In line with our social media focus of "Wounded Heart: A Look at Sexual Abuse", we will be reviewing Margaret M. Holmes' "A Terrible Thing Happened". This book review was written by one of our therapist - Kristin Lowrey. Before coming to Pathways, Kristin worked at Children's Hospital with children who has been abused and so she is very knowledgeable on this topic. If you would like to read more about her, click here.
Synopsis:
"A Terrible Thing Happened" is a children’s book by Margaret M. Holmes that
tells the story of a young Raccoon, Sherman, who witnessed something
terrible. Initially he tries not to
think about the terrible thing, but soon it starts to bother him. He then experiences anxiety, bad dreams,
anger and many other symptoms. He starts
to meet with Ms. Maple who helps him sort out his feels and begin to work
through the trauma.
Purpose:
The book is written and illustrated in a way to appeal to
young children, preschoolers and up, who have experienced or witnessed some
kind of trauma. It normalizes feelings
that could result from trauma and helps to explain how suppressing feelings can
lead to so many problems including acting out behaviors. At the end of the book there is a
parent/caregiver guide that gives suggestions on how to work with a child
following a traumatic event.
Potential Uses:
This book could be a wonderful resource for either a family
or a professional. It is a great tool to
use to open up communication with children about the internal aftermath of
trauma that is often hard for them to understand.
*This column is not intended to substitute for an actual session with a licensed counselor.
If you have a question you would like to ask, EMAIL US: askanne@abchome.org or leave a comment. We would love to answer one of your questions.
