Crash!: Overcoming Fear and Trauma

Overview Crash!: Overcoming Fear and Trauma is written and illustrated by kids and part of Reflections Publishing's "Kids Helping Kids Through Books" series. Crash! specifically addresses the emotions that children experience after being in a car accident and helping them to overcome their fear from the traumatic event. The fiction stories in this series are written and illustrated from the fresh perspective of kids. With the stories written by child authors, child readers who are going through a difficult time can read these stories and have their feelings validated. By connecting with the children through a fiction story, it simply provides a start for the healing process. Because true healing requires a broad focus on emotional, educational, social, and even spiritual needs, this series also provides a non-fiction section for children (and parents) with the tools they need to navigate through these situations. Specifically, at the back of each book in this series, readers will find commentaries for dealing with difficult situations from experts in various fields (e.g., child psychologists, educators, therapists, and religious scholars). We believe this series will provide children with valuable tools to assist them in dealing with many real-life challenges. Description of Crash!: Overcoming Fear and Trauma Alan is a fourth-grader who rides in a car with his parents every day. One afternoon, his world was turned upside down when the vehicle he and his dad were in was struck on a scenic road near their San Diego home. Luckily, Alan escaped serious physical injuries, but soon he discovers that not all pain involves blood and broken bones. Alan develops a fear of riding in cars, and he must also deal with a sibling who is jealous of the attention he has received since the accident. He has a lot on his mind, and it is more than he can handle on his own. Alan relies on his friends and family for help, along with a psychologist who encourages him to think and talk about the trauma. Turning this bad experience around is a journey for Alan, who finds a way to bounce back.