Review: What Will Happen to Me? – Howard Zehr and Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz

 

Paperback: 94 pages
Publisher: Good Books (November 30, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1561486892
ISBN-13: 9781561486892
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“Sometimes I go to see my mom on weekends, and sometimes when I get out of school and sometimes after Church. When I see her I’m real happy. And when I have to leave I’m sad. I wanna be all together.”

Meet Treyvon:

Those words you read, were Treyvors. Like so many children in our country, Treyvon has a parent being incarcerated. People think about those being punished, but very seldom think about those they leave behind. In what will happen to me, the authors do just that. They look at 30 children, and the children tell in their words, how they feel. The book also covers the caretakers such as grandparents, who when they should be living their golden years, are left raising another child.

The book is a fantastic resource, I feel, for teachers, school counselors, ministerial counselors, and anyone who has to deal with children or families of those in jail. There are additions to the book that list the most common questions children have, and how to answer them, how to deal with the emotions, including grief, shame, anger, etc. A ton of resources and advice, and a bill of rights for children. There is also a section on restorative justice which I found to be an intriguing idea. The basic premise, from how I understood it, doesn’t focus on punishment, but more on justice. Ie. if you steal someone’s car, what can you do to make it up to them.

If you are in any situation where you deal with children, I think you should get this book for your library. Even if you don’t pick it up, because the stories may move you to get involved.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Julie at FSB Associates for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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