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Sarah's Waterfall
A Healing Story about Sexual Abuse

by Ellery Akers
Illustrated by Angelique Benicio

     

Sarah is a sexual abuse survivor, and her story is told in the form of a journal. The focus is not on the abuse, but on the healing process. Sarah lives in a safe place, with her grandmother full time, and is trying to overcome the feeling of being dirty. Gram is a wonderful influence for Sarah and provides many outlets for her feelings. Sarah's Waterfall offers strategies for coping with the psychological trauma of sexual abuse that can be used by other children and offers normalization and healing ideas for their therapists and caretakers.

This look at the feelings of an abused child through that child's eyes can let other victims know that they are not alone, and offer comfort and grounding for them. The exercises that Sarah uses in the book have been developed by professionals in the field of child psychology for the treatment of abuse victims.

The illustrations are marvelous, inspiring paintings that show Sarah's story through a child's perspective. This book should be in the hands of every professional therapist who works with abused children and in every school and library. It's a specialized tool with a specific audience in mind, though it could be read by, or to, any child to lay a foundation for prevention of sexual abuse.

The Book

Safer Society Press
March 2, 2009
Hardcover
1884444792 / 978-1884444791
Tween Fiction / Ages 9-12
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Beverly J. Rowe
Reviewed 2009
NOTE: Reviewer Beverly J. Rowe is Myshelf.com's "Babes to Teens" columnist, covering topics related to reading ideas for the youth in the family.
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