Teachers and other adults who work with inner-city children deal with posttraumatic stress disorder regularly. Suburban and rural teachers are now looking for ways to cope with their grieving students. We all know the adage, the right book, for the right child, at the right time. The accompanying bibliography includes excellent titles for these needs. However, a book that would be appropriate for one class, at one school, may not work for another.
Children come from many different backgrounds, with varying experiences.
Many young children in inner-city war zones have witnessed violence by the time they enroll in school, and have been forced to confront mature issues early in life. Books that reflect these realities would certainly be helpful, but publishers have focused more on the young adult age group, thus limiting selections available to younger children. For young children especially, selections that exhibit warmth and love, a beloved character, or a predictable story may be better choices than those that focus on death or violence. A single poem may be perfect. All children need to feel safe and secure.