Please See Me

Susan Berry's novel uses seven voices — including that of a murdered teenager who returns as a spirit — to explore trauma-informed teaching and the Earthkeepers social-emotional learning program. The multi-voice structure is genuinely original and the book's compassion for at-risk children feels earned. Berry raises real awareness of what childhood trauma looks like inside a classroom. However, the content is heavy: a ten-year-old points an assault rifle at a teacher, a teenager is murdered, and the spiritual framework — indigenous nature spirits, psychic communication, mindfulness practices — diverges significantly from traditional faith worldviews. This is adult literary fiction with a specialist audience of trauma-informed educators and metaphysical fiction readers. Not suitable for children or readers sensitive to the spiritual content.