STORM BUDDIES helps us realize: We ain't afraid of no storms!

Fear is a part of life.  Whether you’re young, old, or somewhere in between, there's probably something you fear.  As we grow older, many of these terrors are outgrown, although some stick with us throughout our entire lifetimes.  Conquering fear is a buzzword of the modern world, but in reality, management is truly the best medicine for those things that frighten us.  

Children need coping mechanisms to get through the worst of their fears.  Writer Melissa Pope has embarked on the noble task of creating a book series with just such a purpose.  Together with illustrations by Beth Zyglowicz the first title s STORM BUDDIES, which is a great starting point.  Many adults can't stand the sound of thunder or the helplessness we feel when Mother Nature unleashes her fury.  I don’t think this book will help the adult crowd, but it’s could be a beautiful salve for the children in your life.

As the best authors do, Pope writes about what she knows, as the book was inspired by her own son’s fears growing up.  Couple that personal experience with the fact that Pope worked as a school teacher for many years, and she clearly understands her audience  She uses a boy named Tommy as the main character who is terrified of storms.  Pope does nice work putting us in Tommy’s shoes, so we can understand his fears.  The text is well written, involves a bit of faith, and introduces us to a wonderful stuffed animal coping component.

The stuffed animals make STORM BUDDIES stand out from most other books.  The buddies show up late in the story to soothe Tommy through the concluding weather event.  The little creations are a kitten, dog, and horse, and they come wrapped in a beautiful cloud satchel.  The little kit would work well as a pillow or could be stored near a bed for easy access for any child, or adult, that needs them.  Each of the three pets is of similar quality to a TY Beanie Baby, but just a little smaller.

Of course, the final piece of the book is the art.  Honestly, the drawings are probably the most important piece of a child’s book.  Zyglowicz illustrates the changes from fear to comfort very well.  Her art lends a cartoony air to the book, so I don't think even the youngest children would be scared from reading the book.  That's an important piece of the storytelling, as the idea is to soothe and not further frighten the little ones.

This book is not for every young reader, but for any child faced with issues dealing with storms, how could you go wrong?  You get a nice little book and some cute play things.  If you’d like to read a little more about the book or Ms. Pope, then check out http://www.stormbuddies.com/.