a new day in town

Why should Poetry Friday have all the fun? Kidlitosphere-ers have been invited to make Mondays Nonfiction Mondays. I'm not really prepared, but I did do this short review for a bibliography recently, so I'll throw it into the pile




Kids Need to Be Safe by Julie Nelson. Illustrated by Mary
Gallagher. Free Spirit, 2006 (9778-1-456-4288-7)

This book intended for children in foster care keeps things simple and direct. "Foster parents take care of children when parents need help. Foster parents have a bed and food and toys for children. Foster parents keep kids safe. Kids are important. Kids need to be safe." The last two lines are repeated over and over throughout the book, a mantra child readers will hopefully take to heart. Without placing blame on parents--"sometimes moms and dads need to solve big problems"--the book briefly describes some of the reasons kids might need to be in foster care, and some of the difficult feelings they might have about it, but keeps its focus on that message: "Kids are important. Kids need to be safe." The general tone will make this a good springboard for discussions; it might also be helpful for kids who have friends in foster care as well. I only wish it had included some advice for children who still feel threatened in their foster homes. (4-10)