Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry.

by Bebe Moore Campbell, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis, G.P. Putnam's Sons, September 2003 $16.99, ISBN 0-399-23972-3

The celebrated novelist Bebe Moore Campbell tackles the delicate and often volatile dimension of manic-depressive illness (bipolar disorder). More than two million Americans are estimated to have the disorder.

Narrated from a child's point of view, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry tells the story of young Annie. Her days often start well with her mother cheerfully making her pancakes, helping her get dressed for school and sending her off with a big smile and a kiss. By the time Annie returns from school, her mother's mood has often swung in another direction: She is angry, she yells, and she is unable to care for her daughter.

Annie is fortunate enough to have a caring grandmother she can call during these times and talk to her through the night. Her grandmother encourages Annie to make herself a snack and reminds her that if she reds scared she can go to the next-door neighbor's house. Most importantly she lets Annie know that she is not responsible for her mother's behavior: "My precious Annie, you know that your mother has problems, and she hasn't gotten the help she needs. Sometimes it's hard for grownups to ask for help. I hope that one day she will. But your mother loves you even when she's yelling. It's okay for you to be angry. I know you love her too."

Campbell's book is an excellent way to introduce children and educators to the concept and realities of mental illness. The narrative offers coping strategies and stresses the importance of a loving and caring network of family, friends and neighbors.

"Sometimes my mommy has dark clouds inside her," Annie says. "I can't stop the rain from falling, but I can find sunshine in my mind." This poignant story, beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist E.B. Lewis, reminds children to stay strong.