Something Happened to Our Mom

Can a family heal after addiction touches their lives? In this heartfelt story, two siblings begin to understand what happened to their mom--and how love and support can help them move forward.

Something Happened to Our Mom is a compassionate picture book that gently introduces children to the topic of parental addiction. When Claire and Emmett notice changes in their mom after a car accident, they feel confused and scared. But with honesty, support, and time, they begin to understand what addiction means--and that they are not alone.

• Helps children understand addiction in age-appropriate, emotionally safe ways
• Encourages empathy, emotional awareness, and open family conversations
• Perfect for ages 5-9--ideal for family reading, classrooms, therapy, and support groups
• Created by Magination Press, the children's imprint of the APA--trusted experts in children's emotional development

Ann Hazzard, PhD, ABPP, Marietta Collins, PhD, and Marianne Celano, PhD, ABPP, are friends and psychologists who met one another while working for Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. They have spent their careers providing psychological services to children, youth and families, sometimes using stories to help clients heal or better understand family issues. Together, they have written several children’s books about families facing contemporary community challenges.

Dr. Hazzard and Dr. Celano are now retired from Emory; Dr. Collins is the director of behavioral medicine in the Department of Family Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. All of the authors are involved in community advocacy efforts focused on children’s behavioral health, environmental sustainability, and social justice.
 

Rita Tan has loved to draw since she was a kid. She grew up in Indonesia and now lives in Washington State with her husband and two kids.

The co-authors sensitively unpack complex feelings and dynamics, underscoring that addiction doesn’t make someone a bad person, that the path to rehabilitation can be bumpy, and that drug issues are far more common than children might realize. Tan’s artwork is emotionally charged, reinforcing the theme of support… Robust backmatter includes information for educators and caregivers, including a sample dialogue for discussing the story…An empowering and empathetic jumping-off point for important conversations about addiction and recovery.
—Kirkus

• Watch the authors read Something Happened to Our Momopens in new window. Interested in this book? Purchase a copy to continue (or start) the conversation with the children in your life.
• Resources for Children and Adults Impacted by Substance Misuse in the Family (PDF, 164KB)opens in new window