Reddit mentions: The best difficult discussions books for children

I saw that you're always looking for YA with strong female characters? Let me crack my knuckles, I love exercising the Masters degree I never get to use.

• Legend by Marie Lu is hugely wonderful. It's a 3-book dystopian trilogy, but the girl is kick-ass. This is probably my favorite YA dystopian.
  
• Matched by Allie Condy - in case you haven't picked this one up yet, it's a dystopian "arranged marriage break out of your shell" bit. It's pretty good.
  
• Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. This was SO GOOD. Everyone needs to read this book. It's got a kick-ass heroine, a hilarious and dry wit, it's soulful, it's sweet, it's got twists I actually DID NOT EXPECT!! A+ would wipe my memory and reread. (she's a female paladin, need I say more?!)
  
• You gotta have the Vampire Academy series as well. I thought it was just going to be a silly "vampire boarding school" book but it's actually a whole lot more.
  
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is an amazing YA book dealing with living overseas, finding love and home ... it's pretty great. Its sequel (Lola & the Boy Next Door) is also great, for different reasons.
  
• Love Letters to the Dead is about a girl who writes letters to deceased celebrities, and it helps her cope with her older sister's death. A really relateable read.
  
• My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick is a lovely, sweet book about finding family everywhere.
  
  I could keep going if you want, just let me know! :D

Very glad to hear she's in therapy, hopefully with someone who specializes in childhood trauma. I also wanted to recommend the great resources that Sesame Street has available online for children dealing with trauma - https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/traumatic-experiences/ - definitely worth look to see if there might be anything helpful for her and/or you.

There are some good picture books to help young children process trauma as well, such as A Terrible Thing Happened and Healing Days. Given what you said about your daughter having trouble feeling safe with you, or feeling like you weren't able to protect her from the abuse, you might also take a look at You Weren't with Me - definitely will be an emotional read for both of you, but might be very healing.

There are also lots of great childrens books about coping with big feelings more broadly. I recommend The Color Monster, The Way I Feel, My Many Colored Days, and The Feelings Book. Slightly more complex books about feelings include the gorgeous story Visiting Feelings and the very silly How Are You Peeling?. There are also some lovely books of meditations/relaxation strategies for kids such as Breathe Like a Bear, My Magic Breath, and the the Mindful Kids card deck. Some good apps out there as well for teaching self-regulation and mindfulness skills, such as "Stop Breathe & Think for Kids" and "Mindful Powers".

Hope something in there is helpful to you and your kiddo - best of luck!

Other great YA titles that deal with issues of faith and doubt where religion is concerned. As an author, I'll try to keep my editorializing to a minimum, but these titles should definitely be included in this discussion.

Godless by Pete Hautman
Winner of the NBA for Young People's Lit in 2004, Hautman's protagonist wrestles with his doubts about his Catholic faith, eventually deciding to found his own religion with some friends over the summer. Great exploration of faith and the struggle to believe past your doubts.

[I'll Be There] (http://www.amazon.com/Ill-There-Holly-Goldberg-Sloan/dp/B009F7M5XY) by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Very positive and often hilarious portrayal of church-going family actually implementing social justice and selfless love without being preachy or heavy-handed.

[What We Lost] (http://www.amazon.com/What-We-Lost-ebook/dp/B00ADVLPNW) by Sara Zarr
Originally published as ONCE WAS LOST, Little, Brown has reissued this book, interestingly with a less blatantly religious title. (The original is a lyric from "Amazing Grace.") It follows a pastor's daughter whose Mom has been sent to rehab. It's an incredibly tender story with a dynamite first-person protagonist. Some of Zarr's best work.

COMING APRIL 2014:
[This Side of Salvation] (http://www.amazon.com/This-Side-of-Salvation-ebook/dp/B00DA98ZUA) by Jeri Smith-Ready
When David's brother dies, his parents find solace in a religious community counting down the days until believers are whisked away (called "The Rush" in this book, not the Rapture, interesting...). A book about how we deal with grief and the search for salvation.

First, I would like to ask if you have gotten over the "it's not fair, she's never going to be normal" part? That's not accusatory, it's a serious question because a big part of what helped me start to accept the diagnosis at age 9 was the fact that my parents seemed to accept it and treat me as if nothing had changed (other than the medication and doctors visits). I remember distinctly leaving the hospital after my first EEG and crying because I thought I had this horrible disease but my dad calmly explained to me that I just had a quirk in my brain and that everyone has a quirk with something. This calmed me down and though I didn't accept everything right away it certainly put me on the path to acceptance.

Now, you might already be beyond the accepting part in which case you can tell your daughter that 2/3 of all kids with epilepsy grow out of it by their teens and that even if she doesn't, it sounds like her epilepsy is well controlled and she will be able to live a relatively normal happy life.

I looked for some books online and found these: What If They Knew, Julia, Mungo, and the Earthquake, and Becky the Brave. Books helped me as a child too so even if you can't find any that you think she would like about epilepsy go ahead and get books on any subject for her.

I'm not sure what conversations you've already had with her but make sure that she knows that all her feelings are completely normal - it sucks, it's not fair, and seizures can be scary but that you love her and will always be there if she would like to talk about it. Even if you've already expressed that or you think she knows, it's still a good thing to hear and can be a comfort in itself. Take care and good luck!

Much of it comes from Puritanical roots. Perhaps things are different now, but when I was young, Judeo-Christian households carried a certain amount of shame associated with sex, sexual organs, and discussions about them.

More shame and discomfort also comes from society trying to paint every man as some kind of molester. This may even be the biggest factor. This is nothing more than internalized misandry that men must overcome for the sake of their daughters. But internalized misandry it is. There is also external misandry. When shopping pre-K schools for my daughter, I asked if there were any male teachers (as I prefer a balance). I was told by a female teacher that it would be considered a "safety risk" by many parents. I wanted to tell her that sexual abuse convictions of female educators have tripled in the past decade. But I noped right out of there and found a better school. That said, this is what dads face on a daily basis.

As men, it is very easy for us to internalize such blatant misandry. My example is simply one of many that we face each week. Luckily, I did not have the same amount of religious programming as my peers. I just had to face society's anti-male pressures. I can see it being more difficult for my peers who were raised in parochial schools and deeply religious homes.

It takes a mindset to say "Fuck em. This is my daughter and I am her father. We can talk about our bodies. We should talk about our bodies. There is nothing wrong, shameful or dirty about it. "

I was the first to comfortably broach the subject with my daughter. I taught her to wipe and why there is an order of operations. She would happly sing the "Down in the front, up in the back" song that I taught her. Ask her why? "So I don't get Mr. Germ and Mrs. Bacteria in my buh-gina..." Fucking hilarious! And that's exactly what the topic needs, right? A bit of child-like levity.

What has also helped me is to use books from cultures that are not ashamed of the body.

The "where did I come from" question was addressed at 2-3 years old with this one. There are some other Japanese books we used, but I cannot find them online.

Body functions

Undergarments

When they get older this one is more appropriate.

I have to admit, the more you read and talk with them about the subject, the easier it gets. I also got kids' anatomy books to go over the various systems. Using clinical terms helps remove discomfort as does talking about genitals in terms of our pets ("Sada the dog has testicles because he is a boy dog. Men and boys also have testicles just like Sada".)

Regarding inappropriate touching, I find that fathers are probably better at explaining boundaries as we are usually the ones who are more adept at setting clear and consistent boundaries for our children through fatherly discipline. Once we were comfortable discussing the body, it was easy to discuss inappropriate touches. We checked this book out from the library. Good concept, mediocre execution. This one was much better and enjoyable.

These books (and subsequent discussions) helped us set a baseline and standard in the younger years builds trust that moves on to the adolescent and pre-teen years. One of the men in our Dad's Group has a teenage daughter. He was the one who taught her daughter different ways of dealing with her period (cup vs pad vs tampon). He has a wonderful bond with his daughter that was set quite early. That guy has been a great influence on all and has helped many of us remove the shame and stigma around approaching the female body.

A few random factors.

- I grew up in a multi-generational house that had at least 2 girls and women at any one time.

- I have also had plenty of girlfriends and serious (cohabitating) relationships. One girlfriend had ovarian cysts, one girlfriend had very unusually rough 7-day periods. Of course, we discussed these things together.

- I probably found my parents' copy of "The Joy of Sex" at a bit of an early age, too.

- I was the first class in my state to have sex-ed in school. This is when I was living in America. It was very controversial, as we started as 5th graders. Many parents protested this (again, American Puritan roots).

All of these things demystified female genitals and has helped with my comfort with discussions around the female body.

A bit of a ramble. But it breaks my heart to see fathers allow terrible people to drive a wedge between them and successful parental relationships with their daughters. I am skeptical of university studies, as most seek to paint men is a negative light. Perhaps this study will be no different. But maybe this post might help some dads with their discussions and relationships with daughters.

I would absolutely love to read this book, I've only read the description, but it sounds really funny... however it's expensive and you wont be able to gift a lot of people.

So this book I would like to read too. Go for a penny book, with shipping it'll be $4. On my entertainment WL.

Labor Day

My favorite quote from a book is from Guess How Much I Love You?, Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night.

Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - and back."

I think it's really normal at 4-5 for kids to be thinking about sameness and differentness and try to make sense of what they see.

The approach I take--after a lot of thought and research--is to teach and talk about skin color the same way we would about eye color or hair color. There are some good books that talk about the science of skin color - First Encyclopedia of the Human Body touches on it--my kid is obsessed with that book, All the Colors We Are takes a matter of fact and scientific approach. The book Children Just Like Me is another really useful resource when talking about different cultures and people.


I've also made a point to buy black, brown and Asian baby dolls and Barbies (not just the standard white ones) since she was about 2. At first I felt really self-conscious about doing this, but I think it's helped her see variety as the norm instead of thinking of her whiteness as normal and everything else as "other."

At this stage, that's the message you want to be instilling - everyone has lots of differences and they're all pretty darn normal and cool.

And finally--how to deal with loud kid comments in public. A few days ago my daughter shouted and pointed, "LOOK MOMMY! A little person!!! THAT'S NOT A KID!" I was embarrassed and felt bad and I told her in the moment that it's not nice to yell out people's differences because it might make them feel like everyone is looking at them--she got that--attention can be embarrassing.

When we got home we talked about dwarfism just like hair color or normal height -- it's something about you that get when you're born. I think I said something like, "even if a person is born to be a little person, their brain grows up just like yours or mine as they get older and when they're grown ups they have jobs and families just like any other grownup." She thought it was really really cool.

I'm sure she'll do it to me again. I don't know if there's a better way to handle it in the moment to be more respectful of others--but my main focus is trying to get a message of inclusiveness to my kid.

I dunno. This stuff is hard.

Awesome! I work more with PTSD rather than grief, but it often overlaps. I imagine you'll be getting training prior to starting with whatever assessment tools your agency uses, but I recommend reading up on TF-CBT, which is a great modality for trauma treatment with kiddos. I also really love this workbook for grief. My agency has a scanned copy so we can just print it off when necessary, so if yours doesn't have this I really recommend buying it and scanning the pages!

Hope this is helpful :) Good luck!!

Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WBhYCbAEPA4ZB

I’ve got boy/girl twin toddlers too! You’re gonna want to get all these books... hitting, kicking, sharing...

It’s great because we read them and practice what they say and the kids totally get it. When my son hits we say “are hands for hitting?” And he says “no” then we say “what are hands for?” And he says “waving” or “clapping”

If he’s just excited and needs to let out energy I redirect him to clap or high five and I meet him at the energy level he wants. If he’s angry, we make sure he know hitting hurts sister and that we need to use gentle hands.

You basically do this on repeat and one day it’ll kinda click. He is almost 2 and still gets aggressive at times but we have a way to diffuse it quickly.

Good luck! Do they hug and kiss yet? That sorta makes it all worthwhile.

Midnighters are tonally different than the Unwind series, but I still recommend it to anyone who's fine with reading YA. It's a pretty classic good versus evil story. If you like Unwind then I recommend Partials, which is fun commentary on the dangers and advantages of genetically engineered human beings. I also recommend Legend by Marie Lu. But basically everyone recommends Legend.

I'll stop reccing books now. But in theory you'll eventually run out of books and you're welcome to come back for more recs. I will have them. [It wasn't until this thread that I realized how many books I actually so read.]

I know this is not what you are asking for but i have used this series of books lots and other parents in my mommy and me class love them too. It really has helped my kid not kick & hit also used to quit paci, using for yelling atm. I started with him at 18 mths with this series for kicking during diaper change and it worked great (feet are not for kicking)

Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_u2aIzbWXCSVY8
From this you probably can find a ton of different ones for different situations.

My kid still loves these books and we read them lots, he even looks at the back and shows me the pictures for the ones we don't have and tells me to go to the store to get them lol

My book list focus both on theme and authors. Obviously I went through a pretty depressed phase (hence all the deeply brooding novels). Still, I think that these female authors gave me a sense of empowerment in my young age by the sheer genius of their work. It was refreshing to read books by women I admired as well as for themes I was interested in.

• Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
  
• The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (*journals and Ariel are also favorites)
  
• An Unquiet Mind - Kay Redfield Jamison
  
• Girl, Interrupted - Susanna Kaysen
  
• Prozac Nation - Elizabeth Wurtzel
  
• Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
  
  And the book that taught me the most about sexuality and my body?
  
  
• The Ethical Slut - Dossie Easton
  
  In defense of this book, I am not poly-amorous. I really think every female should read it. Great advice on overcoming jealousy, loving your body, and enjoying your sexuality.

Ditto. But maybe not family therapy per se. If they kiddos are young (under 8 or 9), they may or may not have the linguistic ability to really express how they feel. But play therapy should be incorporated as well as that is how children work their feelings. Then, a good therapist can help decipher the themes of their play and what the kiddo needs. They can also recommend good books. I suggest getting The Invisible String and A Terrible Thing Happened.

Also, I'm so so sorry for your loss. Make sure to take care of yourself as well if you begin to feel overwhelmed.

EDIT: I'm sorry I got over-excited about sharing information. But therapy may not be necessary. I work with trauma a lot and there's saying "We treat symptoms, not events." Some kids are incredibly resilient and can bounce back without therapy at all.

Jesus... I'm so sorry this happened to your little boy. I can't offer much in the way of legal advice, but if I may recommend a book: I Said No!

It's a guide written by a mother-son team, based on the boy's bad experience at a sleepover. It helps to explain to children about "keeping private parts private", and how to recognize "red flag" situations, like people bribing or threatening you or telling you to keep secrets. This might help you in your talks with your son.

You're a great mom for trying to get on top of this horrid situation... I hope you find all the help you need. ❤️

It might be the park thing, it may be something else, but something definitely triggered some anxiety issues there. Keep talking to him and get him in the habit of telling you about his day and having open communication with him. Give him a notebook to draw in (Wimpy Kid style) so he has an outlet for whatever's on his mind that is causing this anxiety. If you read it, do so without him being aware of it.

I have adopted kids, one of which has serious anxiety issues. Here's a couple of books that helped us that might help you out, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Anxious-Child-Step---Step/dp/1572245751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347889240&sr=8-1&keywords=help+your+anxious+child

This has several excellent strategies for helping a child learn to manage their anxieties, for varying types of anxiety and various reactions kids may have to anxiety. It also talks about how children handle anxiety differently than adults do, and the tools that they're missing because of their immaturity to handle it the way an adult would. This can help you understand why your kid is doing what they're doing instead of what you might expect them to do in response to things and identify specific tools they need to acquire.

http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-children-witnessed/dp/1557987017/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347889354&sr=1-1&keywords=terrible+thing+happened

This is a book that was written for child witnesses/children who were abused, but I think it's a great book for children with strong anxieties about less scary things (to adults) as well. It can be an excellent introduction to taking a child to therapy (or utilizing your school counselor). It follows a child (raccoon) who was there when something horrible happened, which is portrayed as an ambiguous black cloud and never fully defined. It also never fully explains if this is something that was seen or something that happened to the child. None of the adults in his life know about this thing, and it describes very accurately the symptoms of anxiety and what it's like for this kid to have this thing in his thoughts all the time. It also follows through as the adults in this kid's life react to the child's reactions (upset tummy, behavioral problems, trouble sleeping, etc) and get him some help with those reactions and learning to talk about the black cloud and gain control over it. It provides a context in which you can prove to a child with anxiety that other people also have anxiety and that you can help teach them ways to effectively handle it.

All Ages (age ratings sourced from Comixology)

• The Backstagers | James Tynion IV
  
• Fable Comics | Charise Mericle Harper
  
• Fairy Tale Comics | Telgemeier, Thompson, Mazzucchelli, et al.
  
• Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye | Colleen AF Venable
  
• Hilda and the Troll, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Hilda and the Black Hound, Hilda and the Bird Parade, Hilda on the Stone Forest | Luke Pearson
  
• Julia's House for Lost Creatures, Little Robot, Nobody Likes a Goblin | Ben Hatke
  
• Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, The Secret World of Arrietty | Yonebayashi & Miyazaki
  
• Lumberjanes | Stevenson, Watters, Ellis
  
• Marvel Age: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Team-up | McKeever, Dezago, et al.
  
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Superheroes, Super Heroes (2010), The Avengers | Sumerak, Tobin, David, Bejamin, et al.
  
• Marvel Universe: Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Avengers Assemble Season Two | Caramagna
  
• Mighty Jack, Mighty Jack and the Goblin King | Ben Hatke
  
• Nightlights | Lorena Alvarez
  
• Nursery Rhyme Comics | Thompson, Mignola, Telgemeier, et al.
  
• Tamsin and the Deep | Brown & Cameron
  
• Thor: The Mighty Avenger | Roger Langridge
  
• TOON books: The Shark King | R. Kikuo Johnson
  
• Zita the Spacegirl, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl, The Return of Zita the Spacegirl | Ben Hatke
  
  Ages 9+
  
  
• Adventure Time | Ryan North
  
• The Adventures of Tintin | Herge
  
• Amulet | Kazu Kibuishi
  
• Asterix | Goscinny & Uderzo
  
• Atomic Robo | Brian Clevinger
  
• Bone | Jeff Smith
  
• Five Worlds | Siegel & Siegel
  
• Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away | Hayao Miyazaki
  
• Moomin | Tove Jansson
  
• The Nameless City, The Stone Heart | Faith Erin Hicks
  
• Power Pack | Simonson, Brigman, et al.
  
• Roller Girl | Victoria Jamieson
  
• Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts | Raina Telgemeier
  
• Usagi Yojimbo | Stan Sakai
  
• A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle
  
  Ages 12+
  
  
• DC: The New Frontier | Darwyn Cooke
  
• Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling | Tony Cliff
  
• Giant Days | Allison & Cogar
  
• Gotham Academy | Becky Cloonan
  
• The Legend of Wonder Woman | Renae De Liz
  
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Reeder & Montclare
  
• Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard | David Petersen
  
• Nimona | Noelle Stevenson
  
• Star Wars | Aaron
  
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eastman & Waltz
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man | Bendis
  
• Most superhero comics at DC and Marvel
  
  Resources:
  
  
• goodokbad
  
• comicbookresources
  
• comicsintheclassroom
  
• ilovelibraries
  
• pastemagazine
  
• /u/urko37’s [Recommendation] “What comics are good for my kids?”

We were having problems with our 2-yr old as well, but she loves to read and behavior books have seemed to help. We make it into a game and praise her when she behaves well. Here's a few of the books:
http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Book-Behavior/dp/157542200X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BRMYJMDZ5DZXN2WKX6G
http://www.amazon.com/Calm-Down-Toddler-Tools-Elizabeth-Verdick/dp/1575423162/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=61o8yc8bs7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0CHBT71V3RT2DY8M5ZRZ

My kid is absolutely bonkers for Smile, as are most kids in the early grades. It won an Eisner so it's apparently very good.

Also I highly recommend Jem and the Holograms. The first issue was free on Google Play and my kid practically begged me for the rest of the series.

Plus others have mentioned Adventure Time comics, I think there was a Marceline and Princess Bubblegum mini a while back.

He might like the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. Start with this original series of 5 books - there is another series of 5 books that come after this one called The Heroes of Olympus, same world and a few overlap characters but not as good as the first series. Riordan also has the Kane Chronicles trilogy.

I would maybe suggest A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (which is currently being made into a movie). It's about a 12-year-old boy trying to emotionally deal with his mother's terminal illness, who is visited by a monster at night that helps teach him valuable life lessons. Ness is an excellent writer but his other books are probably a bit too advanced for him still.

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins (same author as Hunger Games)

Lockwood & Co. series by Jonathan Stroud. Book 1 is called The Screaming Staircase, Book 2 is called The Whispering Skull.

Chronicles of Narnia series maybe?

The Iron Trial book has been getting a lot of push from bookstores as well this fall. Looks interesting but many people are just calling it a rip-off of Harry Potter.

I was hoping to have a big list of examples, but I found that most of the titles I've read that have a character very well-established in their world also have a tag-along character or second main character who finds the whole experience to be foreign. I think a big part of this is because the story is meant to start close to the moment when everything changes, whether that's traveling to a new place, discovering the dark secrets that shift the MC's perspective on everything that's normal, or getting new responsibilities that launch them into a new peer group or building or whatever, so a lot of the setting is going to be new no matter what. A character doesn't have to be sucked through a portal to have a completely different environment.

YA Characters Familiar with their SFF Settings:

• In Feed, MC Titus is totally at ease with his futuristic US world, but a secondary character makes him go sightseeing (fields of filet mignon with eyes blinking where the genetic code was messed up?) and think of things a little differently or, alternately, mention how his familiar stuff is better.
  
• In Incarceron and Sapphique, the two main characters are totally familiar with their own worlds (one steampunk labyrinthine prison, the other a faux medieval court), but don't know anything about each other's worlds, despite having to survive in them.
  
• In the Legend trilogy, there are alternating POVs for the two main characters, who both come from the same dystopian republic. One is upper class, the other is lower class. There's a little bit of overlap, but characters are able to describe their everyday lives in terms of contrast to what the other does that's unusual.
  
• In the Leviathan trilogy, Deryn's used to life on board a steampunk whale blimp, but Alex, the other MC, comes from an entirely different background.
  
• In The Archived, Mac's got 5 years of experience with a parallel world, but because she's moved house in the real world, she has to sort out a few new details (like new door locations), that help explain things for the reader.
  
• The Winner's Curse takes place in the same city and noble houses Kestrel's lived her entire life, but the reader is introduced to noble's events and slave pits, etc in the course of her travels and comments about fashions that changed from last year, secrets she's gathered about objects and people and history, etc.
  
  But mainly, like other posters said, just drop in the details as you go and trust your readers to figure out the context. They're not stupid, and hopefully your characters aren't dumb enough to be reminding themselves that the space toaster, which runs on space power, is used to make space breakfast, which is eaten at Space-13, which is like 8am on Old Earth on a "typical" morning.
  
  Also, you may want to cross-post this over to /r/YAwriters.

The Hilda series by Luke Pearson is really great. I think Hilda and the Troll is the first one, but I don't think they necessarily need to be read in order.

Also, all the Raina Telgemeier. She has Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts, as well as graphic novel versions of the Babysitter's Club books that are fantastic. And Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.

Sometimes people look like boys when they're little, but then they grow up and it turns out they're really girls on the inside, or they look like boys when they're little but later it turns out they're really boys.

There are also some books for young children that explain what it means to be trans in an age-appropriate way, which may be helpful. E.g., When Aiden Became a Brother, and It Feels Good to Be Yourself.

A normal well adjusted person in society will always give a person the benefit of the doubt.

Obviously you may be struggling with the first bit, I'm not surprised though, you are definitely showing the signs such as playing WoW in 2018.

Anyway, here's a book that might help you. The Growing Up Book for Boys: What Boys on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know!

This was originally published in 2000, but it sounds like Homeless Bird by Gloria Wheelan. According to the preview of this study guide, they hang out near a mango tree.

> Whenever they have a chance, the girls swing in the mango tree, and they love their afternoons alone in the courtyard for their...

This is the first book that made me start questioning life. I mean if the leaders in his world could do so many awful things under the guise of harmony, what could my own leaders being doing? I'd like to read this book because I still love dystopian society books.

I highly recommend It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity. It’s written for about that age, but I think it’s great for anyone.

I think you'd like the "Arc of a Scythe" series.. They're quite magnificent and engaging. Book 1 is "Scythe" and book 2 is "Thunderhead." Book 3 is "The Toll" and releases at the beginning of November.

“Crippled things are always more beautiful. It's the flaw that brings out beauty.”
― Holly Black, Tithe

This book would be awesome: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0763660655/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1SOMAIOSWHZ0H&coliid=I1VTU0AQ8ZMEC8

Shusterman, who also wrote the great, great book Scythe.

I had an issue with that in my preschool class. Typically reinforcing using words should work but have you also tried to figure out the emotion behind the aggressive behavior?

It does take some time to stop the behavior as we are teaching our children how to deal with their emotions. Many times they hit, kick, and grab because they don't know how to deal with anger, hurt, or sadness. I like to ask why they hit and I explain why it isn't appropriate. I always say to the kids to tell their friend, "No thank you, I don't like that." Although I was having to repeat this A LOT, it was amazing to hear kids begin using this phrase instead of immediately reacting with aggressive behavior.

When we were having a particularly difficult time with one child, it was brought to the mother's attention who then brought a book to share with the class. You may have heard of it. It's called Hands are not for Hitting.

I'm not sure how well the book works for children. From a child development standpoint, it's best to help the child acknowledge what they are feeling and provide them with tools (words) for how to deal with it or express themselves in a positive manner.

I love the penny books <3 Made buying school books less painful. Uuuh, this is one of my favorite books but I lent out my copy and it never made its way back to me.

Awesome contest!

11-14

• Hatchet, about a boy stranded in the Canadian wilderness.
  
• Holes, about a boy cursed with bad luck who ends up in a prison camp
  
• Leviathan trilogy, a retelling of WWI where the Austro-Hungarians have mechas and the British have genetically-engineered whale blimps. This is evenly split between a male and female perspective (and a huge hit in a relative's special ed class for the same age group).
  
• The Ranger's Apprentice, introductory medieval fantasy about a boy training to be a ranger.
  
• Incarceron, about a steampunk labyrinth prison and the fake medieval world outside.
  
• The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, about mutant detectives in future Zimbabwe.
  
  15-18
  
  
• World War Z, about a zombie apocalypse and how different countries and people deal with it. Has a lot to say about geopolitics. (Not necessarily YA, but popular in that age group)
  
• Feed, where everyone has the internet in their heads from birth. While partying on the moon, boy meets girl who didn't get the feed until age 6.
  
• John Green's other books, like Looking for Alaska, etc all have male protagonists.
  
• Little Brother, about a teenage hacker swept up by the Department of Homeland Security after a terrorist attack on California.
  
• Legend trilogy, about a dystopian United States and a police prodigy trying to track down another 15-year old rebel. This is another one split between a male and female perspective.
  
• Kurt Vonnegut and Tim O'Brien are technically adult authors, but very accessible and popular in that age group.
  
  Would also second Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson, Ender's Game, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that other commentators mentioned.
  
  Also, you may be interested in /r/YAlit and /r/YAwriters.

The book Hands are Not for Hitting reduced the hitting by A LOT. Time out made it much worse for us. She flipped out and it became an hours long process of calming down and only increased the hitting. I think our kiddo is just too young for time out. So we got the book and kiddo loved it. We read it when ever she brings it up to us. Occasionally it's part of our going to be books. And if she starts getting hitty we say "hands are not for hitting, what are hands for?" And redirect her. Her favorite is drawing.

>Adult Fiction:

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Grass by Sheri Tepper

Native Tongue by Suzette Haden-Elgin

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurtson


>Adolescent Lit:

Speak by Laurie Halse-Anderson


>Nonfiction:

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

And I agree with others, Simone de Beauvoir is a great read

My daughter was unfortunately a hitter as well. After trying time out and other methods, we tried a book. It's call [Hands Are Not for Hitting] (http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Behavior-Series/dp/157542200X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394044206&sr=8-1&keywords=hands+are+not+for+hitting) and anytime she would hit, we would sit her down and read that book with her. Sometimes it entailed calming her down and then reading the book, but we were very adamant on doing it every time. We had one at her sitter's house and one at our house. We also read it during her night time reading just for good measure.

Some methods work for certain kids and some don't, but that's what ultimately worked for us.

You are living through something tragically incomprehensible to most adults. The silver lining is that children are different creatures entirely. They are wonder-ful; their imaginations and empathy, unmatched. While death seems impossible to explain, I hope you can take comfort in knowing there are beautiful ways of communicating this concept to children...

Here is a short list of outstanding picture books by writers and illustrators who’ve dedicated their artwork to this express purpose:

The Dandelion’s Tale by Kevin Sheehan & Rob Dunlavey

The Memory Box by Joanna Rowland & Thea Baker

The Heart and The Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

Rabbityness by Jo Empson

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst & Geoff Stevenson

I have an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults. Death and grieving in picture books is a prominent topic. I mention this only to perhaps add some validation to these suggestions. As an adult, I’ve found relief from picture books, and I know the power they have for children.

Sending you white light. Xo

Not exactly on the "fun" side, but this book does a good job helping kids understand how a therapist helps with trauma.

Came here to post this:

http://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Freedom-Box-Underground-Railroad/dp/043977733X

It has reached "beloved" status in the picture book world. Great story!

I have a friend with an 8 year old daughter. Can speak from experience that she's addicted to these:

Phoebe and her unicorn

https://www.amazon.com/Phoebe-Her-Unicorn-Book/dp/1449446205

My Little pony comics

https://www.amazon.com/My-Little-Pony-Friendship-Magic/dp/1613776055

Smile

https://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061

Ooh that one looks great! I teach first grade so have a ridiculous list of all the books I plan on aquiring. Here’s one I love!

Two really great books for kids that age:

I Said No! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1878076493/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495158198&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=i+said+no+a+kid-to-kid+guide+to+keeping+your+private+parts+private&dpPl=1&dpID=51ICXdtem6L&ref=plSrch

No Tresspassing: This is my Body
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0984747206/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z9SN6SBJKMQ3CW7474TX&dpPl=1&dpID=51uOuZlHGHL

I hope these links work. I don't really know how to do them on mobile.

Added yesterday! Not sure if I'm linking this correctly but http://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Freedom-Box-Underground-Railroad/dp/043977733X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=6ATZZU7BRZN1&coliid=I28ILSRXXRAYWR is 12.36 =] Also, can someone tell me how to make the link just say the words I want to it say instead of the entire link? If that makes any sense...

Just gonna leave a link to this right here.

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe) https://www.amazon.com/dp/144247243X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XZgJAbVGYEEN5

If you’re not already familiar with Neal Shusterman’s work, Everlost and Unwind are two of my favorite books ever written. Give this one a look as well.

A Monster Calls - It's a tearjerker, but such a good read.

Maybe Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan?

It's middle grade and some of the reviews published on Amazon sound like your book: Arranged marriage, husband quickly dies, lives with her mother-in-law.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NRNITY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

It's a book that I think everyone should read and it's pretty short too so it's not hard to read in one sitting.

To Be Free: Understanding and Eliminating Racism

[To Be Free: Understanding and Eliminating Racism]
(http://www.amazon.com/Be-Free-Understanding-Eliminating-Racism/dp/1890434809/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330933064&sr=1-9&tag=bookforyoudm-20)

Thanks for the link, will look into this...

I have below book - I said NO...

But it doesn't cover why private parts are private!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1878076493/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

I found this book to be VERY helpful! It's probably a tiny bit too old for a 2 year old, but you can read it and customize the message to her age which is what I did.

https://smile.amazon.com/Said-Guide-Keeping-Private-Parts/dp/1878076493/

I think it's fairly normal for kids to show each other their privates, however both obviously need to be taught that it is not acceptable. Some boy showed my daughter his junk last year in Kindergarten. She told us, we told the teacher, the principal met with the child and his parents. I don't think anyone will be scarred long term by this occurrence.

Grab a book like this one from your local library and read it with your son.

I read a children's book recently called A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness that captures this idea so hauntingly well. I highly recommend it, no matter what your age, if you are, or have ever stared into the abyss, this book will resonate with you.

There are some books written in an age appropriate way for young children that are meant to help them learn that "Private parts are private" and that it is okay to tell people if an abuser tries to make them keep a secret.
Here is one example but there are a few others out there:
http://www.amazon.com/Said-Guide-Keeping-Private-Parts/dp/1878076493/
I would highly recommend looking at some of those books and getting one that you can use with your kids to help make sure they grow up knowing they should ask for help and shouldn't be ashamed if an abuser tries to hurt them. I'm so proud of you for choosing to make sure the abuse ends with your generation.

We were having an issue with our 2.5 year old hitting at Daycare. We bought the Hands Are Not For Hitting book and read it every night. Maybe you could buy Teeth Are Not For Biting and read that? Or get one for Daycare and ask them to read it to him at every instance of biting.

This has been working for us: Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2nkkDbFCW8TTX

Hands Are Not for Hitting

Maybe a book to read with your kid? One of these maybe:

• https://smile.amazon.com/Its-Not-Stork-Families-Friends/dp/0763633313
  
  
• https://smile.amazon.com/Said-Guide-Keeping-Private-Parts/dp/1878076493

http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418840691&sr=8-1&keywords=smile+raina

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Calls-Inspired-idea-Siobhan/dp/0763660655/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449055333&sr=8-1&keywords=a+monster+calls

The library at my school actually has this and another book, http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-Margaret-Holmes/dp/1557987017/ref=pd_sim_b_2/175-5420178-0132513

My parents gave me a popup book about sex. It was called "who am I? Where did I come from?"
Edit: link to the book http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0307106187/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Here are a couple of books to get the conversation started with young kids:

I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private https://www.amazon.com/dp/1878076493/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h99xzbWBYE121

Do You Have a Secret? (Let's Talk About It!) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764131702/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_M-9xzb7PWXC7N

Your Body Belongs to You https://www.amazon.com/dp/0807594733/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_e.9xzb64WRCE9

I'm so sorry about your neighbor, and that you're feeling so scared right now. That is the WORST!

As the top commenter mentioned, though, the overwhelming majority of crimes against children are committed by people who know the child. What happened to your neighbor was extremely rare. Where safety is concerned, it's very important to teach kids to stay in sight of a trusted adult when out and about, and to emphasize lessons about their right to their boundaries, consent, and listening to their instincts when in any situation with another person, no matter how well they think they know that person. If they are in a situation that starts to feel uncomfortable, they should say so (if possible), and/or find a safe way to leave it.

This book, linked below, is a great one to use with kids. It's in very kid friendly language, and it's a read-aloud style book that can help you facilitate a good conversation. It talks specifically about keeping private parts private/ trying to prevent sex abuse, but the strategies are applicable to any situation that feels uncomfortable, or any kind of violence.

http://www.amazon.com/Said-guide-keeping-private-parts/dp/1878076493/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

There are some really good children’s books on death and dying, here is a good one written from a little girls perspective.

The Memory Box: A Book About Grief https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506426727/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KW-DCbW7XVQRS

So sorry for your loss. Your daughter is young so be sure to save some things so she can remember her mother later, it will be important to her later in life. For now she’s probably going to seem fine but exhibit her loss in other ways (sleeplessness, crying or even tantrums) just be with her all you can. ❤️

Legend (The Legend Trilogy) by Marie Lu##

Click here for the book.

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.