Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression [Hardcover]

DeWitt Hamilton (Author), Judith Mathews (Editor), Gail Owens (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

Amanda Martha tries to understand her mother's depression, which sometimes makes her sleep all day, feel sad, or cry.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. A foreword by a medical professional introduces this sensitive bibliotherapeutic picture book about a child whose mother suffers from depression. There isn't much plot: Amanda Martha explains about the sad days, glad days, and in-between days at her house, which are determined by how her mother feels. The story's ending is upbeat--Amanda Martha is allowed to keep the cat she has so longed for--but Hamilton offers no false promises to kids whose parents suffer from the illness. Instead, she offers a strong depiction of an honest, loving mother-and-child relationship that's constantly being tested, and a picture of a child who learns that she's neither the cause of nor the solution to her mother's problem. Owens' double-page-spread illustrations, in mostly cool colors, noticeably darken on sad days; on happy days, the pictures glow with bright hues. Stephanie Zvirin

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807572004
• ISBN-13: 978-0807572009
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,639,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for explaining depression to children, March 18, 2001

By 

Tanja L. Walker "Tanja L. Walker" (Norman, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression (Hardcover)

I bought this and another children's book about depression to help explain depression to my kids. I thought this book did a much better job than the other one I bought. Amanda Martha's mother suffers from depression, and the daughters asks the usual questions: Is it my fault? Can I make you feel better? And the mother gives the right answers: It's not your fault. It's not your job to make you feel better.

The mother's depression was protrayed very realistically, I thought. Some days she's very down and can't even get out of her bathrobe. Other days, she can get dressed, but she's not happy. Some days, she is happy. There are no quick fixes here. However, there is a sense of hope, that when the family pulls together, the necessary work will get done and love will be shared in abundance. This book should be available for all parents who have been diagnosed with depression and who have young children.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great resource for parents and teachers, February 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful resource to share with children. Told simply, from the point of view of a child whose mother is severely depressed, this book is affirming for parents and children. As the child tells us, "some days are sad days, some are glad days and but most are in between days."

Through a simple plot, Amanda shares her feelings about her mother's 'sad days' and 'glad days'. When Amanda first asks for a kitten she is told no, because her mother's sad days might make it difficult to care for the kitten. At the end, Amanda, knowing that most days are in between days, agrees to care for the kitten on her mother's sad days; and her mother can help her on her glad days.'

The book is very uplifting and satisfying with an honest portrayal of living with depression.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This helped me help my child understand why mommy gets sad.., August 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression (Hardcover)

I was looking for a way to talk to my little girl about depression. This book was wonderful. It shows a little girl who has to deal with depression in her home. And it answered questions that I had no way of answering. It has helped my daughter understand that she is not the problem when things are not good at home. And that there are good and bad days. She is not to blame. And that was very important, as a parent with depression, to get across to my children. The only part that I didn't care for was about the cereal. I wish that there had been a different way to see what kind of morning it was. My kids have cold cereal most of the time, even on good days. That is the only reason that I rated it 4 instead of 5. It did make all the important points in a way that a child can understand.