Bad Stuff In the News: A Guide to Handling the Headlines
Marc Gellman & Thomas Hartman
Reading Level: 6.4
Interest Level: Middle Grades
Hardcover
ISBN: 1587171325, Published by SeaStar Books, 128 pages.
Paperback
ISBN: 1587172321, Published by SeaStar Books, 116 pages.
Bad Stuff in the News offers pragmatic advice and reassurance to teens and tweens about coping with negative information in the news.
The God Squad, Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman, approach the material with a light tone. The information is serious, and is treated seriously, but their approach is not depressing or cumbersome.
The book covers topics from terrorism to drug use to child abuse to disease.
I read the book first, and I discussed it with my daughter afterward. Before she read it, I warned her that it might present some information she hadn't encountered before. I asked her to stop reading if she felt uncomfortable or worried, and to talk to me.
There are examples given of the different types of "bad stuff." We don't watch the news and my children's tv viewing has been very restricted, so the book presented some "bad stuff" she hadn't encountered before.
I'd recommend reading this book with your child, with ample discussion before, during and after.
My daughter said she liked the book because it helped her understand more about terrorism and diseases and because she felt like the authors talked to her like she was a kid, but respectfully.
Most suited to tweens and teens.
Barbara Handley
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Ask the God Squad
"Monsignor Tom Hartman and Rabbi Marc Gellman of Long Island, N.Y., share their insights on all things spiritual in their nationally syndicated weekly advice column The God Squad."