Books for Kids in Troubled Times

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) has compiled a list of books intended to comfort and inform children following the recent terrorist attacks. The annotated list spans all reading levels, from pre-readers to young adult, and is arranged by category, with an emphasis on themes such as tolerance, conflict resolution, coping with fear, and historical perspectives of war. With the help of major publishers who submitted their own recommendations, SCBWI has published the list as a downloadable document on its Web site at www.scbwi.org.

SCBWI members will make the rounds, speaking to children about the joys of writing and reading. Stephen Mooser, SCBWI president, also expects speakers to address topical issues, such as tolerance for other people and cultures.