Robert Munsch) - Ages 4-7
- Stop Picking on Me: A First Look at Bullying (Authors: Pat Thomas and Lesley Harker) - Ages 5-8
- Stephanie's Ponytail (Authors: Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko) - Ages 4-7
- Affirmation Weaver: A Believe in Yourself Story (Boost Self-esteem & Decrease Stress and Anxiety) Author: Lori Lite. Ages 4-11
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Bad Dreams
- Jessica and the Wolf: A Story for Children Who Have Bad Dreams (Author: Ted Lobby) - Ages 5-6
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Anger & Lies
- Everyone Feels Angry Sometimes - An anger management book for kids (Author Dr. Daniela Owen) - Ages3-10
- Little Lucy & Her Little White Lies (Author: Leigha Huggins) - Ages 3-8
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