B.E.S. A Big Hug series offers a gentle and direct approach to the emotional issues that children face. Written by a clinical child psychologist, these books encourage youngsters to share and discuss tough topics with family and friends. Friendship is Like A Seesaw compares friendship to the classic playground ride--there are ups and downs, but in the end it's all about balance.
"Friendship is like a seesaw.
Sometimes you might feel up in the air
when your friend feels low.
Other times you might feel down,
when your friend is up.
When things are balanced, both friends are happy."
Endearing illustrations and gentle text explore friends at their best--sharing, laughing, and playing together--as well as friends who sometimes say hurtful things, leave others out, or get a bit bossy. The authors go on to discuss what we can do to rebalance and fix our friendships, like talking about our feelings, looking at our own friendship skills, or taking a break. A timeless lesson that older children and even adults can appreciate.
In Friendship, animals illustrate a narrative describing the general ups and downs of friendship. In Life, animals model ways to cope when life "leaves the body" of a loved one. That these are overly purposeful self-help books for kids is mostly masked by the warm tone and affecting watercolors: it's hard not to feel compassion for a big-eyed porcupine excluded from a game. [Review covers these titles: Friendship Is like a Seesaw and Life Is like the Wind.]
PreS-Gr 1-These two adorable picture books take on the themes of friendship and death. In Friendship, a variety of creatures (hedgehog, rabbit, elephant) dole out wisdom ("When a friendship is even on both sides, it is balanced"), advising kids on what to do when arguments or fights occur between pals. In Life, the animals are back, helping children deal with the concept of death. The author doesn't sugarcoat anything, instead illustrating the very real emotions that are part of the grieving process. The texts are simple and convey information in an understandable, age-appropriate way, while the soft drawings are pleasant, depicting the animals with expressive faces. Both books conclude with a note from the author aimed at parents. Gentle introductions on the complexity of friendship and the pain of loss.-Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.