The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul Deborah Stevenson Reul, Sarah LynneThe Breaking News; written and illus. by Sarah Lynne Reul. Roaring Brook, 2018 40p ISBN 978-1-250-15356-2 $18.99 R* 5-8 yrs We all have experienced it: the news reports a terrible event that affects many people deeply and leaves grief and worry in its wake. This picture book explores the child experience of such an event through our young protagonist, tracking it through parental response ("Suddenly Mom is glued to the television. Dad can't stop checking his phone") and household disruption ("Dad is too tired for bedtime stories"). At school, her teacher echoes the Mr. Rogers line of "Look for the helpers," and the girl wants to help too, but how? This take on post-tragedy response delicately blends respect for sadness and the magnitude of tragedy with an actionable focus on the value of "one small thing" as a response. The book wisely keeps the news itself nonspecific and the realistic approach to what one person can do ("Small things don't solve everything. The bad news is still there, after all") avoids Pollyanna-ism and unrealistic expectations while still providing reassurance. The digital illustrations, thickly lined with slightly naïve draftsmanship, especially in the figures, focuses on kid-accessible realms of home, city neighborhood, and school, and limits its palette to a harmonious and respectful earthtoned colorway. The family, in varying shades of skin tone, and the multiracial neighborhood and school could map easily onto that of most audiences, and even the family's wienerish dog is credibly subdued. The situational need for this kind of reassurance isn't going away, so this will be a useful classroom and parental tool in tough times. DS Copyright © 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois