Best children books about violence according to redditors

A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson is heartbreaking and stunning and beyond worth the short read.

A good book for this age would be A Terrible Thing Happened - it explains the emotions that he might be feeling, as well as the process of going to therapy and starting to feel better.

In the meantime, let him talk about it as much as he needs to but keep reminding him that he's safe now (assuming he is - if not, that should be your top priority!). Validate his feelings and emphasize that it wasn't his fault, that he didn't do anything wrong. You might also check out these resources for tips and strategies written by professionals.

No, there was this: http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Be-Wizard/dp/0152049401/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300517950&sr=1-1

Does your kid like books? We had great success with this book. Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_B889yb6WN64QW

We would read it and talk about all the fun things hands were for and if he did hit me I would remind him hands are not for hitting and he would say sorry, if he hit again after i reminded him then i did timeout followed by us reading the book. We also used feet are not for kicking and paci is not forever which all worked great with him. He still asks to read them regularly. We used the feet one around 18 mths and the hands at 2 yrs old, he is now 2.5.

This has been working for us: Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2nkkDbFCW8TTX

A hole I saw in this list. This is one of the absolute best ever young children's books for dealing with trauma. The best thing about it is that they show the character's trauma as a big dark cloud, and they never define it, leaving each child who reads it to fill in what that big dark cloud means to them. That gives it a flexibility that is truly amazing when working with kids who aren't talking yet.

http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-Margaret-Holmes/dp/1557987017/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417310479&sr=1-1&keywords=a+terrible+thing+happened

My daughter was unfortunately a hitter as well. After trying time out and other methods, we tried a book. It's call [Hands Are Not for Hitting] (http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Behavior-Series/dp/157542200X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394044206&sr=8-1&keywords=hands+are+not+for+hitting) and anytime she would hit, we would sit her down and read that book with her. Sometimes it entailed calming her down and then reading the book, but we were very adamant on doing it every time. We had one at her sitter's house and one at our house. We also read it during her night time reading just for good measure.

Some methods work for certain kids and some don't, but that's what ultimately worked for us.

We recently bought Hands are Not for Hitting for our toddler. It helped. She's not perfect, but it has reduced the hitting incidents.

Hands Are Not for Hitting

Maybe some of Diana Wynne Jones's books, or Diane Duane's So You Want to be a Wizard series?

Ditto. But maybe not family therapy per se. If they kiddos are young (under 8 or 9), they may or may not have the linguistic ability to really express how they feel. But play therapy should be incorporated as well as that is how children work their feelings. Then, a good therapist can help decipher the themes of their play and what the kiddo needs. They can also recommend good books. I suggest getting The Invisible String and A Terrible Thing Happened.

Also, I'm so so sorry for your loss. Make sure to take care of yourself as well if you begin to feel overwhelmed.

EDIT: I'm sorry I got over-excited about sharing information. But therapy may not be necessary. I work with trauma a lot and there's saying "We treat symptoms, not events." Some kids are incredibly resilient and can bounce back without therapy at all.

In every single top ten anime film list.... this has to go on there. somewhere. the movie is just that good.

But by God is it ever the most depressing thing you'll ever watch. I had steeled myself ahead of time, but dammit if I didn't find myself dry sobbing two-thirds of the way through.

Additionally, there is this. I had to read it in the seventh grade. Holy shit, what an obscure memory. from out of nowhere.

Are you sure it was set in the Middle East? Time Zero has a dystopian setting but hits a lot of your other criteria.

Edit: I would also look at Nasreens Secret School, set in Afghanistan.

Is it Safekeeping by Karen Hesse?

Edited to provide a link with more detail than the original link I gave.

I had an issue with that in my preschool class. Typically reinforcing using words should work but have you also tried to figure out the emotion behind the aggressive behavior?

It does take some time to stop the behavior as we are teaching our children how to deal with their emotions. Many times they hit, kick, and grab because they don't know how to deal with anger, hurt, or sadness. I like to ask why they hit and I explain why it isn't appropriate. I always say to the kids to tell their friend, "No thank you, I don't like that." Although I was having to repeat this A LOT, it was amazing to hear kids begin using this phrase instead of immediately reacting with aggressive behavior.

When we were having a particularly difficult time with one child, it was brought to the mother's attention who then brought a book to share with the class. You may have heard of it. It's called Hands are not for Hitting.

I'm not sure how well the book works for children. From a child development standpoint, it's best to help the child acknowledge what they are feeling and provide them with tools (words) for how to deal with it or express themselves in a positive manner.

With school starting please run to your local library and get

Stand Tall Mary Lou Mellon by Patty Lovell

https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Tall-Molly-Lou-Melon/dp/0399234160

https://www.amazon.com/Well-Sacrifice-Chris-Eboch/dp/0395903742 doesn't entirely match but...

Do you mean The Rule of Three?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250059550/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AiiaBb5656DF9

Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WBhYCbAEPA4ZB

I’ve got boy/girl twin toddlers too! You’re gonna want to get all these books... hitting, kicking, sharing...

It’s great because we read them and practice what they say and the kids totally get it. When my son hits we say “are hands for hitting?” And he says “no” then we say “what are hands for?” And he says “waving” or “clapping”

If he’s just excited and needs to let out energy I redirect him to clap or high five and I meet him at the energy level he wants. If he’s angry, we make sure he know hitting hurts sister and that we need to use gentle hands.

You basically do this on repeat and one day it’ll kinda click. He is almost 2 and still gets aggressive at times but we have a way to diffuse it quickly.

Good luck! Do they hug and kiss yet? That sorta makes it all worthwhile.

I second the Tamora Pierce suggestion. Also definitely Gregor the Overlander! Suzanne Collin's lesser known series (she wrote Hunger Games). I recently finished reading (it's a 5-book series) and it was FANTASTIC. Just amazing. It's a YA series. The House of the Scorpion is also great, might be for your stronger readers. Eragon series is fun, and Dealing with Dragons is still one of my all-time favorite dragon books/series. Bruce Coville is a great author, and his work might be a little young but it's good to have a mix. I absolutely loved everything of his I have read, but especially Aliens Ate My Homework and the rest of that series. Most of these will appeal to the young men, hopefully.



When I was a young lady, I read pretty much anything, but I know a lot of boys like books with a boy main character. I really was a bit horse crazy, so here's some you might look into for your young ladies. The Saddle Club is a very long series about 3 girls and their horse-y adventures. It was really fun and it's great to find longer series because, if they like the first one, there's a lot to enjoy. (Oh a thought - you could always get the first one in a series, then just tell them to get the rest from the library or something, if there's budget concerns) I also liked the Thoroughbred Series and the wonderful Marguerite Henry horse books, especially the famous Misty of Chincoteague but really any of her books is a good read. My all time favorite horse series was and still is The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. Oh, how I loved that book.


There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom was fantastic the first time I read it, and I also like the "Wayside School" books which are both by Louis Sachar. Judy Blume is fun as is Beverly Cleary. Redwall gets a lot of kids into reading, you also might consider some high-level comics/graphic novels to reach a different audience. The Hobbit Graphic Novel has great illustration and I loved reading it so much when I found it one day in a store.


I found history pretty boring so avoided those books but I did enjoy The King's Swift Rider about Robert the Bruce and Scotland, might be the only vaguely historical book I remember reading around those ages. I tried to avoid mystery books more or less, but I loved Encyclopedia Brown (even though according to Amazon it's for younger ages). I enjoyed Harriet the Spy she was a pretty cool girl role-model at the time. My Side of the Mountain was absolutely fantastic and such a great adventure, though I enjoy everything Jean Craigshead George writes. I feel like Julie of the Wolves is pretty standard reading material, maybe not anymore, but what a great story. Oh my gosh, I just about forgot The Indian in the Cupboard, that was such a good story. Anything Roald Dahl is wonderful as is Jane Yolen, I especially recommend the Pit Dragon trilogy. The Golden Compass, So You Want to be A Wizard, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Kiki Strike, Dinotopia, Song of the Gargoyle and The City of Ember.


I am sure that is way more than you need, but my mind started racing. It was hard to stop once I started -- thank you for that enjoyable tour through my past. Lots of great memories of time spent reading. Hope you find some of this helpful, at least.

Tangerine is one of my all time favourites. one of the first books i ever read. (shout out to the school book fair) Have you read Crusader by Edward Bloor? not as good as tangerine but entertaining none the less.

Might also want to try On My Honor

Are you positive the main character was a boy? Crusader has a crumbling old video game store like what you describe, but the main character is a girl. She gets mistaken for a boy, though, in the book.

Not exactly on the "fun" side, but this book does a good job helping kids understand how a therapist helps with trauma.

The Breadwinner by Debra Ellis

We were having problems with our 2-yr old as well, but she loves to read and behavior books have seemed to help. We make it into a game and praise her when she behaves well. Here's a few of the books:
http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Book-Behavior/dp/157542200X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BRMYJMDZ5DZXN2WKX6G
http://www.amazon.com/Calm-Down-Toddler-Tools-Elizabeth-Verdick/dp/1575423162/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=61o8yc8bs7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0CHBT71V3RT2DY8M5ZRZ

I think I may know this one... was it like a novel children's book or one with pictures and big text?

EDIT: Was it Stand Tall, Molly LouMelon?

Had this for assigned reading in 7th grade English: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Impossible-Goodbyes-Sook-Nyul/dp/0440407591/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268065537&sr=8-1

Pretty sure this was only because I went to a magnet school where my class (the entire 7th grade) was seriously like 30% Korean, though. I thought it was a good book regardless, and I've been somewhat interested in Korean culture/history ever since. It actually ends with the outbreak of the Korean War, but it explains everything that lead up to it, with the first half of the book dealing with the Japanese occupation and the subsequent partition of Korea at the end of World War 2, and the second half being about the Soviet occupation and the North's transition to a dictatorship.

I read this two years later http://www.amazon.com/MacArthurs-War-Korea-Undoing-American/dp/1439152942/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268065659&sr=8-2

Fun facts: MacArthur wanted to sow the Yalu River with cobalt to prevent Chinese reinforcements from entering Korea, and he also wanted to nuke Chinese cities and troop positions once China had entered the war.

On the Head of a Pin by Mary Beth Miller

Edit: Deals with multiple events happening at a party ( the reader doesnt really know what happened) and the affect on the years after. I want to say more but if I do it ruins the story

The library at my school actually has this and another book, http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-Margaret-Holmes/dp/1557987017/ref=pd_sim_b_2/175-5420178-0132513

We were having an issue with our 2.5 year old hitting at Daycare. We bought the Hands Are Not For Hitting book and read it every night. Maybe you could buy Teeth Are Not For Biting and read that? Or get one for Daycare and ask them to read it to him at every instance of biting.