Review: Conflict resolution sensitively illustrated: Part II
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 15, 2013
Shimrit Nothman, with a BA in Psychology and Communication from Haifa University and a MA in Conflict Resolution form Tel Aviv University, has focused on her own history of fear of public speaking and stage fright by becoming an honored debater. She now writes and speaks widely about conflict resolution and here she demonstrates that depth of knowledge in a very well written book with excellent illustrations by Basra Owais and edited by Lior Misrachi.If by chance you haven't read Shimrit Nothman's book NO, IT'S MINE then try to obtain both that book and this one because they tell the same story from different points of view. It is a story about sibling rivalry and resolutions to same. IN this book the main character is Justine (Benjy's sister) who notices her bear is missing from her toy box. Distraught, she searches the house, and fears her missing bear may not find his way home.  But at that point she finds Benjy her brother using her teddy bear as a knight for his Kings and Queens game and she is outraged, getting her bear back through a temper fit by Benjy. She seeks advice from her toy bunny who suggests she act like nothing happened when she sees her brother in the morning. Further advice form her toy kangaroo encourages Justine to simply request Benjy not to use her toys without asking. Even her teddy bear advise Justine to give Benjy a hug and share love. And at breakfast the next morning Justine offers Benjy the use of her toys if he asks first and Benjy apologizes for yelling at his sister and consensus is reached.Shimrit Nothman adds pages in these books to advise parents how to cope with and constructively deal with sibling rivalry, so the book is not only the opportunity to show children both sides of a disagreement, but a chance for parents to jump into the lesson! Grady Harp, September 13