Children learning from the books of life

While nothing can take away the pain, certain things can help – and that includes books. A story book that tackles tough issues such as bereavement, the separation of parents, and bullying, can help children realise they’re not alone, and perhaps help them voice their feelings through the book characters.

However, children and parents may have found it hard to find books relating to specific difficulties in life – until now. The charity, Partnership for Children, which helps young children to be mentally and emotionally healthy, has compiled two booklets listing story books that may help children get through hard times in their young lives.

The booklets, Good Books For Tough Times, are aimed at children aged five to eight, and nine to 12. They were put together by Caroline Egar, programme manager at Partnership for Children, who explains: “Younger children aren’t so articulate, and it might be harder for them to express what they’re feeling when they’re going through something difficult.

“But through reading a story book, these things might come out. One of the reasons we produced the guides is that people just don’t know where to look for books like this.”

“Stories are very powerful, and children can identify with characters in a story in a way that’s safe for them,” says Caroline. “They can transfer their feelings onto the character, and resolve them in that way.”

She says that a major criteria for choosing the books was that they were a good read for children, whether or not they were going through a tough time.

And she tells parents: “If your child comes across some difficulty, reading a book with them is a really helpful way of tackling it. It’s a safe and more pleasurable way of approaching something that can be difficult to talk about.”

Children’s author Jacqueline Wilson, the Children’s Laureate between 2005-2007, wrote the foreword to one of the booklets, and says: “If you’re anxious or unhappy, it’s so reassuring to read about someone else going through something similar. You feel you’re not alone, that there’s a friend who understands.”

She says she hopes parents can cuddle up with a worried child and read together, adding: “Books obviously can’t always solve problems, but they’re certainly an immense comfort and solace in times of stress.”

Jack Sallabank, manager of the National Literacy Trust’s Reading for Life initiative, says that as well as subtly offering support and advice to children, books give them the chance to find out how other people have successfully dealt with issues, or teach them coping mechanisms to help them deal with whatever life throws at them.

Children usually haven’t experienced these tough scenarios themselves before,” he says.

“And they don’t have the capacity to understand different situations and how people’s emotions play into them. That can be delivered in a story. It helps them to conceptualise what’s going on in an easy to understand way.”

He says the booklets are “a great idea”, as many children don’t have the confidence or the ability to talk about their problems.

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Books listed include David Yelland’s The Truth About Leo for its openness about alcoholism in families, The Cat Mummy by Jacqueline Wilson, which deals with bereavement, and The Boy In The Dress by David Walliams, which teaches children it’s all right to be different. Then there’s Picking On Percy by Catherine MacPhail, which tells the story of how a magic machine makes the best footballer in school swap places with the small boy he bullies. The booklets can be downloaded free from www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk, or a hard copy can be ordered from the charity on 020 8974 6004.