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Child Abuse Prevention April 2024
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Picture Books and Easy Nonfiction
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Lunch Every Day
by Kathryn Otoshi
Based on the true story of an anti-bullying advocate, a boy describes living with abuse at home and stealing lunches from a classmate at school until someone unexpectedly reaches out to him with generosity and compassion.
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Yes! No! A First Conversation about Consent
by Megan Madison
A picture book edition of the bestselling board book about consent, offering adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children to help prevent sexual abuse.
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We Are in Charge of Our Bodies
by Lydia Bowers
Jackson and his classmates learn names for their private body parts, that they can say what's OK for their bodies and why it's important to respect others' bodies. Part of the "We Say What's Okay" series that also includes "We Can Say No."
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Nonfiction, Chapter Books and Graphic Novels
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Kids Speak Out About Violence
by Chris Schwab
Learn about some incredible kids who had the courage to speak out about the problems of violence and abuse and what you can do to join them!
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Under Our Clothes: Our First Talk About Our Bodies
by Jillian Roberts
This illustrated nonfiction picture book by child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts introduces children to the topics of bodies, body safety and body image through a conversation-based story that begins with an observation at the community pool.
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The Ship We Built
by Lexie Bean
A transgender fifth-grader whose best friends walked away, whose mother is detached, and whose father does unspeakable things, copes with the help of friend Sofie and anonymous letters tied to balloons and released. Includes a list of resources related to abuse, gender, sexuality, and more.
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Caprice
by Coe Booth
This should be an exciting time for Caprice. She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and the disturbing news that her long-estranged grandmother has fallen ill and may be near death. As Caprice tries to figure out her future, she is pulled back toward her past, and the abuse she endured from her uncle when she was little -- an abuse she's never told anyone about.
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Fighting Words
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Depending on an older sister who protected her when their mother went to prison and their mother's boyfriend committed sexual abuse, 10-year-old Della tries to figure out what to do when her older sister attempts suicide.
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King and the Dragonflies
by Kacen Callender
Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.
It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy-that he thinks he might be gay. "You don't want anyone to think you're gay too, do you?"
But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death.
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Chirp
by Kate Messner
From acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery.
When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she's recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret of experiencing sexual abuse.
Mia's change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram's thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram's farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she's been hiding--and find the courage she never knew she had?
In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.
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The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn
by Sally J. Pla
Follows thirteen-year-old neurodivergent Maudie during an eventful summer in California with her father, where she struggles with whether to share a terrible secret about the verbal and physical abuse she experiences while living with her mom and stepdad
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A Game of Fox & Squirrels
by Jenn Reese
"A preteen confronts the child abuse that's shaped her world through a mysterious game, alluring and terrifying, with rules that are all too familiar.After Sam, 11, panicked and revealed the child abuse that left older sister Caitlin with a broken arm, the girls were sent to live with Aunt Vicky and her wife, Hannah, in rural Oregon. (The girls and their aunt are white; Hannah has a Chinese surname.) While Caitlin, 13, gratefully adapts, Sam wants only to return to their parents. A gift from Vicky, the Game of Fox & Squirrels, could help with that. The squirrels and fox on the cards, she discovers, have real-life counterparts. The flamboyant fox Ashander feeds Sam's hopes, testing her loyalty; she must earn her right to go home. What begins as a hero's journey degenerates into cruel demands. His minions, three timid squirrels, urge Sam to placate him, but she realizes she must look elsewhere to find courage to resist. Sam moves between the game world—with its chillingly familiar rules and seductive, but invariably broken, promises—and the real, but unfamiliar, world of peaceable, dependable adults. Reese's pairing of a realistic depiction of lived trauma with its allegorical-fantasy reflection proves stunningly effective in conveying PTSD. The abuse is portrayed indirectly, through its long-term effect on victims. Fear digs deep grooves in the psyche—Sam and Caitlin are on perpetual alert. Beautifully written, this is no easy read; crucially, an author's note addresses real-life abuse and directs readers to the book 's website, which offers resources for help.A haunting tale that brings the traumatic aftermath of family violence into focus with unsparing clarity. (Fiction. 10-14)" (Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2020)
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Fantasma
by Jason Reynolds
Ghost by Jason Reynolds is now available in Spanish!
Running. That’s all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons—it all started with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill. Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems—and running away from them—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?
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Butterflies in Me: An Anthology Bringing Awareness to Mental Health
by Denisha Seals
An anthology of four hope-filled tales of children facing personal challenges and traumas (abuse, anxiety, ADHD and depression). Each story is a celebration of perseverance, grit and resilience. Every character's journey toward healing and acceptance is a reminder to young readers that they, too, are strong and special, even if they sometimes feel scared, vulnerable, or alone.
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Sky Ropes
by Sondra Soderborg
Pretending she's not afraid of anything while attending her school's required teambuilding camp, Breanna must face her biggest fear—the highest ropes course in the state—and with it, the fear deeply tied to memories of physical abuse by her father which she's been fighting to forget.
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When You Know What I Know
by Sonja Solter
This harrowing, and ultimately hopeful novel in verse sensitively depicts a girl's journey through the aftermath of sexual abuse.
One day after school, on the couch in the basement, Tori's uncle did something bad. Afterward, Tori tells her mom. Even though telling was a brave thing to do, her mom still doesn't believe her at first. Her grandma still takes his side. And Tori doesn't want anyone else—even her best friend—to know what happened.
Now Tori finds herself battling mixed emotions—anger, shame, and sadness—as she deals with the trauma. But with the help of her mom, her little sister, her best friend, and others, can Tori find a way to heal?
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Coyote Queen
by Jessica Vitalis
Desperate for the prize money to escape her mother's physically abusive boyfriend, twelve-year-old Fud enters a beauty pageant, but her eerie connection to nearby coyotes helps her see who she is meant to be, and who she can truly save.
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Nowhere Special
by Matt Wallace
Twelve-year-old Stan and Elpidia find hope in an unexpected friendship as they navigate challenging family circumstances and a dangerous local gang in the desolate Southern California desert.
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El consentimiento ¡para niños! Cómo poner límites, pedir respeto y estar a cargo de ti mismo
by Rachel Brian
Tu cuerpo es tuyo y tú ones las reglas. Puedes tener reglas distintas para cada persona y cambiarlas cuando tú quieras. Por ejemplo, tal vez quieras chocar las palmas con tus amigos y besar a tu gatito, ¡pero no al revés! Este libro te dará seguridad, responsabilidad y control total sobre tu cuerpo, tus emociones y tu forma de ser. Aquí aprenderás a poner límites, a pedir respeto, a reflexionar sobre tu propio comportamiento y a ser un buen amigo de quienes te rodean. En pocas palabras, a entender qué es el consentimiento y cómo funciona para ti y para los demás.
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