Tag Archives: Fear

Aug5

At the End of Holyrood Lane – Dimity Powell/Nicky Johnson

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holyrood

Harper Collins Australia

ISBN: 9781925335767

ISBN 10: 1925335763

Imprint: Exisle Kids Publishing – NZ

On Sale: 20/08/2018

List Price: 24.99 AUD

 

Just before Miss Small (who really is no longer small!) came to live with me, she was absolutely petrified of storms. She would watch the sky anxiously and literally quiver with fear. While I guessed that this was symptomatic of something else, I hasten to point out it was not domestic violence and as time went by and her emotional anxiety eased, the storm ‘thing’ disappeared.

However, as one who has lived with DV and escaped, it is not only diminishing and frightening for the adult involved but has a very real impact on the children exposed to it, whether or not they are the recipients or not.

So this book with its subtle analogy was quite resonant for me for both those reasons.

This new picture book from Dimity Powell, beautifully illustrated by Nicky Johnston, provides a safe metaphor for children in just such a situation and enables caring adults to explore strategies by which these victims can begin to feel secure.

Flick lives with the fear of storms. Normally her life is filled with ‘sunshine and butterflies’ but the storms regularly appear and Flick, in her intense terror, has no escape except to hide. At last Flick seeks help to weather the storm and finds that this is the way to become free from the tyranny of the recurring fury.

Poetically written with much onomatopoeia and beautiful language it is a book worthy of sharing even if not in a ‘pointed’ way but just to explore children’s fears in general.

We are so blessed to have such quality writers for children in this country who are unafraid to tackle difficult subjects.

This book is endorsed by ActforKids, Paradise Kids, Think Equal and will be launched on 23rd September in Brisbane.

I highly recommend it for your young readers from  Prep upwards and would suggest that you also bring it to the attention of your school guidance officers/psychologists.

HL-Book-Launch-Invite

 

May6

Two For One

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Let’s look at some feelings……

scaredy

Scaredy Book : it’s not always easy to be brave! Devon Sillett & Cara King

Harper Collins

ISBN: 9781925335682

ISBN 10: 1925335682

Exisle Kids Publishing – NZ

On Sale: 23/04/2018

List Price: 24.99 AUD

Often it’s difficult to step out of our comfort zones – hard enough for adults and regularly even more so for children. This is a beautiful book with which to explore overcoming trepidation about new situations.

Book loves being in the library but also yearns at times to get out and be borrowed, to explore and discover new adventures. However he always feels tremendously relieved when no one takes him out as his anxiety overwhelms him. Over and over he watches other books go out and some of them come back damaged – or worse, don’t come back at all. What if the same thing happens to him?

Then Emily finds Book. Emily loves the library and books. She’s a bit sad that Book looks kind of sad and faded so she promptly takes him out and shows him the wonderful world outside the library, as well as taking very good care of him.

This is a wonderful way to introduce the topic of uncertainty about new circumstances and that while they may have some small negatives the positives usually outweigh these.

Highly recommended for young readers from around Prep upwards.

LAC

Lessons of a LAC – Lynn Jenkins/Kirrili Lonergan

Exisle Publishing

9781925335828

$19.99

Just because bad things might happen, it doesn’t mean they will.

Psychologist Lynn Jenkins is committed to helping children build emotional resilience and overcome mental hurdles that increase anxiety and worry.

LACs live in their own village and worry about everything. Their entire existence is a whirl of worry. Opposite geographically and mentally, the Calmsters in their village learn how to relax their minds and build positive responses.

When Loppy LAC meets Curly Calmsters he expects the worse but actually finds some solutions to his constant fears and endless concern. This new friendship leads to an unexpected joining of the two clans as they all learn to deal with life without resolutely expecting disasters.

The delightful illustrations are very reminiscent of Dr Seuss whacky style and will have genuine appeal to children. Art activities which combine ‘feelings’ concepts are a very distinct possibility with this one.

Highly recommended for children from around Prep upwards.

Both of these will be on my list for end of year when Preps prepare to move onto to Year 1 and new adventures.

Aug6

The Build-Up Season – Megan Jacobson

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buildup.jpg

Penguin Random House

9780143573388

July 31, 2017

Penguin (AU YR)

 

RRP $19.99

What a fantastic and gripping read this is! This one had to be read over two nights but it was a wrench to leave it halfway!

Ily (Iliad) Piper is a young woman who has had to face many emotional upheavals in her life and now as a young woman is dealing with the backlash of them. Her father is in jail after years of physical and mental abuse of her mother, Eve, and indeed Ily herself. Ily is living in Darwin now with her mother and her Nan but is sullen and resentful of the past few years when she has been sent away to boarding schools.  She doesn’t realise that this was a safety precaution on the part of her mum and nan, she is just pissed off with them both.  The only thing she enjoys at her new school is her rather quirky friend Mia and her Art which she hopes to turn into a career. Then she hooks up with Jared – self-obsessed, angry and a control freak, just like her father.  Despite all advice from friends including the annoying next door neighbour, Indigenous boy Max, Ily pursues the relationship with Jared and falls into the same trap as her mother had done before her.

This is a brilliant and insightful exploration of the nature of domestic abuse of women and how behaviours become patterns. Fortunately for Ily she has ‘look outs’ on her side. Her mum, her nan, Max, Mia and more are there at exactly the right moments to protect her both from Jared and from her father, recently released from jail.

There are some sensitive aspects to this which may preclude it from your secondary collection such as sexual activity, violence and profanity but truly it is such an exceptional book that examines such a topical issue I would still urge you to consider it, even with provisos.

Highly recommended for mature readers from around sixteen years upwards.