A Book Review from Books At a Glance
by Kristin Stiles
Sadie is a shy little bunny. How will she ever cope when her parents have to take a trip away, and she is left to stay with her cousin’s family and a whole host of kids that she doesn’t even know?
Shyness is a common affliction and most of us can sympathize with Sadie as she has to navigate an unfamiliar setting with unfamiliar people. We remember the feelings of dread and anxiety. We remember playing the scenarios in our minds of how we might be humiliated or disliked or teased. It’s natural that we can expect our children struggle with this, too. They may express it through complaining or disobeying or just by being especially quiet. There are great techniques to help your children identify, address, and deal with the issue of shyness, and they are presented very clearly in this book.
In Sadie Finds Her Voice, the parents are aware of their daughter’s shyness and the anxiety it produces, but they do not shelter her from experiences that will be uncomfortable. They do, on the other hand, give her tools to help her overcome these feelings. They talk with her about what to expect; they give her ideas of how she can more confidently interact with people; they put her in a situation that is safe with loving people; they pray for her; and they arm her with scripture. Sadie is also helped by another adult that she meets who confesses to also struggling with feelings of shyness.
Something that I really appreciate about this book that makes it stand out from secular self-help books for children is that it addresses that there may very well be sinful motivations at the root of shyness. The child may be worried about how others will perceive him/her because of pride and selfishness. This book provides a biblical perspective on how to conquer those.
At the end of the book is an extremely helpful section for parents. There is more in-depth information about the causes and manifestations of shyness and tips and techniques on how to address it and help children to overcome it. If your child struggles at all with shyness, this would be an excellent resource for you to share with him/her.
Kristin Stiles is a home-school mom, a Sunday School teacher, and helps lead the “Young, Reading, & Reformed” children’s ministry at Reformed Baptist Church of Franconia, PA.