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Teddy's TV Troubles
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that bibliotherapy is a tried and true method of helping children with their fears. This is designed to be used with kids who are experiencing fears from TV and movies, but can also be used with other kinds of fears.
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What's the story?
Teddy Bear is frightened by something that he sees on television. His mother takes him on her lap and they talk about his fear. The mother bear shares her similar experiences at the same age as Teddy and then tells what her mother did to help her. When she saw something scary on the news and then saw a scary movie her mother (Teddy's Grandma, of course) talked with her first and then they drew pictures together. Teddy decides he wants to draw a picture of what scared him, too. He hides the scary picture in a thick book. Then Teddy and his mother build with blocks, and Teddy puts his toy rabbit inside the structure reassuring the rabbit that he will keep it safe.
That night Teddy and his mother scour Teddy's bedroom to make sure that that there is nothing scary hiding in there. They read a book about a little bear who was scared, and Teddy falls happily asleep.
Is it any good?
Intelligent, reassuring, and practical, this book will be of great help to parents looking for ways to help their children deal with upsetting images they see on TV or in movies. The exact source of Teddy's fear is not specified, so the book can be useful in a wide variety of situations. The author also gives step-by-step instruction for what to do with a frightened child. All the while, the book reads like a storybook, not a manual.
The watercolor artwork is literal and unsophisticated, but it functions satisfactorily with the story. A child who is not yet reading could easily follow the sequence of the story through the illustrations.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about things that scare them. As in the book, try drawing a picture of what frightens you. Why do you find it scary?
Book details
- Author: Joanne Cantor
- Illustrator: Tom Lowes
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Goblin Fern Press, Inc.
- Publication date: May 12, 2004
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
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