A Terrible Thing Happened

by Margaret M. Holmes

Book Overview

A gently told and tenderly illustrated story for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire.

Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his stomach...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557986428
• ISBN13: 9781557986429
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Magination Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.3" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Written in a language children can understand! Very helpful!

Young children who have witnessed various types of violence or suffered a trauma of any kind can be helped by this book. The book is written in language children understand, using loving animal characters that they can relate to. It shows them that there is hope if they don't lock their feelings inside, and it teaches them to find some caring person to talk to. Another reason I like this book is because it teaches adults the signs to look for in disturbed children, and what to do to help the children who need counseling. It's not only a great resource for parents, it's wonderful for professional counselors as well. Highly recommended. - Betty Dravis, August 2007

Excellent!!

Although Holme's work is in the form of a children's book, it can be used in a variety of settings for counselors. I have shared this book with my students at the university level and they have used Holmes's work in a variety of school counseling settings. It is very helpful in that it does not adhere to a specific type of trauma or violence. Excellent!

Excellent, highly recommended!

I just can't get over how wonderful this book is. It's perfectly stated so that the child reading it or being read to can understand that there are others out there that feel the same way. The information in the back of the book to parents and caregivers is superb. I'm going to purchase a copy for a few of my friends, and for my sons school. Our family and community has had two serious tragedies in three months, and this book helped my son immensely, having lost his older brother a few months ago. This book is wonderful and simply stated.

A Perfect Help for Understanding Trauma

This book is absolutely perfect for helping children who have experienced trauma understand their feelings, consciously and subconsciously. The story is straight forward about how sometimes we try to hide from the scary feelings created by trauma and how we may act out because of our trying to suppress those feelings. It also gives children an entre' into how to handle these feelings while not telling them that everything will go back to the way it was. Spectacular! Probably the best child's self-help book I've read in a long time.

Great for Teachers and Parents to Use

This is a wonderful book for teachers or parents to use with younger children. It uses a fun character to show different emotions that children have after witnessing or being a part of something that is tramatic to them. This could be their parents fighting, divorce, abuse, etc. That is what is so wonderful about this book; it does not tell what the character witnessed. As a result of this, it can apply to a number of situations. This book also helps children to realize that it helps to talk about what is bothering them. This is a must read!