Bad Stuff in the News [Hardcover]

Rabbi Marc Gellman (Author), Monsignor Thomas Harman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: P and up

How can we cope in a world filled with pollution, poverty, and violence? In our media-centric society, this is a question that kids come face-to-face with at increasingly young ages. And ever since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America, our personal safety has never felt more in danger.
With their unique combination of sensitivity, insight, and humor drawn from their years of counseling experience as clerics, nationally known commentators Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman address such front-page tragedies as hate crimes, terrorism, school and sports violence, and substance abuse. After exploring some of the complex factors that lead such tragedies to happen, each chapter addresses what small but important steps might be taken in order to prevent them from happening again. And although some "bad stuff" is unavoidable, they invite readers to discover how simple acts of comfort can make a big difference.

This essential handbook for today's modern youth will help kids and parents deal with confusing, troubling, or scary events, while showing them how to take part in repairing the broken world around them.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman, the team behind How Do You Spell God?, speak directly to tweens and teens in Bad Stuff in the News: A Guide to Handling the Headlines. Beginning with what happened last September 11, the self-titled "God Squad" seeks to put the events in the headlines into perspective, including natural disasters and hate crimes. Sections called "Stuff to Understand" and "Stuff You Can Fix" offer ideas for young people who wish to take action.

From School Library Journal

Grades 6-10--In the introduction, Rabbi Gellman and Monsignor Hartman explain that their intention is to help readers avoid becoming either overly frightened by or desensitized to the ongoing flood of bad news on television and in the newspapers. In each chapter, they elucidate ways to understand why these things happen as well as ways to fix them, if not now, then as readers grow up. Chapters cover terrorism; school violence; natural disasters; physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; hatred and racism; "bad sportsmanship"; serious illness; and more. The discussions offer definitions and examples, followed by sections called "Stuff to Understand," about the forces and factors that precipitate such events, and "Stuff You Can Fix," practical suggestions for coping with disaster or contributing to solutions. The authors emphasize, however, that many problems are for adults to handle. They remind readers that there is oftentimes room for negotiation and mutual understanding between children and parents, and that some things, like clothes, are about taste, which is different from good and bad. They close with the gentle reminder that the world is not yet perfect, but that that is OK. The book is illustrated with collages of headlines. It would be useful in a number of classrooms, including social studies, civics, and journalism, and for initiating discussions on the realities of the destruction of the World Trade Center.
Sylvia V. Meisner, Greensboro Montessori School, NC
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: SeaStar Books (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587171325
• ISBN-13: 978-1587171321
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,928,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Does The News Upset Your Child, December 23, 2005

By 

Virginia Allain "(retired librarian)" (Poinciana, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bad Stuff in the News (Hardcover)

Bad Stuff in the News - Discusses how such problems as terrorism, child abuse, and hate crimes are reported in the media and some things that individuals can do to help children understand these problems.