Who's Jerry? Helping a Child Understand Mental Illness
Mommy is acting funny.
Daddy yelled at me for no reason.
Why is Mommy in the hospital?
How can a brain be “sick”?
Finally, a picture book for children that addresses the most secret of secrets: my parent has a mental illness.
We follow little Imani through her confusion, sadness, loss, and adjustment as her mother reacts to her inner voices (one named Jerry), lashes out at her daughter, goes to the hospital for treatment, and finally returns home, with her illness under control. Through it all, Imani’s father provides support for her.
if you know a young child who is dealing with this in his or her family, this lovely book is a great place to start. It could be the key to opening the conversation we seldom know how to explain.
