From the first day they enter the classroom, American children face the horrific reality that one day, they may experience a school shooting. Lockdown drills are commonplace, and teachers and administrators walk kids through what to do in case the worst happens. But what are kids supposed to do with those understandably big feelings? How do kids live with that kind of fear? If you are looking for a way to start these hard conversations, here are a few titles to get you started.
One Thursday Afternoon by Barbara Dilorenzo
When Ava leaves school one Thursday afternoon, she has a lot of big feelings. That day, her school had held a lockdown drill. Ava feels terrified. But as her grandfather arrives to pick her up, she’s quiet. She doesn’t know what to say or how to name her feelings. One Thursday Afternoon follows Ava as her grandfather makes space and supports her during her silence. They go outside, paint, and enjoy nature. And when Ava is finally ready to talk, her grandfather listens. This book helps kids understand that their fear is normal. They don’t have to talk about it right away, but when they are ready to share, the adults in their life will be ready to listen.
Not Like Every Day: Finding Calm During School Lockdown Drills by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and Gabrielle Grimard
When his school holds a lockdown drill, Henry feels butterflies in his chest. His teacher reassures him that it’s just pretend, but Henry’s fear still flutters inside him. Henry’s teacher kindly sits with him and listens to him as he shares his scary feelings. Not Like Every Day helps kids prepare for and better understand lockdown drills. It teaches them emotional intelligence and reassures them that these feelings are natural and nothing to be ashamed of.
The Shape of Thunder by Jasmina Warga
In this middle grade novel, readers follow friends Cora and Quinn, two best friends who have always been inseparable. But when Quinn’s brother takes a gun to school and kills Cora’s sister, the two girls’ friendship shatters. On Cora’s birthday, she opens the door to find that Quinn has left her a package with a note. Quinn believes the only way to fix things between them is to time travel and stop the disaster before it ever happens. Shaped Like Thunder tackles the ripple effects of school shootings. Through the relationship of these two girls, we can see an entire community trying to recover.
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You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
English (US) · 