Facing Down Demons

Children have fears, and there's no denying it. The room is too dark, there's a monster under the bed, and there are scary spiders in the basement. Some youngsters pretend their fears don't exist; others let them rule their lives.

While rational and irrational fears have always been a normal part of a child's development, recent events in our country have heightened these emotions in some youngsters and added to their feelings of vulnerability. They are often fearful of things they don't understand, even things that are not real. Experts agree that it's important to address these concerns and to provide helpful strategies and support to overcome them.

Picture books can spark discussion of feelings that are difficult to articulate, can reassure children that they're not alone, and, in showing how different characters react and overcome situations, can allow them to reflect privately and safely on their own thoughts, attitudes, and actions. While some situations can have serious consequences, such as coping with bullies or an aggressive animal, often childhood fears are based on something imagined. Kids are frequently unsure whether they should fight or flee, avoid or confront their demons. Those who can't get over them might miss out on sleepovers or pool parties that may otherwise enhance their self-esteem, friendships, and overall social life.

Authors and illustrators of picture books offer different approaches or strategies for overcoming trepidation. Characters may gain strength from an imaginary or concrete object or they might attempt to take control of the fear by facing it head on. At other times, a cognitive explanation by an adult is enough to abate feelings of apprehension through understanding. Lastly, some characters devise a plan of action or develop steps they will take to overcome their anxieties.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.— Mark Twain

In Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand (Child & Family, 1993), Chester Raccoon prefers to stay home rather than go to school, until his mother tells him about an old family secret—the Kissing Hand. Mrs. Raccoon leans over, gently spreads his tiny fingers, and kisses Chester right in the middle of his palm. He immediately feels his mother's love and protection move through his body. From then on, whenever he feels unsafe, he can place his palm on his face and be filled with "toasty warm thoughts" of his mother's love. He now has the courage he needs to scamper off to school.

A powerful peacock feather has a similar effect on a boy with a big imagination in Dee Lillegard's Tiger, Tiger (Putnam, 2002). Pocu wants to play but it's such a hot day in his village that everyone else wants to take a nap. Wandering off on his own, he picks up a colorful feather and begins creating a world of his own. "SWISH. Pocu made the air cool. SWISH. Pocu made a great murmuring shadow." The shadow follows the child through the bushes and eventually evolves into a growling tiger, terrifying him and the other jungle animals. Then, with a few swipes of his magic peacock feather, Pocu controls the ferocious animal. "SWISH…. 'Sleep, Tiger,' said Pocu. And Tiger slept."

A monster-movie party sounds pretty scary to the protagonist in Holly Keller's Brave Horace (Greenwillow, 1998). Unable to discuss his anxiety about attending it, he uses props and costumes to help him build up his courage and convince himself that he's not afraid. During the party, when the lights go out and the guests are dared to stick their hands into a box full of "monster brains and livers," Horace realizes that his buddy Fred is even more frightened than he is and courageously offers to be the first to participate.

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.— Eleanor Roosevelt

William Steig's Brave Irene (Farrar, 1986) certainly seems to agree with Mrs. Roosevelt. After spending days sewing a beautiful gown for the duchess, Irene's mother is too sick to deliver it to the palace in time for the ball. Even though it's starting to snow and the women is worried about her daughter traveling in nasty weather, Irene is sure she can complete her task, and her determination pays off.

Ed Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster! (Little, Brown, 1993) and Mercer Mayer's There's a Nightmare in My Closet (Dial, 1968) also feature characters who face their fears head on. There are "monsters" in every child's life, and these books empower youngsters by showing them that bravery can come from within and tricks of the mind can be used against irrational enemies. Emberley demonstrates how a child can break down a fear into smaller pieces, taking charge of each part and, ultimately, gaining control. "You don't scare me! So go away, scraggly purple hair!" is the first step, as readers, bit by bit, piece by piece, eliminate the monster. The little boy in There's a Nightmare in My Closet uses a similar strategy with aggressive tactics and an army of toys to assist him. The same imagination that created the fear can conquer it.

In Kevin Henkes's Wemberly Worried (Greenwillow, 2000), the little mouse anguishes over everything in life, from the noises in the radiators and the crack in the wall to the bolts and chains on the playground equipment. How will she ever go to school, her biggest worry of all? Some of her anxiety subsides when she makes friends with a classmate and gains the confidence to face her fears.

In Martin Waddell's heartwarming Owl Babies (Candlewick, 1992), Sarah, Percy, and Bill discover that their mother is gone from the nest. After the initial cry, "I want my mommy!" they offer one another possible explanations for her absence, until the explanations become more and more alarming. Of course, mom returns, and the baby owls claim that they knew she would because, after all, "all owls think a lot." Well, maybe so, but sometimes children's emotions overcome their cognitive abilities.

Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.— Henry David Thoreau

With some characters, a cognitive explanation of the feared object is enough to dispel inaccurate beliefs. By increasing their knowledge and understanding, they realize that the feelings were based on perception, not truth. In Jill Tomlinson's The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark (Candlewick, 2001), a baby barn owl's mother suggests that her son find out more about the dark. So, day after day, he asks people for their opinions and wisdom. He learns from a boy that the night is exciting because you can watch fireworks. A scout enjoys lighting a campfire and drinking hot chocolate. Little by little, Plop is able to appreciate the virtues of the night.

In The Bear Under the Stairs (Dial, 1993; o.p.), Helen Cooper effectively illustrates the power of the mind's eye, how misperceptions happen, and the size of youngsters' imaginations. After William sees "the bear" under the stairs through a slit in the door, he is worried sick that it will eat him and take over the whole house while he's sleeping. It's not until his mother notices a strange odor coming from the door (due to William feeding him) that the real bear is exposed. The boy's imagination is put to rest as he allows himself to see and accept the real truth.

The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next. —Mignon McLaughlin

Our bodies react to anxiety and fear with a rapid heartbeat, change in breathing, and profuse perspiration. Therapists have long devised strategies to help people calm themselves, relax, and divert their attention. In Patricia Polacco's Thunder Cake (Philomel, 1990; o.p.), a sagacious and loving grandma knows what to do to get her frightened granddaughter to feel differently about storms. She teaches the child how to calculate the storm's distance in miles, and then engages her in a baking project, keeping the child too busy measuring, mixing, and stirring to be scared. In Phyllis Root's Oliver Finds His Way (Candlewick, 2002), the protagonist chases a big, yellow leaf from his yard down the hill to the edge of the woods. Suddenly, he can't see his house or his parents. Most children will relate to his dilemma as well as his initial reaction—panic. Finally, he gets an idea. He lets out a loud ROAR and keeps at it until his mom and dad roar back and he follows their sounds home. Oliver's clever plan serves as a good example of how planning, thinking, and strategizing can sometimes get one through a traumatic situation.

Other noteworthy books serve the purpose of heightening children's awareness and providing clarity and understanding. In Some Things Are Scary (Candlewick, 2000), Florence Parry Heide shows different kinds of frightening scenarios and lets children know that they shouldn't feel ashamed of their reactions to them, making the point that the first step to overcoming a fear is identifying it. Young Nick doubts his mother in Judith Viorst's My Mama Says There Aren't Any Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things (Atheneum, 1973). If she makes so many mistakes with other things, then how can he believe her this time? He comes to the startling conclusion that he cannot rely on her 100 percent of the time and that the only person who has the ultimate power to wipe away an irrational fear is the one who created it. Finally, in Elissa Haden Guest's Iris and Walter, the Sleepover (Harcourt, 2002), Iris learns that while the idea of a sleepover sounds great, she just can't go through with it. The message here is that not being ready for an experience doesn't mean you are a failure. In the end, Iris decides that she wants to sleep over at Walter's house another day. And she does.

Children's literature provides us with a vehicle to approach children's anxieties by heightening their awarness while offering them ways in which they can prevent those fears from controlling their lives. Some children will respond to the cognitive approach, while others may want to rely on an object. Chances are that whatever works may change with age and may be different depending on the situation. As children grow and develop they are faced with new problems, concerns, and worries, and they need to apply previously learned strategies to each new experience. The most important messages for youngsters to receive are that fearful feelings are part of growing up and that they need to be challenged and overcome in order to maximize the human experience.