Not in Room 204 / Shannon Riggs ; Jaime Zollars (ill.)
Summary: After talking about stranger danger, Mrs. Salvador points out that not all inappropriate touching is done by strangers, and she assures the children that they can confide in her privately, and she will know exactly what to do.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780807557648
- Physical Description: unp. : ill. ; 27 cm ; hc-dc
- Publisher: Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman, 2007
Content descriptions
| Target Audience Note: | Other |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | School - Fiction Teacher-child relations - Fiction Molestation - Prevention - Fiction |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Westcoast Early Learning Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westcoast Early Learning Library | 862.2 RIGG 2007 (Text) | 72467 | Children's Nonfiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2007 February #1
/*Starred Review*/ Quiet Regina feels comfortable in her classroom, where Mrs. Salvador runs a tight ship and insists on hard work and fair play. When the teacher starts the annual Stranger Danger unit, she departs from the usual script by saying that most often an adult who touches a child inappropriately is not a stranger but someone known to the child. Mrs. Salvador assures her students that "If someone told me this happened to them, I know exactly what to do to help." The next morning, Regina arrives early at Room 204 to confide her secret, which involves her father. The story ends on a hopeful note. This picture book's strength is in the forthrightness of its message and the sensitivity of its presentation: Regina's father's actions are implied but never stated, and Regina's trust in her teacher is firmly in place before the situation unfolds. When the time is right, Regina decides to share something that she has been keeping, even from her mother. The text and digitally enhanced artwork work together well to express the book's message smoothly. The characters, especially Regina, dominate the illustrations, which are notable for their clear lines and interesting and varied textures and colors. This helpful picture book will raise children's awareness of sexual abuse without raising anxiety. ((Reviewed February 1, 2007)) Copyright 2007 Booklist Reviews. - ForeWord Magazine Reviews : ForeWord Magazine Reviews 2007 July/August
"Knowing about Stranger Danger is important," Mrs. Salvador tells her students. "But it's not always strangers who touch children in ways they shouldn't be touched. Usually, it's someone the child knows ... I know exactly what to do to help." Saying just enough but not too much, this important book introduces the difficult subject of child sexual abuse by focusing on how to ask adults for help. Regina loves the structured safety of Mrs. Salvador's classroom. She always keeps her desk neat and shakes her head disapprovingly when another student is rude to an aquarium tour guide. She offers to erase the blackboards after school before sadly making her way home for "three whole weeks" of winter vacation, when she will have no respite from the unwelcome attentions of her father. Her mother, a sad-eyed adult version of Regina, does not know that Regina is being abused. Each of the book's events occurs in a different month of the school year, allowing both Regina and the reader to become comfortable with Mrs. Salvador and her consistent responses to poor behavior. January's incident, in which fighting boys are told, "We keep our bodies to ourselves," sets the stage for February's annual Stranger Danger lesson. The children slouch in their seats because they hear this material every year, but they become attentive when Mrs. Salvador tells them that most abusers are known to their victims. Children in their school have been abused, and their identities are always kept private. The next morning, Regina arrives at school early to ask Mrs. Salvador for help. First time author Shannon Riggs, who was interviewed about this book on National Public Radio, tells Regina's story with carefully meted detail. Her straightforward prose conveys Regina's isolation and despair, feelings that are equally well-illustrated by Jaime Zollars' tasteful artwork. Regina's father is depicted as a shadowy silhouette leaving Regina's bedroom. In the foreground, Regina huddles under her covers with a tear trickling down one cheek, but her pink pajama top shows clearly above the neatly folded white sheet. Zollars also illustrated The Forest in the Hallway. It takes courage to speak out about child sexual abuse. This book will be a valuable resource in any classroom or library. ©2006 ForeWord Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2007 ForeWord Reviews. - Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2007 Fall
This book addresses sexual abuse directly and thoughtfully. Mrs. Salvador sets high standards for her classroom, and one quiet, well-behaved student, Regina Lillian Hadwig, prefers the order of Room 204 to going home. Zollars's expressive pictures capture the warm, bright classroom as well as Regina's worry and isolation. While the book has a clear purpose and message, it also has a heart. Copyright 2007 Horn Book Guide Reviews. - Horn Book Magazine Reviews : Horn Book Magazine Reviews 2007 #3
This picture book addresses the topic of sexual abuse directly and thoughtfully. From the first day of school, Mrs. Salvador sets high standards for her classroom. "In other places...you might get away with name-calling...Not in Room 204." As the year goes on, text and pictures portray a quiet, well-behaved student, Regina Lillian Hadwig, who prefers the order and rules of Room 204 to going home, where Regina's father does things she "kept so quiet about, not even her mother knew." In February, Mrs. Salvador extends a familiar unit on Stranger Danger to explain that inappropriate touching usually happens with someone the child knows, and reassures the class that she knows exactly what to do if someone told her it happened to them. The next day, Regina comes early to ask for help. Zollars's expressive pictures capture the warm, bright classroom as well as Regina's worry and isolation. In the portrayal of the upright and caring teacher, the book provides a surprisingly natural voice for the central lesson while modeling how to create a safe space for a child with a terrifying secret. A brief, informative introduction describes the dangers of childhood sexual abuse and where to get support. While the book has a clear purpose and message, it also has a heart in the compassionate and engaged Mrs. Salvador. Copyright 2007 Horn Book Magazine Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2007 January #2
Regina Lillian Hadwig loves Room 204. Her teacher, Mrs. Salvador, makes sure that all of the children follow the rules. Desks are kept neat, wisecracks are not allowed and there is no fighting. "In Room 204, we keep our bodies to ourselves," Mrs. Salvador says. When the class does a unit on Stranger Danger, Mrs. Salvador mentions that it's not only strangers who touch children in ways they shouldn't be touched, and tells the class in no uncertain terms that she knows exactly how to help if any of them has such a problem. When Regina comes in early the next morning and reveals that her father has been touching her inappropriately, Mrs. Salvador repeats that she knows exactly what to do, and unburdened and relaxed, Regina is now ready for a new day at school. Overall, the text is strong and graceful, the story manages to avoid proselytizing and appealing illustrations grace the pages. If the ending is pat, it may serve a purpose: comforting readers. A good choice for parents and teachers who plan to address safety and molestation with children. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus 2007 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - Library Media Connection : Library Media Connection - October 2007
In a great classroom, expectations are clear and students feel comfortable and safe. Mrs. Salvador makes her students feel safe by always saying, "not in Room 204" in response to inappropriate behavior. Mrs. Salvador reads to the class about stranger danger and elaborates by saying sometimes people we know might touch a child inappropriately. Through her sensitive responses to their questions, Mrs. Salvador builds additional trust. Through illuminating illustrations, the reader is aware that something uncomfortable is happening to one of the students. The text and the pictures only allude to the home situation, but this author has chosen the perfect method for handling a scary topic. At the end of the story the child goes to Mrs. Salvador, and of course, Mrs. Salvador knows just what to do to help. Not in Room 204 treats this typically secretive topic in an open and productive manner. The author has a compelling message and uses this well-written and engaging story for the benefit of all children. Because of the child-centered illustrations, the critical message, and the comfortable story, this book is a must for libraries, homes, teachers, and counselors. Highly Recommended. Roxanne Welch Mills, Supervisor of Media Services, Chesapeake, Virginia © 2007 Linworth Publishing, Inc. - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2007 September
Gr 1â3â After a lesson on stranger danger, Mrs. Salvador tells her students that if someone touches a child "in ways they shouldn't," she knows exactly what to do. Quiet Regina Lillian Hadwig has a secret, and she sits up and takes notice, eventually confiding in her teacher. The illustrations are warm and inviting and provide an imaginative subtext through the other students' antics. The message of the book is a comforting one, that at least some adults can establish a safe environment, be consistent, and always know what to do. However, when the teacher asks Lillian if she has been touched inappropriately, the child nods, and the teacher again promises that she knows "exactly what to do." Leading a child in a disclosure of sexual abuse is a questionable practice and, as any mandated reporter knows, once a report is filed, what follows is out of the teacher's hands entirely. An introductory note reminds readers that prevention "is an adult's job" and provides a link to Darkness to Light, an excellent organization that teaches adults how to prevent and respond to child abuse. The audience for this picture book may well be adults, who will be reassured and hopefully inspired by Mrs. Salvador's example of firm boundaries lovingly enforced. In the right hands, this story could open discussion with children about sexual abuse or let a child know that there are adults who will listen. For slightly younger children, Peter Ledwon's Mia's Secret (Tundra, 2006) encourages telling without leading the child or implying promises that cannot be kept.âCarolyn Lehman, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
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