The Bird and the Buttons: Healing Stories for Children*
by Leah S. Subotnik, Ed.D.; illustrated by Suzanne Hankins

The seven stories in this book address various problems that children may experience—being abandoned by a parent, the loss of a sibling, parental divorce, social isolation, adoption in middle childhood, and low self-esteem. Each story uses a metaphor to help the child find new ways of dealing with his or her situation, and each indirectly suggests that the child has the resources within to survive current difficulties and have a happy life.

Written for children in psychotherapy, these stories are sufficiently "disguised" ("long ago" or "in another land") that the child's defenses are not raised. The messages, received on a deep, unconscious level, can play an important part in healing emotional injuries. A brief guide for therapists or parents is included.