Reading Lessons from the Great Depression

By Virginia Prescott on Thursday, May 7, 2009.

Layoffs, foreclosures, bankruptcy. The news is grim these days. So how do you broach the topic with children? Our instinct is to shelter kids from harsh realities of the recession. But is that fair when the consequences of the downturn affect them too?

Mary Ann Cappiello, an assistant professor of education at Lesley University in Cambridge, says the answer may be sitting on our bookshelves. She joined us in the studio to leaf through a few good books to help kids better understand the “R” word.

Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman

Sky Boys by Deborah Hopkinson

What You Know First by Patricia Maclachlan

Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse by Meghan McCarthy

That Book Woman by Heather Henson

(Photo by crimfants via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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Thanks for the article, i enjoyed reading it.

Submitted by carlydavies on Mon, 05/11/2009 - 01:52.

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.