Annabelle's Secret: A Story about Sexual Abuse (Paperback)

~ (Author), Richa Kinra (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Annabelle has a secret. When she was seven years old, she was approached by a neighborhood boy and invited into a "secret club". Unfortunately, this club was just a ruse for thirteen-year-old Joel to groom Annabelle for abuse. A few years later, when Annabelle turns eleven, she finds some bad feelings have returned for her.

Experts Acclaim for Annabelle's Secret

"Amy Barth's Annabelle could be just the 'friend' a sexually abused child needs, and it models just what parents should to do if their child shares about sexual abuse. A great little resource for children, parents, schools, therapists, treatment agencies, and prevention programs."
--Karen R. Nash, LCSW

"Annabelle's Secret is a well-written and beautifully illustrated book for children that tells the difficult tale of Annabelle, what happened to her, and what she did to stop the sexual abuse that she was experiencing. The book is written in a straightforward yet compelling manner that exposes the excruciating situation that far too many children experience. This book is a welcome and needed addition to the tools that we have for children and families and service providers for dealing openly about child sexual abuse."
--Pamela Pine, PhD, MPH, Founder and CEO
Stop the Silence: Stop Child Sexual Abuse, Inc

"Annabelle's Secret supports important issues regarding sexual abuse that may arise in a young girl's life. Written like a comforting letter from a survivor, the young reader will become aware of the importance and safety to report any encounters. The book is simply written and in understandable terms for any 6 to 9-year old. The information is concise, yet heartening and loving. Annabelle's Secret should be read with a parent present to encourage dialog about this significant subject."
--Irene Watson, author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference

"Annabelle relates a story that reconfirms what I have observed over many years. Abused children, male or female, universally believe that it is their fault. Their self-image is mangled; they need to tell the truth; and they must get help from someone who knows how to treat such an injury to the soul."
--Fr. Heyward B. Ewart, III, PhD, Author of Am I Bad? Recovering From Abuse

To learn more, please visit www.AmyJBarth.com From Loving Healing press www.LovingHealing.com

Juvenile Fiction : Social Issues - Sexual Abuse

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 20 pages
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press (May 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932690956
• ISBN-13: 978-1932690958
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,619,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Difficult Topic, Nice Book, June 26, 2009

By	Rebby (Illinois) - See all my reviews

Amy Barth has created a book that miraculously makes those awkward conversations with children a little bit easier. Annabelle's Secret is a great resource for those looking to educate their children about sexual abuse and how to handle it should it ever happen to them.

The story is narrated by Annabelle, a fourteen year-old girl who is a survivor of sexual abuse. An older boy from her neighborhood begins abusing her when she is only seven years old. During and after the abuse, Annabelle struggles with the same issues many abuse victims face. She worries about angering her abuser and parents by telling and she often feels guilt for letting the abuse occur. Annabelle copes with these feelings by mistreating herself and refusing to have a healthy, social life. Once she shares her secret with a parent, the healing process can begin. She is fortunate enough to receive support from her parents, counselor, and other survivors following the abuse.

The topic of sexual abuse can be very difficult to discuss with a child. Thankfully, Annabelle's Secret is written in a simple, comforting way that will appeal to children. The text is nicely complemented with bright illustrations. It could be read with children by parents or teachers to educate them about sexual abuse and what they can do about it. The book reassures children that it's okay to tell someone about it, which is a dilemma that often plagues abuse victims. This book would also be appropriate to use by therapists who treat victims of sexual abuse. It offers a variety of ways a child or young adult can cope with abuse, such as tracking feelings in a journal, taking a jog, talking with other victims, or sketching.

Because of the sensitive nature of sexual abuse, many parents and guardians choose to forgo discussing it with their children. This choice could be one they end up regretting. At the very least, providing children with a copy of this book will give them a good idea of the issue and how to protect themselves. However, using this book to help start or guide this important discussion would be even better!

4.0 out of 5 stars A Difficult Story, June 24, 2009

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Sophia (age 6.5) and Madeline (age 8) McElroy for Reader Views (6/09)

Madeline: "Annabelle's Secrets" is a difficult story about a young girl named Annabelle. This is a book for children who have been sexually abused. This is a book for children to help them realize that the abuse was not their fault and that they don't need to be scared.

This book taught me about inappropriate behavior. This has never happened to me before but I learned a lot about what to do if this did happen to me. I learned that if anyone told me to keep a secret about inappropriate things I should tell my Mom or Dad immediately.

This book made me feel weird because of the icky things the boy made Annabelle do. I was surprised that Joel had to go to court, he was only 13. I was happy that he went to court because he did lots of bad stuff and he wasn't allowed to go near Annabelle or any other kids in the neighborhood.

Sophia: I learned it's not ok for others to touch you in your private spaces. If someone touches you inappropriately you should tell your parents, or if you cannot tell your parents you should find someone else to tell. You should never, ever keep a secret from your Mom or Dad. Older people should not ask kids to do inappropriate stuff.

Parent: I was not properly prepared for the mature nature of this book when my girls started reading it without me. I had asked them to wait for me while I cleaned-up the dinner dishes; they didn't. I decided to read the book myself first and then have a pre-reading debriefing, so that all the details wouldn't be too overwhelming. My youngest took it in stride and really understood the inappropriate touching concept. But, my eldest daughter really was shocked by most of the material.

When asked, neither of them knew that someone touching you or asking you to take your clothes off was wrong! I was shocked, I don't know why, it's not like we had ever talked about it before. In fact my husband was very disturbed that we were about to read the book, until I explained how this was a really good way to bring up the material before, rather than after, something bad occurred. Even after reading "Annabelle's Secret" by Amy Barth and discussing that you should tell someone, my eldest daughter questioned, "What if it's someone I know?" That really showed me how valuable this type of dialogue is for our children. It allows them to ask the questions and have the answers, should they ever need them in the future.