Even the most calm and prepared adults experience stress, worry, and disarray after a disaster or emergency event. Kids experience the same emotions as adults, often without rational thinking or knowledge to ground them.

The author and her team have created this book after many years of living and working in communities after crisis events. They have listened to and observed numerous community-based responses to disasters. A consistent theme in all communities – regardless of the disaster type – is when and how to best talk to kids about these traumatic events. This book is a tool to support these important conversations at a family level, at school, or in the community. Our hope is that it will:

• Serve as a communication and learning tool for kids and caregivers in planning for or responding to disasters
• Provide something for your little ones to do post-disaster when they need safe, kid-friendly, low-tech activities and when parents need to do the “adult things” in response and recovery
• Take time to color or solve a puzzle with the kids in your life. Fun and connection are healthy for adults too!