Review: Overcoming A Common Childhood Fear....
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 23, 2013
First of all, I love the cover of this well-written children's book. The colorful illustrations by  Yuval Harpaz certainly add much pleasure to the reading experience and are sure to be enjoyed by its young reading audience.Secondly, Tommy has a huge problem which is very common amongst young children. He is a young boy who is afraid of the dark. He sees shadows and lets his imagination run wild. Of course, his fears are most prevalent at bedtime and he is making every effort to get over them with the help of his parents. During the day, Tommy spends time trying to figure out how to catch the Murky Shadow that is so obvious at night. He is very resourceful in trying to help himself but appears to have little success in eliminating the Murky Shadow. After one particularly bad night, Tommy's dad decides to make more of an effort to help Tommy overcome his fears.I think "The Murky Shadow and the Special Gift" is a wonderful opportunity for parents to address 'normal' fear of the dark situations with young children. I also think it will reassure children that there is nothing to be afraid of and perhaps get them to better deal with their fears just like Tommy did.  Kudos to Author Yuval Harpaz for dealing with a very common problem in a delightful and creative way!Inspirational Author & Book Reviewer ~ Dolores AyotteGrowing Up & Liking It