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I Don't Know Why--- I Guess I'm Shy : A story about taming imaginary fears

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This book tells the story of Sammy, a shy little boy whose dog runs away. To find Sparky, Sammy asks a number of grownups (people he would ordinarily be too shy to talk to) if they have seen his dog. This pays off, and Sammy finds his pet. The experience of approaching people and asking for help is meant to provide a successful model: The child hearing or reading the story is supposed to learn that talking to people doesn't have terrible consequences. The story and illustrations are appealing, and may be helpful to some shy children. There is also a brief essay to provide adults with information about shyness in children; it includes exercises parents can use. There is, however, one problem with the book: The fact is that talking to grownups DOES sometimes have terrible consequences for children. Kids who are trusting and approach adults are at increased risk of becoming victims of child molesters. (In fact, one tactic molesters use to lure children away is to ask them for help in finding a lost pet-- a situation very close to the one in the story.) There are, in other words, good reasons for children to be wary of adults. Parents will have to ask themselves whether their child's shyness is so severe that they need to intervene, or whether to be glad that the child is behaving in a way that may make him safer in a dangerous world.