For all foster children and those who care for them THE STORY: A kitten named Littleprints has a confusing and sometimes scary life at home, though sometimes it's not so bad and sometimes it's even fun. One thing that's certain is that he never knows what to expect. Suddenly one day he is taken away from everyone and everything familiar. Like his siblings, he is taken from his home to live with strangers. For one reason then another, he is moved again and again. At one point, when he encounters one of his sisters, he tells her sadly: "I don't even remember what our parents smell like." THE BOOK: In Where's Home?, the author explores the feelings of children who have witnessed violence, experienced abuse or neglect, and have been taken from their homes. These children don't know how to think about what has happened to them. Where's Home? offers a way for them and for their foster or adoptive parents to think about very difficult issues. Adults and children alike will feel Littleprints' sadness, loss, fear, and confusion. This story is ultimately a story of hope. It will encourage empathy and understanding in all readers. (While this story can be enjoyed for independent reading at the grade 3 level, the author strongly encourages that it be read aloud and shared over a number of sittings for children ages 5-12.) Littleprints never knows what to expect at home; sometimes that’s okay, but sometimes it’s confusing or even scary. Suddenly one day he is taken away from everyone and everything familiar. He then has to figure out what he can count on—both from others and from himself. Reviews: "I strongly recommend Where's Home? for foster/adoptive children and those who care for them."
--Daniel Hughes, PhD, child psychologist, author of Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children About the Author: Gabrielle Israelievitch, MSc, MSW, RSW, PhD, is a practicing child psychotherapist, visual artist, and writer. Previously, she was a teacher of deaf children. Her most recent publication is Hiding and Seeking and Being Found: Reflections on the hide-and-seek game in the clinical playroom. (Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2008). This is her second book for children. Here visual art is at www.gabzart.com |
