Touching Spirit Bear

During a TV show about bullying, one boy said that his life had changed–he had stopped being a bully, when he was required to read Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. I HAD to read it.

Cole is a mean, angry 15-year-old bully. He beats another student so badly the boy is hospitalized withe severe, life-long injuries. No matter who talks to Cole or what they say, he is belligerent and argumentative. Not a shred of shame or remorse for his actions.

He’s given an alternative to jail which is banishment for a year to a remote, deserted Alaskan island. This decision is made when Cole becomes part of Circle Justice, a  program based on Native American principles that encourages change and healing as part of justice. Cole pretends to agree with the plan but in reality, he takes no responsibility for his actions. Instead, he blames his behaviors on his parents and others, never himself.

When Cole is left on the island, he has a small cabin for shelter and a year’s worth of supplies, with plans for regular visits from his temporary guardians. Within hours, he burns down the cabin and all his supplies. Later, he is severely mauled by a mysterious white bear. He is taken to hospital to heal from his extensive injuries, but is then returned to the island.

Slowly, Cole makes small shifts in his thinking. His setting forces him to learn new skills. Eventually, he develops self-awareness, thoughtfulness, sympathy, and remorse.

This is a powerful book. A child or adolescent could read it to themselves or a parent could read it to them.

Writing topics:

• Why do you think I had you read this book?
• Write about three things you learned from this book.
• How is the main character, Cole, similar and different to you?
• How would you describe Cole’s attitude at the end of the book? Of all the things he had to do to survive on the island, which one do you think contributed the most to his change in attitude?

Book info:
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. Ages 11-16. Especially appropriate for children struggling with issues of anger, aggression, abuse, and bullying. Also touches on themes of parental abuse and trauma.

Number the Stars

This Newberry Award winning book is set in Denmark during World War II. Ten-year-old Annemarie is surrounded by Nazis but thinks of them as merely an annoyance, until her friend Ellen’s family is threatened. Denmark already has an active resistance movement, but when the Nazis begin to arrest the Jews, Annemarie’s family steps in to help not only Ellen’s family but other Jewish families, too.

Annemarie learns about friendship, helping others, being brave, and making right choices even when life is difficult and you’re filled with fear. She struggles to understand how the Nazis can be so mean and cruel, even though she grew up in a kind, caring family and environment. She watches her parents stand up to prejudice and evil and learns to do the same. Later, she learns that her older sister had also stood up to hatred and evil, and had been killed for it.

Annemarie’s uncle explains to her that sometimes it’s better not to know everything; it can be safer that way. She has to trust that she’s been told just what she needs to know. As several Jewish families are leaving Denmark for the safety of Sweden, she must take a critical item to her uncle. She must run through the woods at night, face down the Nazis, and make it to the boat before it leaves. She finds an inner strength based on the trust and knowledge of her family to help her accomplish her task.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
-What did Annemarie’s family teach her about how to treat other people?
-What do you think Annemarie felt like when she was running to her uncle’s boat? How do you think she felt after she delivered the basked?

DISCUSSION TOPICS
-Can you think of a time when it was hard for you to make a good choice because you were so scared?
-Think about all the things Annemarie had to do to help Ellen’s family. What do you think are some of the emotions she felt?

BIBLE ACTIVITY
In the funeral scene, Anneamrie’s uncle reads part of a psalm from the Bible. Use the index or a Bible concordance and look up that psalm, and copy it down. Read it out loud. Why do you think that psalm was read as they got ready to help families escape from the Nazis?

BOOK INFORMATION
Grades 3-6. You can find this book in your local library or buy it here, Number the Stars.

Good Night, Mr. Tom

A book about trauma, healing, and learning to trust

Beaten and emotionally traumatized by his single mother, Willie is too young to know that life should be different. He’s evacuated to the English countryside during World War II and his life changes. Over time, he learns to trust, connect, heal, and love.

Willie arrives in Mr. Tom’s  home covered in bruises from his beatings, and wets his bed nightly. His mother’s fierce, negative indoctrination about a world filled with nasty, mean people slips away as Willie makes friends, learns to read, discovers his artistic talents, has his first birthday party, and participates in a school play.

Abruptly, Willie is called back to London to see his mother. She immediately reminds him about living in fear and without love and kindness, and his shame returns. After several weeks, Mr. Tom travels to London with his dog to find Willie and is shocked at what he finds.

Eventually, Willie returns to the village with Mr. Tom where he resumes his emotional path of healing, living amongst kind-hearted, generous people. Even through the death of his best friend, he continues to heal and grow emotionally.

WRITING ACTIVITIES
Write a short summary of the story followed by a paragraph about how this story might connect to the child reading the book.

Make a list of five things that had to change inside Willie before he could learn to trust and love.

Is it fair that Willie grew up with a mom like he had? Write about that.

DISCUSSION TOPICS
What were some of the challenges Willie faced in his life? Are your challenges similar or different?

How did Willie’s trust of adults get broken? How did that get repaired?

BOOK INFORMATION
Grades 4-10. Can be found in the library or bought here.