Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy BaldwinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm so glad to see that authors aren't watering down difficult topics for the children reading their books. Mental illness has such a negative stigma in our country, and the only way to diminish that stigma is to have open, honest conversations about this topic with those who live with it every day. I'm sure many children who have a parent with mental illness may feel like the main character, Della; she believed she was responsible for her mother's schizophrenia because it became apparent after she was born. I'm guilty of feeling responsible for my son's autism, and I'm an educated adult, so certainly children are more likely to feel responsible for a parent's sickness that they absolutely have no control over.
This book is important for both children living with mental illness in their family and those who do not. For the latter group, this book will help them have a greater understanding of mental illness, but it will also help them empathize with peers who have the same struggles as Della. For children like Della, reading this book might help them realize there are plenty of adults who are willing to step in and love on them when their parents are unable.
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