When Sad, Scary Things Happen: Coping with Childhood Trauma

"Ms. Arnold-McEwan offers her readers concise, compassionate examples of how children respond to and cope with traumatic overwhelm through beautifully rendered animal drawings offering the best of trauma knowledge we have today. Trauma is foremost a somatic experience that needs to be moved through a child's body before new thoughts and stories of surviving can take hold. Young ones see themselves on the page in Hedgehog's spiky words or Bear's pull to hide when hard things happen, to then find Wise Owl guidance for adaptive coping. Parents and professionals alike will reference this book again and again as they come alongside children the world over who have experienced the loss of safety at levels that go deep inside."
Krista M. Nelson, LICSW LMFT - Attachment and Trauma Consultant, St Paul, MN

"When Sad, Scary Things Happen by Erika Arnold-McEwan is a poignant and compassionate guide that addresses childhood trauma through the lens of animal characters. The author skillfully navigates sensitive topics with grace, offering a comforting narrative that resonates with empathy and understanding....It offers a compassionate perspective on childhood trauma, resilience, and healing, making it an essential addition to discussions about emotional well-being and coping strategies for young readers." -Kid's Picture Book Review How can we help a young child cope with traumatic experiences?

This gentle, interactive, and informative book offers therapeutic, cross-cultural guidance for children (ages 4-8) and their adult caregivers.

Created by a child trauma therapist, this book provides normalization of traumatic events, including displacement from one's home, physical/emotional abuse, natural disasters, neglect, and witnessing violence. Calming illustrations and simple, interactive narratives attempt to engage children without overstimulating their nervous systems. Children will learn about upset emotions to better identify and verbalize their own emotions. The sweet forest animal characters model physical and emotional reactions to trauma. Wise Old Owl guides the animals toward adaptive coping strategies to calm their nervous system and develop more helpful beliefs about themselves. The child's internal strength and sense of agency are encouraged as essential ways to cope with trauma. Clinical guidance for adult caregivers is also provided to support a child's healing journey. This therapeutic tool is a needed addition to the child therapy space, the classroom, and homes where children are coping with traumatic experiences.