About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is struggling with separation anxiety or the intense fear of getting lost in a crowd. It is a gentle resource for navigating the panic that arises when a caregiver is briefly out of sight. The story follows Ernest the bear and Celestine the mouse during a trip to a museum where they accidentally become separated. Through delicate watercolors and minimal text, the book validates the child's feeling of being small and vulnerable in a large world. Appropriate for children ages 3 to 7, this story focuses on the emotional bond and the relief of reunion rather than the danger of the situation. Parents will appreciate how it models a calm, loving response to a child's distress. It is an ideal choice for reinforcing the idea that even if we lose sight of each other, the love and the search for one another never stop.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book deals with the fear of being lost or abandoned. The approach is realistic and secular. While the peril is felt acutely by the characters, the resolution is entirely hopeful and reinforces the security of their relationship.
