Why Are We Afraid?

 
　　外頭雷聲轟轟作響，家裡突然停電了。小男孩問：「爸爸，你有沒有經歷過害怕的感覺？」換作是您，會如何回答呢？當然，我們都曾經歷恐懼的時刻，它可能存在於生活中各個角落，卻不容易以具體而完整的方式描述。要如何用孩子能懂的方式討論內心的感覺，並不是件容易的事。透過繪本，卻能完美詮釋抽象的感受！
 
　　《為什麼我們會害怕？》描繪出恐懼的各式各樣樣貌，同理害怕的感覺。當我們一頁又一頁為孩子朗讀，不僅接住了孩子脆弱的情緒，也撫慰了大人心中的內在小孩。在故事和彼此的陪伴下，我們不再孤單徬徨、不知所措。
 
　　以西語創作的作者法嵐．皮塔德菈（Fran Pintadera）畢業於心理系，擁有社會教育文憑，喜歡透過說書、戲劇表演和寫故事的方式，幫助小讀者面對、處理內心中那些不容忽視的聲音，作品有《你的煩惱其實別人也有》等三十多本童書，觀點和文筆溫和、具詩意。繪者安納．桑德（Ana Sender）是西班牙籍的織品設計師與插畫家，擅長以畫筆和想像力呈現故事場景的氛圍與張力。接續廣受好評的繪本《為什麼我們會哭？》（Why Do We Cry?）兩人再次攜手合作，以故事的形式，溫柔地解釋為什麼我們會害怕？，引導孩子覺察內心的恐懼，理解感受與想法，在情緒形成風暴前，陪伴孩子舒緩焦慮，建立安全感。

From the creators of the highly acclaimed Why Do We Cry? comes this poignant, evocative exploration of the many reasons we feel fear.

After a clap of thunder, the lights in Max’s house go out. Max’s father lights a candle, and Max asks, ＂Dad, have you ever been afraid?＂ His father says everyone is afraid sometimes. Then he slowly and carefully begins to describe the contours of fear. He explains how even small fears can seem to flood everything around us. He enumerates the many different things that can make us afraid: shadows, feeling lonely, losing what we love, not being able to control the future and fading away. And he reassures his young son that while our fears can stop us in our tracks, we must keep going.

Award-winning author Fran Pintadera’s poetic text together with Ana Sender’s stunning imagery make for an entrancing picture book about emotions. It makes clear that fear is a normal part of life and that when we can identify our fears, it’s easier to accept them and to move past them. A wonderful conversation starter, this book could be used to help young children understand and process their fears and, more generally, why we feel our feelings. It makes an excellent choice for lessons on social-emotional learning. Back matter includes informational content about the different types of fear, the purpose and usefulness of fear, and an activity to further explore some of the story’s key concepts.

Fran Pintadera is a storyteller, community theater facilitator and award-winning author of more than thirty books for children. He lives near Alicante in Spain.
Ana Sender began her illustration career in textile design but now mostly illustrates children’s books --- and even writes them herself sometimes, most recently The Cottingley Fairies. She lives and creates in Barcelona, Spain.