Clara's Imagination

This book connects with children on two very common themes among all children. First, the process they go throgh of navigating their love/hate relationships with at least one of their friend's. Secondly, facing their fears, at some point in every child's life they have been afraid of the dark, a ghost, a monster, a stranger, or something. Therefore, the children can immediately identify with the characters and relate to the storyline, there is a sense of familiarity.

The story tells a tale of two young girls burgeoning friendship and how an unchecked imagination and manipulation can reap havoc on a friend. Clara is two years older than her best friend Safina who lives next door. Clara spends the the night at Safina's house and delights in cleverly spinning a frightening tale about a stranger who lives one block down the street. Of course she tells this tale at night, right before bedtime. Clara knows that Safina is not allowed to play down the street or leave their block. Safina, convinced of Clara's first hand knowledge and truthfulness regarding the frightening exploit's of this stranger is overcome with fear. A resulting in Safina having nightmares, throughout the night. Feeling shaken the next morning Safina puts on a brave face in front of Clara. Eventually, everything comes to a head the night following Clara sleeping over. Safina too terrified to go to sleep tells her mother the story Clara had told her. Her mother dispels Clara's tale as a myth and her having a vivid imagination. She then tells her daughter a parable to tell Clara the next time she spends the night. The tables are turned and Clara ends up getting a taste of her own medicine. Upon conclusion of the story both girls decide that from now on instead of using their imaginations to scare each other they would rather use their imaginations while reading their favorite books to each other, right before they have sweet dreams.

There is a necessity for children to recognize what is a real danger and what is a perceived danger. For some children, reading a story may be the only way they can deal with a particular fear. Clara's Imagination is a story children will love tor read over and over again. As Clara's friend Safina emerges triumphant, children realie that they too can rise above and conquer their fears. This book is empowering not only to children but it can be used as a teaching tool for parents as well as professionals.

This book has multiple uses in terms of using it as a jumping off point to talk about fears, personal safety issues, including Internet safety, and working on social skills with children. This book is interactive, entertaining and educational. Safety role play scenarios a re included which children love. Research shows that role plays reinforce for children the educational message being commmunicated and it is more likely that the children will internalize the message. Fast facts, a teaching tool for parents and educators are included in the book along with Internet safety web sites.