Heavy stuff: Reading for CYBILS
I'm amazed at the range of topics that are addressed in children's literature. I think reading about situations is a great way for building empathy and helping kids understand the situations for others. It kills me to think that for some kids, these experiences are real. The first one I read is called "Paper Things" by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. It's about 11 year old Ari (short for Arianna), who's parents died. At the very beginning of the book, she's living with a guardian, Janna, and her older brother, Gage. Things with Gage and Janna have deteriorated to a point where Gage wants to move out, so he does and takes Ari with him. It turns out that Gage wants to have an apartment and a nice place to live but he doesn't have the money to do it. So they've been couch surfing for the past two months. This gives a really vivid picture of what's like to be homeless and understand what it must be like to feel like you have so few options. ...