While we enjoyed Mai Little Love’s first Lunar New Year yesterday, this past weekend of festivity was clouded by the devastating news of a mass shooting during Lunar New Year festivities in Monterey Park. From joy and festivity to pure horror… The weight of realizing that safe spaces do not exist, of always having to wonder and worry if we will lose our lives, is exhausting. If this is how adults feel, imagine what this feeling must be like for a child…

I am a firm believer in the power of picture books to help littles process *big* feelings, events, and experiences. Below is a list of 4 picture books to help start a conversation with littles in the aftermath of a mass shooting.

Have another book to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below so we can build libraries of support!

Something Happened in Our Park by Ann Hazzard, Marrianne Celano, & Marietta Collins

Read this book to empower communities in the aftermath of gun violence. After Miles’s cousin Keisha is injured in a shooting, with help from friends and family, Miles learns to use his imagination and creativity to help him cope with his fears. Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with guidelines for discussing community gun violence with children, and sample dialogues.

One Thursday Afternoon by Barbara DiLorenzo

Read this book to help children cope with anxiety and fear caused by lockdown drills. A lockdown drill leaves Ava feeling worried and anxious. How can she feel afraid in a place that has always felt so safe? Ava’s Grandad helps her process her emotions by offering creativity and companionship.

The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul

Read this book for a window into how children perceive and cope with devastating news. When devastating news hits a young girl’s community, she witnesses the normally attentive adults suddenly weary and distracted. At school, her teacher helps her navigate this aftermath by telling the class to look for the helpers – good people who work to make things better in both big and small ways. The young girl realizes that maybe she can start with one small act of kindness to help her community.

The Tunnel by Sarah Howden

Read this book to acknowledge that children need time and space to heal and process tough emotions. After something bad happens, a boy has big feelings of sadness. He digs a tunnel from his room, deep into the backyard, where the quiet distance gives him the space he needs to process his feelings and see his family’s love. When he is ready, he returns home. His journey upward is not so scary this time. When he emerges, he is ready to embrace his Mom’s warmth and comfort.

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Plus, here is an additional resource~ A list of books I wish we didn’t need, but am grateful that we have:

Click here for a Full List of Picture Books on Difficult Topics for Kids

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*~ Please reach out with additional resources to share, Mai Friends! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email to share your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear about your own remarkable Bookish adventures!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*