The Broken Circuit

Five friends. One sudden blackout.Finding the light takes more than a flashlight. When a powerful storm knocks out the lights at Mina's house, Tomas, Mina, Leila, Jun, and Ayo discover how quickly fear can fill a dark room. Thoughts race. Voices rise. Everyone has a different idea about what to do next. With Mina's mother nearby, the friends begin asking three simple questions: What do we know?What are we imagining?What is the next safe step? As they search for a flashlight, they discover another kind of light—the awareness, honesty, kindness, and clear thinking that help people slow down, listen, and reconnect. Filled with warmth, humor, and believable mistakes, The Broken Circuit invites children and caring adults to explore fear without shame, distinguish facts from fearful imaginings, and practice meeting uncertainty together. Reflection questions and a chapter-by-chapter skills guide help continue the conversation at home, in classrooms, and wherever children are learning to trust their inner tools. Sometimes the first light we find is the one we help each other remember. Book Two of The Inner Toolbox series, William E. Carpenter