Hear My Roar
Gillian Watts
Hear My Roar – A Story Of Family Violence
Annick Press, Toronto 2009
56 pages $9.95 Canadian
ISBN – 978-1-55451-201-0
Hear My Roar is a key book for children to read so that they can recognise the signs of abuse and the steps that need to be taken. When Papa becomes abusive to both Mama and Orsa , Mama must take steps to remove herself and Orsa from the situation.
Mama, Papa and little Orsa Bear live in a small wooden house in the woods. Being bears, it is important for them to have plenty of food for the winter and very important to roar. However, Papa has a very bad temper, leaving Mama to make some very hard choices.
Papa bear didn’t realise he was hurting Mama and Orsa and decided it was time he got some help. Even though he was hurting them, he really did love them.
Sometimes, people are faced with difficult and scary situations – situations that they may not know how to handle. Educating children about abuse at an early age will help them understand the situation should they be faced with one and they will be able to effectively deal with it. It also teaches readers that sometimes people hurt others without knowing it and that their being mean doesn’t mean they don’t love the people they hurt. It also teaches young readers that abuse is wrong and that they can do something about it.
