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Demand of Books on Violence, Grief and Emotions Surge as Depression and Anxiety Increase Among Young Americans

on Oct 12, 2022

Some pupils have more pressing concerns than completing their schoolwork as the new school year gets underway: Children's novels that deal with horrific situations like school shootings are increasingly in demand.

According to NPD BookScan, which monitors U.S. retail sales of print books, sales of books for young readers on violence, sadness, and emotions have climbed for nine years in a row, with almost six million copies sold in 2021 — more than double the number in 2012.

Children's books, according to educators and campaigners, can help young Americans cope with the rising incidence of anxiety and despair.

According to Kristine Enderle, editorial director at Magination Press, the children's publishing division of the American Psychology Association, "While it might be second nature to try to shield kids from the harsher realities of life and scary news, it's proving difficult to avoid big social issues." "Kids deal with these problems and difficulties daily."

After the shooting at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School in May, one book, "I'm Not Scared... I'm Prepared," was republished many times to keep up with demand, according to the National Center for Youth Issues, the nonprofit organization that published the book.

The tale, which was initially released in 2014, centers on a teacher who instructs students on what to do if a "dangerous someone" enters their school.

According to bookstore Barnes & Noble, the demand for the genre's books fluctuates based on regional and national news stories.

Kindra Neely, the author of the graphic novel "Numb to This," which was published this month, describes the Oregon massacre at Umpqua Community College in 2015, which she survived, as well as its aftermath and her attempts to recover in the face of frequent shootings elsewhere. When Keely first presented the concept, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers editorial director Andrea Colvin claimed she was taken aback.

"I had to keep in mind that, yeah, this is how our modern stories are. Young people have had this experience, according to Colvin.

To aid her two surviving kids, Michele Gay, whose 7-year-old daughter Josephine was slain in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, turned to children's literature. She read them a picture book called "The Ant Hill Disaster," which is about a boy ant who is frightened to return to school after it is destroyed.

Gay, who promotes increased safety in schools via a charity she co-founded, Safe and Sound Schools, said that it was one of many books that were comforting to them and gave them a little bit of courage to simply face one more day, one more minute.

Parents should check if trauma-related novels are age-appropriate and supported by psychologists, according to experts.

Aryeh Sova, a Chicago psychologist who works with kids who attended the July 4 parade in suburban Highland Park, Illinois, where seven people were murdered in a shooting, said it's crucial to be aware of whether kids are aware of or feeling stress about terrible things in the news. According to him, a youngster who has many inquiries about an incident may be worried or focused on it.

Books may be a terrific method for children to learn, read aloud to their parents, study material independently, and assimilate information at their own pace, according to Sova, if it stems from the child's needs.

However, Sova warned that bringing up violence when a youngster isn't already concerned about it can unintentionally make them more anxious.

Gun violence affects certain young children at shockingly high rates, especially in communities of color.

According to Ian Ellis James, a Sesame Street writer who has won an Emmy and goes by the stage as William Electric Black, it is crucial to begin early to address the repercussions for children. A Gun Is Not Fun, an illustrated children's book, was written by him. Young children are more aware of gun violence than parents may realize, he claimed, in locations where it is a problem.

They are aware of street flowers, candles, and cards. Every day, they pass by them, he added.

Black tries to lessen urban gun violence via children's literature and theatre. "You're going to modify the habit if you start when they're 5 and go back when you're 6, 7, 8, 9," he added.

In the spring, he will work with P.S. 155 in East Harlem, a New York City public school, to provide a series of workshops for young readers on gun violence awareness and prevention that make use of puppets, narrative, and repetition.

"They won't even abolish assault rifles in this nation. Therefore, my position is that we must enter and assist them in rescuing themselves," Black stated. We're failing miserably at it, I think.