Dealing With Jealousy (The Conflict Resolution Library)

We have all felt the green-eyed monster from time to time. Kids find this feeling particularly confusing. This book helps.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Information is presented and explained via brief "fact bites," followed by fictionalizations used for application and instruction. Each double-page spread features one page of text paired with a posed full-color photo. Topics include a definition of jealousy, a brief discussion of its universality, some basic coping strategies, sibling-rivalry issues, a healthy expression of feelings, and an encouragement toward self-confidence and taking pride in one's accomplishments. Glossary entries are identified in text via boldface type and accompanied by a somewhat confusing attempt at syllabic pronunciation. Another problem lies in determination of audience. The large typeface is that found in an early reader, yet vocabulary and photo composition occasionally point toward an older readership. The book is most appropriate for one-on-one sharing in the home or for classroom read-alouds followed by discussion. Breaking new ground for the primary-grade set, this title's closest comparison is Beth Wilkinson's Coping with Jealousy (Rosen, 1992), which is intended for a much older audience. A welcome, though somewhat flawed, addition in a fresh and attractive package.
Celia A. Huffman, Worthington Public Library, OH
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2^-4. This is one of the better entries in the Conflict Resolution Library series, which aims to put young readers in touch with their emotions. Using a few simple scenarios drawn from everyday life--a child coveting a prize her friend has won; a sister resenting the attention being given to her sick brother--Croft explains what jealousy is, reassures children that it is something everyone experiences from time to time, and suggests some realistic, age-appropriate ways to deal with it. Each double-page spread is self-contained: one page of text and a full-page illustration present an idea or scenario related to the subject. The photos seem more natural than those in some of the other books in the series, and the pronunciation guides are less intrusive than in other volumes. Stephanie Zvirin