Book Review - My Body Belongs to Me by Jill Starishevsky

by Susan Heim

Sexual abuse. It's probably one of the last subjects we want to discuss with our children-or even think about ourselves-but experts say that it's essential to teach our children that certain parts of their body are private. Unfortunately, most children who are being sexually abused fail to tell someone, perhaps because their abuser says it's a secret, warns that someone will suffer if they tell, or convinces the child that he or she is at fault. So, how do we talk about abuse with our children without scaring them or giving them the impression that adults are bad?

Jill Starishevsky, an Assistant District Attorney in New York City who has prosecuted hundreds of sex offenders, has written a book to help parents bring up the delicate subject of sexual abuse with their children. My Body Belongs to Me combines simple, rhyming words with lovely drawings to help children understand, "This is my body, and it belongs just to me." The book also instructs kids to tell someone when they're touched inappropriately and reassures them that "they did nothing wrong" when abuse occurs.

In approaching the subject of sexual abuse with our children, the author suggests:

• Use this book as a tool to start a conversation and continue to address the subject periodically so kids remember the message.
• Teach children the proper terms for parts of the body so they feel comfortable talking about them.
• Ask your child "What if?" questions such as, "What if someone told you it was a secret?" Help them to get to the answer of telling another adult.
• Teach children that your family does not "do secrets." If someone encourages them to keep secrets, they should respond by saying that their family tells each other everything.
• Encourage your kids to talk to you whenever they feel scared or uncomfortable. This will help them to know they can always confide in you.
• Let your children know they should trust their feelings. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't, and they should tell someone.

In addition to these tips, My Body Belongs to Me also includes a letter to parents and resources for more information. The author has an accompanying website at www.MyBodyBelongsToMe.com through which you can order the book. I highly recommend it for all families with children between the ages of 3 and 10.

Susan M. Heim is a former Senior Editor for the bestselling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Her published books include "It's Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence"; "Oh, Baby! 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year"; "Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons"; "Boosting Your Baby's Brain Power"; and, "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More." Her articles and essays have appeared in many books, magazines and websites. Susan writes a regular online column for Mommies Magazine called "Loving and Living with Twins and Multiples." She is also an expert on twins and multiples for AllExperts.com and ParentsConnect.com, and a parenting expert for SelfGrowth.com. Susan is the founder of TwinsTalk, a website about twins and raising twins (http://www.twinstalk.com).

Susan shares her parenting wisdom on her blog, Susan Heim on Parenting, at http://www.susanheim.blogspot.com. She is the mother of 4 sons -- two teens and twin preschoolers.

Books For Introducing Young Children to World Religions

by Lisa Erickson

In our increasingly multicultural world, many of us are interested in introducing our children to religions other than our own. And what better way to do it than through books? The following list is of books for introducing children ages 3-9 to religions other than their own. Included are two books for each of the five major world religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. There are a few honorable mentions related to other traditions, or geared for older kids, thrown in at the end.

Buddhism

Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha, by Whitney Stewart - This is an introduction to the main themes of Buddhism through a telling of the Buddha's life story. One of the few Buddhist offerings geared for children this young, the interesting artwork and fascinating story hold young children's interest.

Peaceful Piggy Meditation, by Kerry Lee Maclean - This book introduces children to meditation by portraying it as a tool they can use to help them deal with the difficult everyday situations they most often confront - getting teased by their siblings, falling down at school, or served a dinner they can't stand.

Hinduism

Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story, by Jonny Zucker - Geared for the younger end of this age range, this book introduces the Hindu festival of Diwali by walking through one family's celebration of the day. It is part of the Festival Time series, a collection of books introducing holidays from all the major religions.

The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow, by Sanjay Patel - This is actually not a children's book, but children love it. The author is an animator with Pixar Studios, and has drawn hip, colorful drawings of all the major Hindu deities, along with brief descriptions. An entertaining way for anyone of any age to learn about the Hindu pantheon.

Islam

Ramadan, by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi - This book follows a young boy named Hakeem through the major rituals of Ramadan, including fasting, praying and visits to the mosque. The illustrations are exquisite, capturing children's eyes and minds.

Salaam: A Muslim American Boy's Story, by Tricia Brown - A profile of a real-life American Muslim boy and his family, depicted through simple text and photographs. This book introduces the five pillars of Islam, and cultural aspects of Islam such as hijab (women's headscarves) in an accessible way, as well as broaching the difficult topic of religious intolerance.

Judaism

What Makes Someone a Jew? by Lauren Seidman - With rhyming text and color photographs, this book introduces children to the diversity of Jews around the world. Focused on the basic shared tenets of loving and kindness, this book focuses more on a sense of inclusiveness than religious theology, but presents a powerful multi-cultural image of modern Judaism.

Beni's Family Treasury for the Jewish Holidays, by Jane Breskin Zalben - For a more informative yet entertaining introduction to Judaism's tenets, try this collection of five stories about bear Beni and his family's trials and tribulations while celebrating various Jewish holidays. These tales combine educational information and good storytelling in a way rare for children's religious books.

Christianity

Humphrey's First Christmas, by Carol Heyer - This adorable version of the nativity story is told from the perspective of Humphrey, a grumpy camel witnessing the event. As Humphrey begins to appreciate the value of what he is involved in, he puts his own complaints aside and learns the true meaning of Christmas - selfless giving and love.

The Easter Story, by Brian Wildsmith - The story of Easter is not an easy one to relay to children, with betrayal, suffering and death all prominently featured. This beautifully illustrated version does it justice, focusing on the deeper meaning of each event without glossing over the details too much. Like in the prior book, an animal features prominently, this time the donkey Jesus rides into Jerusalem.

Honorable Mentions

These books are geared for slightly older children, or deal with religions other than the ones covered above.

One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship, by Mary Pope Osborne - Survey of all the world's religions from children's perspectives, geared for 9-12 year olds.

Religion (DK Eyewitness Series), by Myrtle Langley - Another survey book for 9-12 year olds, from the well-known education series DK Eyewitness.

Meet Jesus: The Life and Lessons of a Beloved Teacher, by Lynn Tuttle Gurney - Accessible and universalist telling of Jesus' life story, appropriate for liberal Christians and non-Christians.

Aisha's Moonlit Walk, by Anika Stafford - Introduction to pagan holidays and celebrations throughout the year.

Zen Shorts, by Jon Muth - Introduction to Zen principles by a giant panda, targeted to children 9-12, but the pictures pulled my four-year old in as well.

The Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh, by Amy Novesky - Beautifully illustrated tale of Ganesh, Hindu deity.

Lisa Erickson is a mom, meditation teacher, and writer. Visit her blog http://www.MommyMystic.wordpress.com for spiritual book reviews and information on meditation and spirituality.

Review: When Your Grandparent Dies - A Child's Guide to Good Grief

by Terri Forehand

This is another book in the Elf Help Books for Kids series which helps parents help their children deal with the painful realities of life and loss. This book can be read alone by older children but be ready to answer questions they may have. The book is also a great read aloud book for parents to read to the grandchildren left behind. The elf character and illustrations softens the text and helps the child to relate to what is being said. It allows good opportunities for the parent to open lines of communication about family values, the love shared with the grandparent, and good ways to remember the loved one.

When a beloved grandparent dies, there is so much pain for everyone in the family. A book like this guide is helpful and a good resource when finding the right words is so hard. Each page goes over a different question or idea making it easy to do a page or two at a time, so you and the child don't feel so overwhelmed.

This book is available at the library or your local bookstore. You will not be disappointed in how well this book addresses the issues of losing a grandparent. The author is well versed in the issues of loss and you can expect the book to be true and objective, respectful of all cultures. I recommend this book as a resource and aid in helping children deal with the painful loss of a grandparent.

The book WHEN YOUR GRANDPARENT DIES: A Child's Guide to Good Grief may be the answer.

Author: Victoria Ryan

Illustrations: R.W. Alley

Terri Forehand
terri.forehand@gmail.com
http://heartfeltwords4kids.blogspot.com
website- http://www.freewebs.com/heartfeltwords4kids/
I am a registered pediatric critical care nurse and freelance writer. I strive to provide accurate information to help families and children cope with health care issues whether they are acute or death and dying issues. Feel free to email with comments or suggestions.