Books to Help Children Cope with Separation and Loss [Paperback]

Joanne E. Bernstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1977

Presented here are some 750 fiction and nonfiction books--from folklore to poetry--focusing on separation and loss themes for young people. Highly selective, the guide profiles only classic and recommended titles from School Library Journal, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, The Horn Book, The Bookfinder, and other publications. Arranged by topic, each annotated entry provides a review of plot and theme, interest/reading level, suggestions for use, and full bibliographic information. Issues include Homelessness, Economic Loss/Parents Out of Work, and Race Relations. This is the ideal reference guide for those who have the opportunity to help children facing tough personal roadblocks, ranging from going away to camp to the death of a sibling.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A companion volume to the second edition (published in 1983 and still in print), this easy-to-use bibliographic tool annotates 606 fiction and nonfiction titles, none of which were discussed in the previous work. Added to the generally sensible headings--which include "losing a friend," "old age," and "prisons"--are several new heading such as "kidnapping," "abuse," and "suicide." Other, more material changes are evident in the discussion on bibliotherapy strategies and the omission of book prices. The format, however, remains identical: Each annotation not only indicates interest and reading levels for youngsters three through 16 but includes a critique and summary. Busy teachers, librarians, parents, and psychologists will appreciate the five indexes. Also helpful is a directory of organizations. Recommended for public, school, and academic libraries.
- Janice Arenofsky, formerly with Arizona State Lib., Phoenix
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This annotated bibliography of fiction and nonfiction for children ages 3-16 is now in its fourth edition. Death, divorce, desertion, disease, and disaster, all life-altering experiences for children, are topics covered by numerous books. The compilers have brought the best of these books together to create a useful tool for bibliotherapy.

The volume is divided into three parts. The largest portion is part two, the annotated list of books. It contains some 740 entries dealing with the topics described above as well as books that cover other kinds of losses. Part two is divided into three chapters. Within each chapter, entries are divided into thematic categories, each a kind of loss, (i.e. moving, getting lost, absent parent, homelessness, abuse, chronic illness, and war). On occasion, categories may be further divided to reflect aspects of a theme. For example, the titles on abuse are divided into physical, emotional, and sexual. In addition to the bibliographic citation and interest level, each entry includes an evaluative annotation highlighting the book's strengths and weaknesses. However, reading levels, because of their inherent limitations, are not included. The majority of the titles in this volume were published between 1985 and 1993.

Titles were chosen for inclusion based on the accuracy and currency of the work, its emotional impact, the treatment of potentially sensitive or inflammatory issues, its literary merit, illustrations, and, if the work is nonfiction, if the information is presented in an evenhanded manner. Exceptions were made for books that enjoyed great popularity but that may contain incorrect or biased information. Annotations point out the book's flaws as well as any positive points.

In part one of the volume, the editors provide two essays, updated from the 1989 edition. The first discusses the effect of separation and loss on child development. The second describes bibliotherapy. In part three the editors provide a list of selected readings for adults on the themes of separation and loss and bibliotherapy. In addition, the editors include a directory of organizations to assist children and adults dealing with problems discussed in this book. Four different indexes complete the volume: author, title, subject, and interest level.

Previous volumes of Books to Help Children Cope with Separation and Loss have been recommended by the Board to teachers, counselors, and others who help children deal with the often devastating effects of loss. This fourth edition may also be recommended to public librarians and to those who do readers' advisory work. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: R.R. Bowker; 1st edition (1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835208370
• ISBN-13: 978-0835208376
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,567,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)