Since last summer’s horrific fires, Australian authors have stepped up with picture books to help manage children’s fears and answer their questions
Ted Prior’s latest Grug book sees the beloved children’s character confront bushfire. Written after the New South Wales Rural Fire Service saved Prior’s home in Killabakh during Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfire season known as Black Summer, Prior realised that many animals – such as the haystack-like imaginary creature that is Grug – would only survive fires by being underground. The author returned to Grug to spread a message of hope and preparedness.
While the coronavirus pandemic may have overtaken the news cycle since the bushfires of last summer, the need to teach children about bushfire hasn’t dwindled. Children’s authors in Australia have responded to this need, with new releases for a range of ages over the past year adding to a trustworthy backlist published in the wake of the 2009 Black Saturday fires. The books may help children navigate their fear of bushfires, and help adults address children’s anxiety.
Continue reading...from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3q7TTdx
via
0 Comments