a. Giving opportunities to child characters to be involved in a crisis or
“life transition”
Kieffer in Lord and Hutchinson, 1993: 11 believes that by being involved in a crisis or life transition can make children aware with their
situations. It may create the awareness and opportunity for some children. The researcher maintains that children may develop their awareness and capability
by facing problems, crises, or life transitions in their life. Adults or writers need to give children trust to face the problem and solve it with their
capability and knowledge. This chance can be applied in children’s literature
by representing and trusting child characters to be involved in the “life- transition” or crisis.
b. Representing children in acting on anger or frustration
The feeling of anger and frustration may initiate the feeling of motivated. Lerner in Lord and Hutchinson, 1993:
11 states that “anger can be immobilizing or be a major force behind an individual’s desire to
accomplish ”. This feeling may influence people to gain control supported by
their anger and hope. They need to represent children in facing and acting on anger or frustration in their lives especially in the stories. This anger and
frustration are need ed as their „stepping stone’ to reflect and change.
Therefore, children should not be presented passive when they face discrimination or bad treatment from others.
c. Giving children new information about their situation
Information is needed for guiding children that they are put in the lower position. It also occurs in empowerment. Information can be related to their
rights, choices, position, capabilities, strengths, children issues and others. Those kinds of information are needed to give insights for those children and
initiated the process of empowerment. According to Lord and Hutchinson 1993:
12, “this new information allowed participants to get on their lives and begins to make contribution to their community, their families and
themselves”. Therefore, it can be concluded that this information is very essential in the empowerment process.
Thus, children’s literature gives an access for children to get the information about their situations.
d. Building children with inherent strengths and capabilities
According to Lord and Hutchinson 1993: 12, some personal characteristics and qualities supporting the empowerment include “strong
values, being resourceful, determination, taking responsibility, internal strength, growing self-confidence, strong desire to improve, and hope for a
better future”. Those characteristics may become children’s inherent strengths and capabilities to cope with problems and face difficult times in their lives.
In addition, those above factors are maintained with the support from people. According to Lord and Hutchinson 1993: 13-14, there are three types
of supports such as practical support, moral support and mentoring. The first support called as practical support can be in the form of providing information
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