Healing Days: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma

by Susan Farber Straus, Maria Bogade (Illustrator)

2013 Gelett Burgess Children's Book Mind, Body and Spirit Healing Days  is a sensitive and reassuring story intended for children who have experienced trauma and covers the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that many kids have after a bad and scary thing happens. A useful book to read with a parent or therapist,  Healing Days  emphasizes that children are not to blame for what happened, and that they can get help and look forward to a happy future. Kids will begin to understand their response to the trauma and learn some strategies for feeling safer, more relaxed, and more confident.

Kids will begin to understand their response to the trauma and learn some strategies for feeling safer, more relaxed, and more confident. You can download an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers including a list of helpful resources from APA.org.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dont buy right away. Good to have on deck for a specific kiddo/situation. Excellent understanding of childhood trauma. diverse characters and caregivers. Good strategies for controlling and understanding feelings/stressors.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for kids who have experienced trauma. I'm blown away by how this book maages to be both broad and specific without sacrificing quality. It can be used to help kids with SO MANY EXPERIENCES. This will always be on the shelf at any libary that employs me. Highly recommend.

[Gillian Grisman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was traumatized once so I really liked the book

I have been traumatized before and this book helps me calm down and relax and feel comfortable being around other people.

[Stacy Natal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about dealing with trauma that might be useful for a parent or therapist to read with a child. It's probably too long for a school setting unless it's read one on one.

[حمید شاهکلائی · Rating 1 out of 5]

کلا نپسندیدم

[Jim Erekson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the first self-help books I've been able to review, and it branches out into the social sciences (beyond conventional Social Studies disciplines). Because it is about working with traumatic events, tone makes a big difference. I thought Straus did a good job of using very plain language without sounding condescending. Bogade's illustrations kept the tone from being overly dark, sending a message consistent with the text--that these are kids with the potential to be happy, and that people are mostly good. Resources for adults helping children through trauma are queued up on the publisher's web site.

While Bogade was careful to present equal amounts of gender in her illustrations, the gingham stitched cover border will identify this as a girl book to boys (most likely the work of the designer, not Maria Bogade). The cover should have been more neutral. The illustrations also have a style and tone that identifies this as a pre- through primary grades (K-2) book, which seems to match the text as well.

I did not know the American Psychological Association (APA) had its own children's imprint. Magination press may be a good resource to find more books in this area of informational text!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a welcome book to help explain difficult emotions children face after a traumatic experience. Gently worded text helps children in trauma understand the fear and anger they are experiencing. The author included a well crafted explanation of what going to a therapist is like. Tips, activities and exercises are also included. The language used in the book is calming and not didactic or condescending. I recommend this book to parents and older children who are seeking answers to trauma in their lives. The back cover contains a link to an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers as well as other resources. A wonderful book for ages 4 - 100.

[Arin Brutlag · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book focuses on children who have been victims of trauma, and talks about the variety of reactions such children may have. This is followed by experiences in therapy and using the knowledge and skills that one may learn in session to cope throughout life. The language is straight-forward, but at times, the illustrations overwhelm the text, which is difficult to find on some pages. 28 pages.

Resources: There is a note to readers, as well as a downloadable note to parents and caregivers available on the Magination press website.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great tool for helping kids deal with traumatic incidents. The book walks the reader through feelings, physical responses, ways to handle every day situations when triggered and ways to bring enjoyment back to life. Excellent resource.