Article Link: http://www.exchangepress.com/article/we-are-not-alone-family-support-in-childrens-books/5022398/
It takes a village, doesn’t it? Or at least a neighborhood, or an extended family to ensure that children’s needs are met. Grandparents, neighbors, teachers �" even other children �" are part of the network of helping a child grow into a mature, compassionate member of a caring society.No one should ever feel alone. Featured are some recent children’s books where community matters.
In 1978, New England was covered by almost four feet of snow from a two-day blizzard that paralyzed several states. Many streets weren’t cleared for a week and nearly everybody ran out of milk and bread; I remember well how neighbors climbed over enormous snowdrifts to get to the convenience store a half mile away. The boy in John Rocco’s Blizzard �" perhaps the author himself �" tires of drinking cocoa made with water and with advice from his trusty Arctic Survivor Guide, takes matters into his own hands. Tennis rackets make good snowshoes for someone as lightweight as a 10-year-old, and a sled can carry all the emergency peanut butter, candles, and cat food his neighbors need. And his trek, shown in fold-out, mostly white pages, turns out to be a grand and memorable adventure. He’s ...