For more titles looks under Books, Books, Books. Back to the Top Stories That Console Children enroute to adulthood have to deal with a variety of experiences that challenge, shape and perplex them. The key is to give children the tools they need to respond in a healthy, appropriate manner to adverse circumstances. Reading books together can be a very effective way to help children navigate their social, emotional and intellectual growth. Children can assimilate feelings on a level that they may not yet be able to verbalize, or a particular book can be a catalyst for opening up conversation.
Books can keep the lines of communication open.
By asking a child questions about a tale, parents can elicit responses that will provide clues to the child's well-being. And, children feel safer discussing a storybook character's situation rather than broaching a subject closer to home. Traumatized children often use books and fairytales as coping mechanisms. According to Dr. Elizabeth Segel, Executive Director, Beginning with Books, Fairytales are a wonderful comfort to children. They provide a set of reference points for those times when real life is too painful.