Book Review: When I was a Child, I was Always Afraid

Michael Cascio’s book ‘When I was a child, I was Always Afraid’ is a poem for children who are afraid or who have fear of the unknown.

My 9 year old has been having nightmares the past few weeks. I found this book really helpful in talking to him about his fears. it was a perfect conversation starter and the story was so reassuring.

Kids, feel comfort knowing that there are others ‘out there’ who feel exactly how they feel. I have always found that talking to children about issues is easier when you have examples or books to quote from.

My eldest has always been the timid sort. Bedtimes have always been a challenge for us. Although his little sisters take to changes easily, he was nervous around changes from since he was a baby. There are many reasons why children have nightmares. You can read this post about why they happen and how to parent positively when your child is waking up afraid to go back to sleep.

One of the reasons for nightmares can be the fear of the unknown. This book, When I was a Child, is a perfect way to initiate conversations about those fears.

‘What was that noise??’ ‘Is that something hiding behind the curtain?’ or ‘Who knows what lives under the sink!!’

Kids have a great imagination. They see things where there is nothing to worry about. The best way to address this issue is to take them by hand and reassure them that there isn’t anything to worry.

Michael Cascio is an Italian immigrant with a love of poetry. He was inspired by his own dad to write this poem that he hopes will help his own children as well as other kids.

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What I love about ‘When I was a child, I was always afraid’ is that it is a book that reassures your child that it is okay to be afraid. There is nothing fictional in it. It is straight forward and that is what I think makes it so lovable. The illustrations are colourful and cute. The poem starts with the author talking about his own fears from his childhood. It addresses the different types of fears that kids normally have like stuff hiding under the bed or dark attics, etc. and then slowly introduces the father and how he assures his son by taking him and showing that there really isn’t anything to be worried about.

My kids loved the story. I think, it is the fact that my children quickly found something to relate with in the story. They found the sock monster and the creaky attic so true!

I loved the connections that Mr. Cascio creates between the child and his father. I am sure every parent will find that adorable. We all strive to have that bond with our child where our child will look up to us. I really liked those illustrations of the father and son.

The story being a poem, I found my children enjoyed it even more. From starting out with fears to ending the story on a happy note; this book is a must for every collection. No matter whether you are a parent or a teacher, I highly recommend this book to be kept in a class too.

You can buy this book on Amazon (from my affiliate link below). Hop on over to follow Cascio Books on Instagram. This book is also available on Mascot books.