Children and Coping With Tragedy

On December 14th, 2012, the country reeled from the violence committed against the young victims in Newtown, Connecticut. As images and news reports flood the airwaves and on-air personalities debate the nature of the crime, children and young adults are likely to have questions and concerns of their own. To help foster a dialog, this page offers a number of resources for parents that can be used to comfort young ones during this dark period.

Coping With Tragedy (via California Department of Education)

Coping with Violence and Traumatic Events

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Maternal & Child Health Library at Georgetown University

Psychological First Aid for Schools

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Information Research Center

Helping Kids Cope With Disasters (FEMA)

National Institute of Mental Health (downloadable booklet)

For Adults

• The worried child: recognizing anxiety in children and helping them heal by Paul Foxman
• Coping with grieving and loss by Sandra Giddens
• Growing up brave: expert strategies for helping your child overcome fear, stress, and anxiety by Donna Pincus
• Bereaved children and teens: a support guide for parents and professionals edited by Earl Grollman

For Children

• Who feels scared? by Sue Graves
• The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic
• Okay for now by Gary D. Schmidt
• When I feel scared by Cornelia Spelman
• Bear feels scared by Karma Wilson
• Additional titles on the subject of death can be found in our Life Changes Picture Books booklist

For Young Adults

• Radiance by Alyson Noel
• Drums, girls, and dangerous pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
• If you come softly by Jacqueline Woodson
• Once was lost by Sara Zarr
• When a friend dies: a book for teens about grieving & healing by Marilyn Gootman
• Additional titles for young adults can be found in the Death & Dying and Tough Choices booklists

After talking through your child's or teen's concerns and fears, they may want to to refocuse their energy on returning to "normal" by seeking out familiar, friendly and funny stories. For additional titles, please view our Teen's Booklist and Children's Booklist pages.

For Kids

Picture Books

• Big hugs, little hugs by Felicia Bond
• I'm Fast! by Kate McMullan
• The Duckie Gets A Cookie?! by Mo Willems
• Waking Dragons by Jane Yolen
• Fun picture books: Cars, Favorites, and Princesses

Novels

• How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
• The adventures of Captain Underpants: The Epic First Novel by Dav Pilkey
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Fun booklists: Adventure, Graphic Novels, Sports

For Young Adults

• Change-up: Mystery at the World Series by John Feinstein
• How I Stole Johnny Depp's Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain
• My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin
• Castle in the Air by Diana Jones
• The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip
• The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Final Four by Paul Volponi
• Fun booklists: Fairy Tales, Good Books for Guys, Music, Romance