We were given some new books to review for this blog. They will be in the library for use when we reopen.
Fullpower bilingual safety comics: Personal Safety for teens and adults in cartoons and basic language, by Irene van der Zande
This is a wonderful in English (left side) and Spanish (right side) . It is a publication by our friends at Kidpower. The graphic illustrations are clear in giving you the information needed to respond when being threatened. The reader meets a diverse group of teens and adults, who travel together as the Fullpower friends. They introduce you to real situations they are not safe and teach you how to protect yourself. I liked the sections about awareness, calm and confidence and developing my walk away power. I also found the developing of a safety plan, how to escape from trouble, self-defense skills and how to get help as very useful. It further explains cyber safety, peer pressure and good friends, bad friends. This is all done in both English and Spanish, side by side.
The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents), by Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve.
This is a well-constructed book with a Table of Contents. Introduction for Kids and a separate one for Adults, Appendices with additional important information and an Alphabetical Index. The book is in three sections; Part One introduces Autism Spectrum Disorders, Part Two explains behavior as you travel in life and Part Three relates to your bodily and brain functions. The illustrations are cartoons showing familiar experiences. There are lots of lists, text boxes, quotes and real stories of children dealing with autism. Yes, I think adults will enjoy and learn much from this book and should read it with their kids. I know I learned a lot and look forward to reading the others in this series.
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, by Resmaa Menakem
This book came into my life via a book discussion group, led by a former SFCD employee. I wasn’t sure I would like it. It is directed towards our history and events of our present time. It is written in chapters that include healing exercises. The author has written this book to explain how our actions are determined by our history. It looks at three groups: Whites, Blacks and Police. The author attempts to reconcile the three groups so they may be healed of trauma and find peace with each other. This book got me thinking about possibilities. I feel it works best when read in a group because everyone can do the exercises together and discuss their feelings. I do recommend it.
-Elaine Butler, Librarian
