03/07/2026
In case you find this helpful in our very troubled and scary times…
Today's A Mighty Girl Community Pick: "Something Bad Happened: A Kid's Guide to Coping With Events in the News." Whether from TV news reports, the car radio, social media, or discussions by adults or their peers, children are often bombarded with information about the world around them. And even when the adults in their life try to shelter them from frightening news, kids are often exposed to far more of it than parents may realize. With many of the leading news stories focused on disturbing or scary events such as wars, acts of violence, extreme weather events, disease outbreaks, or more dispersed threats such as climate change, children can become frightened and overwhelmed.
In this invaluable resource from child psychologist and best-selling author Dawn Huebner, kids and parents will learn how to have the often tough conversations about the news. Because the generic term "bad thing" is used throughout, parents can apply this book to any situation, from violent acts to human tragedies, from wars to natural disasters, and help kids learn to talk about their feelings about the news. This reassuring guide is both encouraging and empowering, providing comfort, support and action plans for children and parents learning about troubling events. Highly recommended for ages 6 to 12.
"Something Bad Happened" is available at https://www.amightygirl.com/something-bad-happened
There is also a similar guide also for ages 6 to 12: "What to Do When the News Scares You" at https://www.amightygirl.com/what-to-do-news-scares-you
Dawn Huebner is also the author of the bestselling guide “What To Do When You Worry Too Much” for ages 7 to 12, now in a new updated edition at https://www.amightygirl.com/when-you-worry-too-much
For parents and educators, there's an excellent guide filled with conversation scripts and tips on helping kids feel calm in an anxious world, "When the World Feels Like a Scary Place" at https://www.amightygirl.com/world-scary-place
For a simple yet powerful picture book that reassures kids that the world is filled with helpful and friendly people -- and serves as a counterpoint to scary news stories -- check out "Most People" for ages 4 to 7 at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9780884485544 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/3wKwNzL (Amazon)
For more books to help kids of all ages manage their worries, visit our blog post "25 Books to Help Kids Overcome Anxiety, Worry, and Fear" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=22612
