Too often, children get caught in the middled of complicated family problems that can be hard to understand. Strained Middle is developing children’s books that can help them recognize that being apart does not have to mean being unloved.
A Thanksgiving of Many Tables
“A Thanksgiving of Many Tables” is a forthcoming children’s book that answers the question of why are some people not able to be in the same place together for Thanksgiving. This book tells the story of how many people who are connected, but not in the same place, are celebrating the holiday at different tables but there is still love and the children are still loved by the absent parties.
The Ant Who Can’t Come Over
“The Ant Who Can’t Come Over” is a forthcoming children’s book that answers the question of what does it mean that the child is no longer able to see a specific person who is absent but used to be around. In this story, a little girl and her friend, an ant, used to spend time together but now they can’t. The girl asks her grandmother why while the ant talks to other creatures – a slug, a dragon, and a dog – who have all similarly lost relationships but still have love in their hearts. The message is that people can still have love and positive feelings about one another even if they have to be apart.