Children's Books > Issues > Separation & Divorce

Every child whose parents are going through a separation or divorce should have a copy of this workbook, it helps children overcome difficult family changes. The forty sensitively written activities in this book help kids adapt to family changes, deal with stress, keep from getting involved in parental arguments, cope with their feelings when a parent begins to date again, and more. For ages 6-12.

Every second Friday, Margi and Totty go and stay at Dads house where they get magnificently muddy, worryingly wet and mind-blowingly messy. But they always have fun!

Melanie, Annie, and Steven Ford pack lots of simple truths and "I have been through it" advice into this wise little book about their struggles and triumphs through their parents' divorce. Now in its second edition, with more insights and humor from cartoonist Charles Beyl, this is the guide for kids with divorced parents, from some of the best teachers around - kids like themselves! Ages 8 to 13

This picture book helps young children and their families deal with the anxieties of divorce. Simple, direct text and lively illustrations. "Friendly dinosaurs in the throes of difficult divorce situations reassure readers in similar straits that everything will be all right." Publishers Weekly Ages 3 to 8.

When a young boy's parents divorce, he thinks it's because of the chocolate pudding he and his brother smeared all over the wall. With this gentle story, young children can begin to understand that divorce is about grown-up problems, while getting comforting answers to the most pressing questions. Readers learn about divorce, and receive age-appropriate explanations of what is happening regarding such issues as single-parent homes and joint custody. The story emphasizes the need for communication between parent and child and incl... read more

A little boy tries to find a pot of parent glue to stick his mum and dad back together. His parents have come undone and he wants to mend their marriage, stick their smiles back on and make them better. This story is brilliantly told with a powerful message that even though his parents may be broken, their love for him is not.

Appropriate for "Tween/Teen" market. Ginny Morris is in the fourth grade and her parents have been divorced for two years. She goes back and forth between her mother's apartment and her father's house, switching each Sunday ("switch day"). Ginny's character is smart, spunky, and a bit precocious, with a wry sense of humor. Children in shared custody arrangements have to cope with many practical as well as emotional challenges and Ginny confronts and encounters most of them. Ages 8 - 12 years

Ten-year-old Ginny Morris, whose parents are divorced, lives with each parent a week at a time. One day when she arrives at her dad's after a week with her mother, she discovers that the house is spotless, the yard is spruced up, and even her own room has been messed with. The reason: Dad has a friend named Ruth. In the aftermath of this discovery, Ginny grapples with a broad range of feelings: feelings of alienation, anger, and disgust toward her father, grief that her parents won't reconcile, lack of understanding and support... read more

Janie's mother just doesn't seem to be trying these days.
It's been macaroni cheese for dinner 3 times in a week and Janie's older brother, Sean, makes the mistake of complaining. Mum loses it. She's been stressed out ever since Dad went 'Up North'.
In protest Janie says she could do better and her mother takes up the offer, with dramatic consequences...
Blend of dollop of honesty, a dash of family dynamics and a sprinkle of resourcefulness and this piquant mix will tickle the tastebuds of 9-year-olds plus.

When a child's parents tell her they have decided to divorce, the last thing she wants to do is talk about it. Instead, she wants to roar like a lion so she can't hear their painful words, or turn into a fish and hide her tears in the sea, or even become a bird and fly away. But with her parents' help, she learns that while some things will change, many other things, especially their love for her, will remain the same. In A Note to Parents, Philip Stahl, PhD, a psychologist specializing in divorce and custody issues, explai... read more

"For all the kids who wonder how the jigsaw puzzle pieces of their newly combined family will ever fit together," MacGregor has created another warm and understanding resource for children of divorce. Jigsaw Puzzle Family helps kids realize they're not alone -- many other kids are dealing with a new stepparent, new stepbrothers and/or stepsisters, a new house with new rules. Readers will find engaging stories of children facing the same issues, dozens of practical and helpful suggestions for making stepfamily life better, gentl... read more

Em adores her funny, glamorous dad - who cares if he's not her real father? He's wonderful to her, and to her little brother and sister. True to form at Christmas, Dad gives them fantastic presents, including a real emerald ring for his little Princess Em. Unfortunately, he's got another surprise in store - he's leaving them. Will Dad's well-meaning but chaotic attempts to keep seeing Em and the other children help the family come to terms with this new crisis? Or would they be better off with a clean break - just like Em's arm?

When my parents split up they didn't know what to do with me...

My family always lived at Mulberry Cottage. Mum, Dad, me - and Radish, my Sylvanian rabbit. But now, Mum lives with Bill the Baboon and his three kids. Dad lives with Carrie and her twins. And where do I live?

I live out of a suitcase. One week with Mum's new family, one week with Dad's. It's as easy as A B C. That's what everyone says. But all I want is to go home - back to Mulberry Cottage...

"Light humor and an eventual realiz... read more

Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt

"Why does everything have to change? I liked it better when my parents were married and everyone lived together." Divorce is tough on kids. MacGregor Knows how tough it can be, and her down-to-earth guide genuinely helps. Included are discussions of many topics troubling kids when their parents divorce: reasons parents get divorced; ways the divorce will change kids' lives; kids' feelings about divorce; things kids can do to help them feel better (and reassurance that they are not to blame); who to talk to; and what's likely to hap... read more

Ella's mum has a new partner and now they're all moving into a new home together. But Ella is not at all happy about Joe and the new house. As they are moving, a neighbour's dog makes off with Ella's doll, Mollie. Can Joe save the day, get Mollie back and win Ella over?

Ted's parents are divorced, but that doesn't mean he's weird. Now, the fact that he's named his elbows and he keeps soap in his hair--that's weird. This book offers a lighthearted yet heartfelt way of addressing divorce. Full color.

Mom has a new family! She has a new husband who is not my dad, and worst of all, new kids. Girls! Just as it feels for the young child in Do You Sing Twinkle? living apart from a parent can be a hard adjustment for kids. And, when that parent remarries and has stepchildren, things can get really confusing for kids! Told from a young boy's point of view, the book sensitively addresses many questions that children may have while adjusting to remarriage and joint-custody situations. Kids and parents will learn good and easy ways t... read more

When Rosie's parents tell her they are divorcing, she wonders what she can do to keep them together. She tries being her cheeriest self, giving them the money in her piggy bank, keeping the house clean, and getting good grades, but none of her plans work. By the time her parents separate, Rosie is sad, frustrated, angry, disappointed and confused. One day she blows up at her best friend in school. As a result, she visits the school counsellor, and joins a group of children with divorced parents who meet and share their feelings... read more

Sometimes you can sort out a problem on your own. But sometimes you need to ask for help. This book helps young children to make this decision and find out about and understand what happens when parents divorce or separate. In this series case studies combine with sensible, practical advice to help children find out what to do in difficult situations.