help request: book recs for Junie

[psocoptera]

When Grammie died, we read "Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs" over and over. (Thanks again to allecto for the recommendation.) I went to the library today and browsed the "trauma shelf" (you know, Mommy's cancer, Grandpa's Alzheimers, Dad's restraining order, etc) but couldn't find anything that seemed appropriate. There are plenty of books about *moving*, which all assume that you have been lovingly preparing your child for this event for weeks or even months, your child is nervous, and now it's the big day and don't worry all your stuff got packed up into boxes and it's coming with you! Which honestly sort of made me want to hit something. There were books about living in a shelter or being homeless, but despite news reports we're not exactly homeless either. There were books about fire *safety* but that sort of seems like giving a book on contraception to a kid with a new sibling. I asked a librarian* for help and she found me a book in the regular children's section called "It's Moving Day" by Pamela Hickman about various animals finding new homes, some of them unexpectedly because they had to flee predators, which seems like a great place to start, but Junie is just three, she's very literal, something that really specifically told the story of a family who had a fire at their house would probably be more meaningful for her.

So: librarians, educators, people who just like doing research: please find me a suggestion for a book for Junie.

*The awesome librarian helping me was the info desk librarian; just as we were wrapping up the children's librarian came along - my past experience with her is that she's kind of ancient and not altogether with it and I try to avoid asking her anything, but the info desk librarian seemed very hopeful that she might know the collection better, so I asked. She was very puzzled. "Moving? and fires? Together? What? What do you mean all the moving books are about intentional moves? Of course they are..." One of those "this poor person is going to feel bad in thirty seconds when she puts it together" moments, but I may have snapped at her slightly when I said that if I came up with anything good I would buy the library a copy. Sigh.

Comments

[irilyth]

There's clearly a writing opportunity here. :^)

It could be a whole series! "When you have to move because of ...", with titles such as "... fire", "... foreclosure", "... trouble with the law", etc.

(sigh)

[gallian.livejournal.com]

i shall ask ryenna who is a darn good children's librarian. If she doesn't know, I'm gonna go with: there aren't any.

[ursula]

This one is about saving to buy new furniture after a house fire?

A Chair for My Mother

[ryenna.livejournal.com]

Hi there. I was pointed here by gallian as I'm a children's librarian (just south of Boston) but the two I was able to find quickly have already been mentioned. We have Griessman's The Fire here and I took a look at it but I'm not sure it really covers what you're looking for. The story starts with the kids smelling smoke and their mother telling them they need to get out of the house, then shows the actual fire. It ends with the recovery of a teddy bear and a family photo, so it doesn't really handle the moving aspect. A Chair for My Mother, on the other hand, sort of picks up where The Fire leaves off. Our copy is out so I can't look and refresh my memory, but I recall it starting with some talk about the fire and how the family lost everything and had to move to a smaller house and their neighbors brought them furniture to fill it with. They're definitely the two books I'd hand you if you walked into my library and asked what you asked above, even if they're not quite as perfect for a three year old as I might like. I'll keep digging at our collection when I get back in here (we're about to close for the night and it's easier for me to search while I'm here).

I can make two other offers: 1. I can easily put a message out on our local network's inter-library message board and also out on the statewide children's librarian mailing list if you'd like. 2. If you'd like to visit a library with a large children's staff (six of us total, if you count the three of us who also work at branches), we would welcome you here and we are easily reachable by the T. Toss an email my way (my LJ name at gmail) if you'd like. I work 9-5 on Saturday.

[belecrivain.livejournal.com]

Sheena has a book called "A Visit to the Sesame Street Fire Station". It's not quite what's you're looking for, as the building on fire is specified as abandoned, but I will happily package it with some care items if that helps.

Also on the SS front: this video is all about rebuilding Big Bird's nest after it's destroyed in a hurricane.

[jaipur.livejournal.com]

Too early for Fahrenheith 451, huh? Might have to wait a few years still for her to read that one... (grin, duck) Seriously, it sounds like you're getting some suggestions, and I hope it helps little Junie! :)