The news can feel scary to adults at times and even more so to kids. Much as adults may want to shield them, this strategy often does not work. This book/workbook is filled with information and writing activities to help children to cope. I recommend it highly.

Just some of the chapter headings include Sometimes Scary Things Happen and What is News; others encourage more critical thinking as with What’s the Viewpoint; and What’s Your Source. There are also chapters called Taking Care of You and Making a Plan of Action among others. Each chapter is pretty short so easy to read.

The book begins with a note to adults. Take the time to read this if you are the parent, educator, therapist or other adult who is sharing this book with a child.

I am pretty certain that this title will help kids to feel less overwhelmed. It might just help some adults too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the American Psychological Association-Magination Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

“What to do When the News Scares You” is another in the “What to do When” series from Magination Press, the children’s imprint of the American Psychological Association. This updated version walks children through steps they can take to keep calm in the face of scary news. This accessible guide can help adults work with kids to calm fears about all that is awful in the world.

It seems that scary news abounds these days so having steps to take, such as talking with a trusted adult or five count breathing, is helpful for children who get upset about current events. The workbook provides places for children to write and offers adults in their lives specific suggestions for helping. Talking about those events that are scary is an important part of working through the anxiety those events cause.

The workbook seems to be meant for children who do not have direct 24/7 access to news media on cell phones and focuses more on traditional media. This is great, but a version of this for older kids would be helpful as well.

This workbook is great for kids up to about age 12 and their adults.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Magination Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This revised edition in the series covers understanding and dealing with overwhelming news and current events. A timely topic, this title covers topics of information literacy around sources of information and un-news. I felt like this area would have been expanded on a bit. The examples are clearly written and easy for children to relate to, with worksheets, activities, reflection questions, and case examples distributed throughout. An good addition to a school library or public library as a support for teachers and parents.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, American Psychological Association, via NetGalley.

Think of all of the scary tragedies that have been in the news in recent years: church and synagogue shootings, the COVID pandemic, attempted presidential assassinations, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, countless school shootings. As much as we’d like to protect our children from abysmal news, we parents cannot. Dr. Jacqueline Toner has written a wonderful book with clear, accessible writing, questions for parents and children to tackle together, and activities to help children understand. Highly, highly, highly recommended.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, the American Psychological Association and Magination Press in exchange for an honest review.

Whether from television news reports, the car radio, digital media, or adult discussions, children are often bombarded with unsettling information about the world around them. When the news scares you, we really don't know how to protect our children. This book really helps to settle that issues.

Kiddo (10) really enjoyed this book. It does a good job helping kids understand why the news always seems so scary, how "exciting" often also means "scary" and how reporters try to make stories as exciting as possible. There are some great reminders and exercises to help calm anxiety about the news, including fact-checking the things that you hear and reminding yourself that there is plenty of "un-news" that goes on every day - much more than is considered newsworthy.

It is a little wordier than other books in this series, with longer paragraphs and more focus on presenting information than exercises, so it might benefit kids to read it along with an adult.

I would definitely recommend it, especially for kids who are struggling with anxiety over current events (for my kiddo at the moment, it is climate change and politics).

*Thanks to Magination Press for providing an early copy for review.

This is an important book and resource, but I hate that we have to have it. When books like this need to be written, it's time to look to legislation and protection of our most vulnerable citizens.
That said, Dr. Jacqueline Toner does a wonderful job presenting information in a way that kids won't be even more frightened, and helps them know they are not alone. I recommend this for every person who interacts with a child.

(Full transparency that I haven't read the original version before this updated one, so I can't speak to any changes made.)

This is a wonderfully informative, helpful resource for kids who are worrying about scary things they see in the news. It does a great job of breaking down the scary situation step by step, so kids can digest the information without it all being too overwhelming. Fact-checking, communicating with adults about their fears and feelings, putting situations into perspective, regulating their emotions and bodily anxiety/panic, etc. are all covered with honesty, tact, and interactive questions and activities that get the reader involved and (hopefully) feeling more in control.

I'm excited to look into similar guides from this publisher!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

(COMING BACK DURING LUNCH TO UPDATE THIS BUT DIDN"T WANT TO LOSE MY WORK SO FAR :) )

After reading the second editions of What to Do When You Worry Too Much, What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake and What to Do When Your Temper Flares, I was so excited to see a new addition to the series, until reading the title. I am so disheartened that this book ever needed to be written. Nonetheless, I was sure it would be yet another valuable resource for children and their caretakers.

Just like in the other cases this edition has a modern feel and I'm pleased to see how well the content reflects the experience of panic at present (more on that below). When we know better, we need to do better. The APA does that yet again!

My son isn't even 2 years old yet, so I wouldn't personally use this right now. But I'm hoping that by the time this would be feasible for him there will be an even newer edition we can purchase. If not, I'll be adding this exact book to our family library :)

{I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, American Psychological Association, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}