A Duck So Small, by A.H. Benjamin
Duffle was a very small duck and everyone made fun of him because he was small. The ducks would say, “ A duck so small can do nothing at all.” Duffle tried to imitate birds, but he was not successful trying to be someone else. One day he heard the ducks squawking and he listened to find out what was happening. A duck was stuck and every other duck was too big to help. There was one duck who was perfect for the job … Duffle. He rescued the stuck duck. All the other ducks cheered. It is important to know that you are just right for you. Children need to know that they are valued and that they are not too small to do a difficult job. They can do things that are hard. Teasing is hurtful and only makes others feel diminished
Daniel Goes to School, adapted by Becky Friedman from the screenplay by Angela C. Santomero
Dad takes Daniel Tiger to school. Dad cannot stay and play because he has to go to work. The teacher helps Daniel to the art table where he draws a picture of his dad so that he can have dad with him all day. Dad returns at the end of the school day. Gradually, children learn to trust that moms and dads always come back. The teacher helped Daniel find a way to keep dad in mind and to know that it is just the right thing to have missing feelings for dad. There are ways to manage these feelings and not be overwhelmed by them.
When I Feel Scared, by Cornelia Maude Spelman
Everyone feels scared whether you are a child or a grown-up. We all know the scared feeling. We want to acknowledge children’s feelings and help them manage the feeling. Sometimes scared feelings keep us safe and other times we have to manage scared feelings with the help of our parents – like when we’re getting a shot or taking medicine.
Talking about how we feel helps us manage the feeling in bearable bits. It is important for children to know that they should talk to a grown-up when they feel frightened or worried.
How to pick a great children’s book
The selection of books is as important as the selection of toys. Young children have incomplete information for understanding the world around them, which results in what we often refer to as “magical thinking”: explanations for things that don’t make sense to adults. Magical thinking can make it difficult to know what’s going on in a child’s mind, and may lead to unexpected reactions of fear or stress.
Here are some thoughts about selecting appropriate books:
- Look for pictures that may be scary to a young child. Is there a fire? Do the animals have long sharp teeth? Are there depictions of things that you know are troubling to your child specifically?
Acierno
- Is the vocabulary suitable? Are the words scary, like yelping, snarling and hissing sounds. Are there references to violence or antisocial behavior – fighting or throwing things?
- Is it developmentally appropriate? Books for young children should be uncluttered and simple with a clear presentation of the important concepts. The first words that children learn are nouns – the objects of everyday life.
For more insights about selecting books and reading with young children, look at our original list of 100 great children’s books.
Book links go to Amazon and generate a small donation to Hanna Perkins Center when used to make a purchase.
Other blog posts that might be of interest:
NOV
2023
About the Author:
Early Childhood Educator Noreen Acierno teaches preschool at Hanna Perkins School, where she has worked since 1999. She is passionate about children's books.