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Recommended Books to Read
Books preceded by prices
can be purchased from Friends of the Court, Inc. during your
Divorcing Parents Class or by calling (208) 384-0977.
Pre-schoolers:
- ($5) The Dinosaur's
Divorce by Laureen K. Brown & Marc Brown; Little
Brown, 1986
- Reassures children of
all ages about why parents divorce, what happens to
children, having two homes, celebrating holidays, telling
their friends, and living with or having stepparents,
stepsisters, and stepbrothers. Children may want to have
it read to them over and over.
-
- Divorce is a Grown
up Problem by Janet Sinberg; Avon Publishers, 1978
- A lap book for
children of all ages. Warm, friendly illustrations show
and tell it isn't your child's fault, you still love him/her,
healthy ways to handle anger, how your child is still
safe and secure because the parents are in firm control
of his/her world.
-
- Let's Talk About
It: Divorce by Fred Rogers; G P Putnam & Sons,
1996
- For children of all
ages . . . helpful information from the man children have
come to trust.
School-aged Children:
- At Daddy's on
Saturdays by Linda W. Girard; Albert Whitman &
Co., 1987
- Katie's daddy moves
out when he and her mommy get divorced. Katie is angry,
sad, and very afraid her daddy will never come back.
Katie learns that even though her parents can't live
together anymore, they both still love her, and will
always be her mommy and daddy.
-
- Break-up by
Gianni Padoan; Childs Play, 1987
- When Joe's dad leaves
home, it is the worst day of his life. As he realizes
both his parents still love him, he is more able to
adjust to the new reality.
-
- ($5) The Dinosaur's
Divorce by Laureen K. Brown & Marc Brown; Little
Brown, 1986
- Reassures children of
all ages about why parents divorce, what happens to
children, having two homes, celebrating holidays, telling
their friends, and living with or having stepparents,
stepsisters, and stepbrothers. Children may want to have
it read to them over and over.
-
- ($10) Divorced but
Still My Parents by Shirley Thomas and Dorothy
Rankin
- A helping book about
divorce for children and parents. Includes a story about
a kitten whose parents get a divorce, some explanations
for children about what happens during a divorce, and
workbook-type activities for children to do that will
help them deal with their thoughts and feelings about the
divorce.
-
- Divorce Is a Grown
up Problem by Janet Sinberg; Avon Publishers, 1978
- A lap book for
children of all ages. Warm, friendly illustrations show
and tell it isn't your child's fault, you still love him/her,
healthy ways to handle anger, how your child is still
safe and secure because the parents are in firm control
of his/her world.
-
- Let's Talk About
It: Divorce by Fred Rogers; G P Putnam & Sons,
1996
- For children of all
ages . . . helpful information from the man children have
come to trust.
Mom & Dad Don't
Live Together Anymore by Kathy Stinson; Annick Press, 1985
- ($10) Our Family
is Divorcing: A Read-Aloud Book for Families Experiencing
Divorce by Patricia Johnson & Donna Williams;
Resource Publications, 1996
- For children of all
ages . . . A story about a family going through divorce
and how both the children and parents feel about what is
happening. A great book for prompting discussion of
children's feelings about what is happening in their
family; includes a section with questions for discussion.
May be read aloud to early primary school age children or
older children (grades 3+) will be able to read the book
themselves.
-
- Two Homes to Live
In: A Child's-Eye View of Divorce by Barbara S.
Hazen; Human Sciences, 1978
- Written from the child's
viewpoint. Encourages communication between parent and
child; shows that while divorce is a painful time, life
becomes stable again and the child did not cause the
divorce.
-
- What's Going to
Happen to Me? by Edna LeShan; Aladdin Books, 1978
- Most kids are taken by
surprise by divorce no matter how long they've known
their parents have been unhappy. Some kids feel relieved
to imagine the fighting will end, others feel guilty
thinking they are to blame. Simple and direct suggestions
for positive ways of coping for children.
Pre-teens & Teen-agers:
- The Divorce
Express by Paula Danziger; Laurel Leaf Books, 1982
- Ninth-grader Phoebe
must deal with her split-down-the-middle lifestyle. She
shuttles back and forth from her weekdays with Dad to her
weekends with Mom.
-
- How it Feels When
Parents Divorce by Jill Krementz; Knopf Publishing,
1988
- Boys and girls, ages 7
to 16, share their experience of their parents' divorce.
Children learn it is normal to feel shock, anger,
confusion, and pain. Children discover ways to help
themselves through this difficult time.
-
- ($10) How to Get
it Together When Your Parents Are Coming Apart by
Arlene Richards & Irene Willis; Willard Press, 1976
- A great book for
adolescents to help them understand the divorce process
and how they may be affected by it. The authors cover the
stages the parents may go through leading up to the
divorce and the impact these stages may have on other
family members. The book helps adolescents understand
their feelings and what decisions they may want to
discuss with their parents before any final arrangements
are decided upon. The book also addresses many of the
doubts adolescents may have about their own abilities to
maintain relationships with significant others.
Remarkably current information considering the mid-1970s
publishing date.
-
- It's Not the End
of the World by Judy Blume; Dell
- Easy to read novel
about a 12-year-old who tries to get her parents back
together. Once the divorce is final and the fighting ends,
she and her brother and sister realize life is not so bad
after all.
Parents:
- Between Love &
Hate by Lois Gold; Plenum Press, 1992
- Civilized divorce: new
roles and new rules; emotions of ending marriage; healing;
helping children; parenting plans; handling conflict;
difficult spouses.
-
- ($15) Caught in
the Middle by Carla B. Garrity & Mitchell A.
Baris; Lexington Books, 1994
- Protecting children of
high-conflict divorce. Includes: Why Work it Out?; Normal
vs. Conflict Visitation; Identifying Parental Alienation;
Parenting Plans for High-Conflict Divorce -- highly
recommended.
-
- Children of
Divorce by Mitchell A. Baris & Carla B. Garrity;
Blue Ridge Printing, 1988
- Suggested responses to
1) child's refusal to be with a parent; 2) reactions of
"I'm abandoned" or "I'm responsible"
or "I'm not fitting in" or "It’s all
your fault" or "I'm dropping out;" 3)
child wants to change schedule. Addresses different rules,
roles of step-parents, and long-distance parenting.
-
- ($10) Divorced Dad
Dilemma by Gerald S. Mayer; Desert City Press, 1994
- Men's responses to
divorce, what impacts men's relationships with their
children. Suggestions on staying connected to their
children; coparenting with a former wife; being a man and
providing nurturance, grieving well and letting go, being
strong and offering tenderness.
-
- ($13) Does
Wednesday Mean Mom's House or Dad's? by Marc
Ackerman; John Wiley & Sons, 1997
- Provides some
guidelines to assist parents in finding effective means
for "parenting apart," suggested strategies for
helping children cope with divorce--both in the short
term and for longer term, ideas for handling ongoing
custody problems and disputes (without necessarily going
back to court), and a list of custody do's and don'ts. An
excellent practical book that addresses both children's
needs and parental issues.
-
- ($11) Fighting
Fair for Families by Fran Schmidt & Alice
Friedman; Peace Education Foundation, 1989
- Offers tools to handle
conflict like a 'pro' and create a more loving and caring
environment for you and your family. Cartoon
illustrations.
-
- For the Sake of
the Children by Kris Kline & Stephen Pew; Prima
Publishing, 1992
- Communicating without
condemning; breaking old habits; peaceful attendance at
children’s' activities; avoiding pressure to start
the old fight again; children speak out about their need
to love both parents; recognizing when outside guidance
is needed. Entertaining and insightful.
-
- ($20) Healthy
Divorce by Craig Everett & Sandra V. Everett;
Jossey-Bass, 1994
- How to recognize and
deal with different stages of divorce process; coping
with anger, grief, and abandonment; forming new family
relationships in step-families.
-
- ($12) Helping
Children Cope with Divorce by Edward Teyber;
Lexington Books, 1992
- Putting children first;
children's fears of abandonment, responsibility for the
breakup, and reconciliation fantasies; parental conflict
and cooperation; adverse consequences when father is
unavailable; child-rearing after divorce; forming new
family relationships in step-families.
-
- ($13) Helping Your
Child Survive Divorce by Mary Ann Shaw
- A manual to help
parents respond to their children's questions and
behaviors throughout the divorce process, including the
years following a divorce. Uses real examples to
illustrate appropriate and inappropriate responses to
children's spoken and unspoken feelings.
-
- Men on Divorce--Conversations
with Ex-Husbands by Ellie Wymard; Hay House, 1994
- Focuses on needs of
children and 2 homes with no fighting; crisis periods;
emotions; relating with the other parent; children's
fears; parent's needs and style; when there is no other
parent; long-distance parenting.
-
- ($12) Parents are
Forever by Shirley Thomas; Springboard Publications,
1995
- Easy to use, to-the-point
guide helps children avoid terrible and unnecessary pain.
How to solve common problems, divide parenting time, talk
to children, deal with anger, avoid blame, and put
children's needs first.
-
- Second Chances
by Judith Wallerstein & Sandra Blakeslee; Ticknor
& Fields, 1989
- Easy-to-read
comprehensive account of the long-term emotional,
economic, and psychological effects of divorce;
differences between children who adjust well to divorce
and children who have ongoing difficulty.
-
- ($5) Vicki Lansky's
Divorce Book for Parents by Vicki Lansky; Signet,
1989
- Practical, easy-to-understand,
and on-target. Age-specific reactions of children and how
to respond; "divorce speak;" shared parenting,
keeping ex-spouses from being ex-parents; and long-distance
parenting.
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