Jason's Story

School Library Journal

ea. vol: illus. by Jeanette Swofford. 45p. glossary. (Child Abuse Bks.). CIP. Dillon. May 1986. PLB $9.95. Gr 2-4 Five fictionalized stories about children who need and receive help with serious social problems. The stories include blacks and whites, and the settings vary from suburban to urban. The illustrations are done in muted colors which create a low-key effect. The writing style and sentence constructions are simple, and the dialogue is convincing. Some of the stories are told in first person, others in third person; the children's thoughts and feelings are a big part of each story. The explanation of sexual abuse in Margaret's Story is matter-of-fact and uses precise terminology. A vocabulary list with appropriately simplified definitions and pronunciation guides follows each story. There is also a follow-up section which reiterates points made in the story, emphasizing the right of children to be properly cared for and not subjected to abuse, and suggesting adults to whom children could turn for help. The books end with a ``Note to Adults.'' Reassuring and nonthreatening, these stories are intended to be read to children and discussed by children and adults together. Similar in focus to Wachter's No More Secrets for Me (Little, 1984), the content here is deeper and broader in scope. Elise Wendel, Orchard Rd . Sch . , Skillman, N.J.