Inquisitive children

by Pam Everhardt Bloom  Rowan Public Library

Inquisitive children make the best patrons at a library and often ask the toughest questions.  With tablets in their hands and a bombardment of news surrounding them, sometimes these queries arise from subjects adults might deem unsuitable for kids. The right words may be difficult to find, particularly with young children. Some recent additions to the Children’s Room at Rowan Public Library will resonate with young and old alike and may trigger some important conversations.

Sudden death can be inexplicable and young children, often excruciatingly literal thinkers, may ask questions adults aren’t prepared to answer. Two books written by mother and son, Elke and Alex Barber, illustrate the questions Alex had when his father died unexpectedly when he was three. Is Daddy Coming Back in a Minute? and What Happened to Daddy’s Body? are both followed by the subtitle, Explaining (Sudden) Death in Words Very Young Children can Understand. Forewarning - the straightforward stories from these books are reality based and adults may find them difficult to read. Be reassured, the illustrations by Anna Jarvis depict events from ambulance to crematorium in a kid friendly style and the books are packed with hope and love.

A new series for the library, Being the Best Me! By Cheri J. Meiners, provides short, illustrative stories about feelings in a story format with large illustrations that depict differing facial expressions.   Each book also includes a longer adult guide for reinforcing the book theme and a list of games and activities to reinforce each concept.  Titles are: Forgive and Let Go; Be Positive; Bounce Back; Feel Confident and Have Courage! This series not only answers questions, the books also promote emotional intelligence.

 The following new biographies provide a historical perspective to many social justice questions children may inadvertently view on the news. Pete Seeger gave author Anita Silvey his blessing to write his biography, Let Your Voice Be Heard, the Life and Times of Pete Seeger.  The dialogues in the book come directly from Seeger and are factual accounts of what he said and what others said to him. Complete with photographs, source notes, an informative afterword, and under 100 pages, this book is an excellent fit for age 10 and up. Just add music and you will be ready for thought provoking discussions.   Other new biographies include, The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, Poet by Don Tate; Believe, the Victorious Story of Eric Legrand with Mike Yorkley; She Stood for Freedom, the Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland by Loki Mulholland and Angela Fairwell; The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton and Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells, the Daring Life of a Crusading Journalist by Philip Dray.

  Hug your child and become as inquisitive as your kids. Stop by for a look at juvenile non-fiction. Find answers for those hard questions in life while enjoying a good read.  You may discover that today’s popular adult narrative non-fiction style has long been present in the Children’s Room at Rowan Public Library; children just call them stories.