EVERY BREATH, EVERY BLESSING

Tools to help kids weather the ups and downs of life.

The author’s aids for getting through tough times are good ones: breathe in and out (readers can’t help doing this each time it’s mentioned in the book); remember that you are loved and a unique individual and that life is a blessing (these last two points add religiosity with mentions of the “Giver of Breath” and “His precious blessings”); lend a helping hand; look for the helpers; and take life one day at a time. Illustrations often depict pairs, with the adult serving as the child’s anchor in the storm, a reliable person to whom a young person can talk and ask questions. And the book has some ups to somewhat balance its downs—a family camping trip, getting pushed on a swing, sharing time with friends. But while it’s true that everyone has rough days, those days aren’t necessarily comparable: a rainy day and a fire drill at school are different from being a wheelchair user, having a cochlear implant, or facing the damage from a severe storm in your community. Kim’s brightly colored illustrations highlight people of varying ages, skin tones, and abilities.

Solid ideas for weathering storms, but the storms are as different as apples and oranges.