Strickland, Darby A. Something Scary Happened. Illustrated by Carlotta Notaro. Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2023.

Comfort for children in hard times series

Guide to categories: Kid Review – review of books for elementary-aged and younger children

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Summary

Something Scary Happened helps children process their feelings after experiencing a trauma and provides comfort through the story of a little lamb named Miles.

Miles is a happy little lamb until something bad happens. All of a sudden, Miles feels like he is alone in a deep dark valley, but it is there in the valley that he meets his good Shepherd who promises to always be with him, no matter what.

Counselor and trauma expert Darby A. Strickland uses the story of Miles to help parents and caregivers share the comfort of taking their fears to the good Shepherd by applying Psalm 23 to difficult experiences. Through a special section at the end of the book, Strickland helps parents recognize the feelings and behaviors children might have in response to their trauma and guides them in how to help children talk about what scared them.

• First book in the Comfort for Children in Hard Times series, edited by biblical counselor Darby Strickland, addressing difficult experiences that children commonly face and offering gospel hope and help
• Children ages four to seven will be drawn to the playful illustrations by Carlotta Notaro
• The companion minibook, When Children Experience Trauma: What to Do When Something Scary Happens by Darby A. Strickland is also available to give parents and caregivers more detailed help

Purchase Something Scary Happened on Amazon

My Kid Review

Darby Strickland has written a picture book that will help calm children’s fears of “something scary.” Children will follow the events in Miles the sheep’s life as he learns that the Good Shepherd is always with him, even when he can’t see the shepherd. Children will relate to Mile’s experiences – both the fun ones and the way he feels after he is scared.

Carlotta Notaro did a beautiful job with the illustrations. They compliment the text well and portray a calming atmosphere. 

The book closes with some tips for parents and caregivers who are helping children through traumatic events. 

Something Scary Happened is a good resource for parents, teachers, pastors, counselors, and others who work with children. It would be an excellent addition to the picture book section of a K-12 Christian school library. 

I received a complimentary copy of Something Scary Happened. This is my honest review.

About the Author – Darby Strickland

Darby A. Strickland, MDiv, is a faculty member and counselor at the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF). She is a contributor to Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused and author of Is It Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims, the children’s book Something Scary Happened, and the minibook When Children Experience Trauma. She writes regularly for the Journal of Biblical Counseling. Darby and her husband, John, have three children.

About the Illustrator – Carlotta Notaro

Carlotta Notaro is an Italian illustrator and animator. Sometimes she draws for kids, other times she draws for grown-ups, and occasionally she makes little animations for herself. Somehow, one of her animations ended up on a giant screen in Hong Kong. When not drawing, she enjoys long walks with her favorite music, upcycling old stuff, and petting her dog Molly for way too long.

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