‘A Terrible Thing Happened’ by Margaret M. Holmes
Witnessing a tragedy can often be just as damaging as experiencing it firsthand. Child psychologist Courtney Ferenz, PsyD, recommends A Terrible Thing Happened for children who have witnessed or experienced a trauma. Written by Margaret Holmes, the book tells the story of a raccoon named Sherman who has seen a terrible event and then represses his emotions about it. This repression causes Sherman to begin to feel sick and act out. He eventually meets a someone who helps him talk through and overcome his trauma. He ultimately realizes that opening up to someone else was what he needed to feel better. This book may be written for ages four to seven, but anyone who needs encouragement and validation after a traumatic event can benefit from it.
‘Two Homes’ by Claire Masurel
In the book Two Homes, Claire Masurel leaves assumptions at the door and gets real about life after divorce. She puts a positive spin on a child having two homes and two parents who love him or her exactly the same as before the divorce. Her honesty can alleviate divorcing parents from some of the guilt they’re feeling about how the split is affecting their children. Divorce is, of course, never something that a parent wants their child to experience, but this book finds the positive in what can feel like a negative time.
