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How does divorce shape a child's life?

How do children move on and accept a new normal?

What are the implications of a divorce to a child?

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For the first activity about dealing with divorce, I would have students read one of the 20 books selected for this project. One of the twenty is a fiction picture book, called My Two Homes by Claudia Harrington. It tells the story of Lenny following his classmate Skye around for the day for a school project, and he learns that she lives in two homes: one with her dad, and one with her mom and stepdad. I would have students read this and then draw a picture about the story and underneath, they will write a few words explaining what parts were the most interesting or how it made them feel.

Learning Objectives for Activity 1

Students will identify what part of the read aloud they connected with most strongly in a few written sentences at the bottom of their pictures. (Affective)

Students will draw a picture of a point in the read aloud that they identified with using colored pencils and paper. (Psychomotor)

Students will discuss with classmates what they learned from the read aloud in small groups of four. (Cognitive)

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The second activity for this topic of divorce would be a word webbing activity that the whole class would contribute to. We would first start out by reading Higginbotham’s Divorce is the Worst and then I would write the word divorce on an otherwise empty dry-erase board. I would then give the students time to discuss their thoughts on the story with their classmates. Then, we would spend time as a class writing down other words that we think of when we think of divorce, other associations we have with that word, and some scenarios that the students come up with.

Learning Objectives for Activity 2

Students will discuss their thoughts on the story with their classmates in pairs of two. (Cognitive)

Students will list points in the story that helped them understand divorce individually. (Affective)

Students will construct a word web of terms that they associate with divorce and list them with the class. (Psychomotor)

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Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley (F, 3-7)

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Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley (F, 3-7)

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When Jen's parents divorce, she finds herself leaving the city and living on her mom (and her mom's new boyfriend's) farm with her new sisters, Reese and Andy. Jen is slowly starting to realize that she is alone, and living on a farm is hard work. Jen will have to learn to overcome the challenges of such a drastic life change to make the most out of her situation, even though she misses the city and her dad. I would incorporate this into my graphic novel section of the library.

Knisley, L. (2020). Stepping stones. Random House Graphic.

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This text follows different families all over the world. From families with grandparents, foster parents, stepparents, and more, children will learn about just how many different families exist out there. It also helps them to understand their own families! This would be a fantastic addition to my library.

Morris, A. (2000). Families. HarperCollins.

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Families are Different by Nina Pellegrini (F, P-2) 

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Families are Different by Nina Pellegrini (F, P-2) 

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This story follows Nico, a six-year-old girl who was adopted, with her sister Angel, by her parents from Korea. When Nico starts to feel out of place in her family because she doesn't look like her parents, her mom tells her about all the different types of families you can think of. This is not only a great exploration into different families, but adoption as well! It would be a welcome addition to the library.

Pellegrini, N. (2005). Families are different. Scholastic Educational.

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All Families are Special by Norma Simon (F, K-3)

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All Families are Special by Norma Simon (F, K-3)

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Mrs. Mack's class learns that she will be a grandmother soon, which makes her students realize that teachers have families, too! All of Mrs. Mack's students want to share their families and lives all at once! From adopted siblings, to live-in grandparents,  to divorced parents, this book lets students know everyone's family is special in its own way. This would be fun to include in a family unit with students.

Simon, N. (2003). All families are special. Albert Whitman & Company.

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This text discusses divorce in families from a positive perspective. Children are reminded that they are still loved by both of their parents and that there may be continued changes along the way. However, it is important to remember that no matter who your parents end up with, they still love their children very much. This text is an important part of a library's collection because of its focus on love in times of uncertainty.
Amos, J. (2010). Divorce. Alphabet Soup Paperbacks.

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Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families by Laurie Krasny Brown (NF, K-3)

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Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families by Laurie Krasny Brown (NF, K-3)

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This guide helps families and young children to understand the reasons behind divorce and how they can deal with the aftermath of it. It also covers topics like living with one parent, splitting time between both parents, stepfamilies, and meeting your parents' new significant others. A timeless look at divorce and its effect on families. This book should be included in library collections because of its focus on dealing with situations after divorce.

Brown, L. K. (1988). Dinosaurs divorce: A guide for changing families. Little, Brown & Company.

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Divorce is the Worst by Anastasia Higginbotham (NF, K-3)

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Divorce is the Worst by Anastasia Higginbotham (NF, K-3)

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Higginbotham's book is different from most books about divorce, because it uses humor to help children cope with the drastic changes that come along with separated parents. Very funny, real, and heartfelt, this book is great for anyone trying to help a child cope with divorce in a new way. I would absolutely include it in my library.

Higginbotham, A. (2015). Divorce is the worst. The Feminist Press.

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The "D" Word: Divorce by Julia Cook (F, K-4)

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The "D" Word: Divorce by Julia Cook (F, K-4)

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Otis' family used to be perfect. But now, his parents are divorced, and they won't even talk to each other! Otis becomes his parents' messenger because they cannot stand each other. Luckily, Otis has his grandma to help teach him about the cause of divorce, what he can and can't control, and how he can cope with it. This book shows that it's okay to go to others for advice about your feelings, making it a must for library collections.

Cook, J. (2011). D word: Divorce. National Center for Youth Issues.

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It's Not the End of the World bu Judy Blume (F, 4-6)

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It's Not the End of the World bu Judy Blume (F, 4-6)

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Karen feels like her world is ending when she finds out her parents are getting a divorce. With her mom so happy about the split, Karen has to find a way to reconcile in her mind that sometimes, your parents aren't meant to be together. As hard as she tries to forget it, this divorce is not going away. Karen will have to learn to accept the new normal that is the Newman family. This is a great book for readers who are a little older and still trying to understand divorce, which makes it welcome in my library.

Blume, J. (2014). It’s not the end of the world. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

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Emily's Blue Period by Cathleen Daly (F, P-2)

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Emily's Blue Period by Cathleen Daly (F, P-2)

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Emily is an artist with a love for all things Picasso. However, Emily decides that the cubism should stay in his paintings and not in her life; when she realizes that her father has moved out and her parents are splitting up, Emily starts painting like Picasso--only in blue--to help herself cope with her big feelings. This book helps to normalize using hobbies and interests to help cope with divorce, making it a must for libraries, as well.

Daly, C. (2014). Emily’s blue period. Roaring Book Press.

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My Two Homes (My Family) by Claudia Harrington (F, K-3)

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My Two Homes (My Family) by Claudia Harrington (F, K-3)

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Lenny's school project assignment is to follow Skye around for the day. He finds out that she has three parents! Skye's dad, mom, and step-dad all love her so much, and Lenny learns about a new family style! I would recommend this, because it is aligned to Common Core State Standards, as well as being super cute.

Harrington, C. (2015). My two homes (My family). Looking Glass Library.

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Eggs over Evie by Alison Jackson (F, 4-7)

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Eggs over Evie by Alison Jackson (F, 4-7)

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Evie lives with her mom, because her famous chef dad lives with her new stepmom, who is about to have her stepsiblings. Even worse, Evie's dad has her dog, which means she has to visit. Evie's story teaches young kids that even in situations that feel like they're the absolute worst, you can still find some good cooking and new people to love.

Jackson, A. (2014). Eggs over Evie. Square Fish.

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Jasmin has to split her time between her Grandma's house and her dad's apartment. She wishes that her parents were still together. So, when she finds out they will be together to see her on her birthday, it reminds her that not everything has to change when parents get divorced.

Mohr, C. (2009). Two homes. Townsend Press.

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When My Parents Forgot How to be Friends by Jennifer Moore-Malinos (NF, P-3)

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When My Parents Forgot How to be Friends by Jennifer Moore-Malinos (NF, P-3)

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This text discusses how parents can become emotionally distant and sad, and you can find them arguing whenever they talk. At first, it can seem like it's your fault, but it's not! This text is another great addition to a library, because it allows children to feel and express their feelings about divorce in the family.

Moore-Malinos, J. (2005). When my parents forgot how to be friends. B.E.S. Publishing.

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My Two Homes (This Is My Family) (NF, P-2)

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My Two Homes (This Is My Family) (NF, P-2)

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This text talks about different types of families and blended situations. It is great to expose children to all types of families and to normalize the differences we can find there. This would be included in my library, because it's simple enough for even very young kids to understand, but still valuable for those a bit older.

Murray, J. (2021). My two homes (This is my family). Abdo Kids Junior.

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Don't Make Me Smile by Barbara Park (F, 3-6)

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Don't Make Me Smile by Barbara Park (F, 3-6)

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When Charlie's parents tell him they're getting a divorce, Charlie knows it's important to let them know how he feels about it, and he tries everything to make it stop. Still, Charlie's honesty with his parents make this a good addition to a library collection.

Park, B. (2002). Don’t make me smile. Random House.

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I Don't Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom (F, K-3) 

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I Don't Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom (F, K-3) 

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This picture book is perfect for children who don't want to talk about their parents' divorce! Some children would be very upfront with their feelings, but others wouldn't be. It's important to include all types of feelings in a collection dealing with divorce in your library.

Ransom, J. F. (2000). I don’t want to talk about it. Magination Press.

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Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child's Affirmation of Love by Tamara Schmitz (F, P-1)

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Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child's Affirmation of Love by Tamara Schmitz (F, P-1)

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Addison knows that just because his parents are divorced, it doesn't mean they love him any less. His comparison of having to homes to having two strong feet is important for children just experiencing divorce in their family, because it can help them understand that they are stronger than they think!

Schmitz, T. (2008). Standing on my own two feet: A child’s affirmation of love. Price Stern Sloan.

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Here and There by Tamara Ellis Smith (F, K-3)

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Here and There by Tamara Ellis Smith (F, K-3)

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This book is important because it shows the main character, Ivan, connecting with the beauty around him in the form of nature to deal with his feelings about his parents divorce. It's a great way to show children they can channel negative feelings into positive situations, which would make it a good addition to the library.

Smith, T.E. (2019). Here and there. Barefoot Books.

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The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead (F, 3-7)

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The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead (F, 3-7)

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Bea's parents get divorced, and she keeps a journal of the things that stay the same to remind herself that not everything changes. Still, she has to get ready to meet her new sister, because her dad is getting married to his boyfriend! This is a fresh, modern take on a parents' divorce, along with an exploration into the prospect of having a parent come out as LGBTQ+.
Stead, R. (2020). The list of things that will not change. Wendy Lamb Books.

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Amos, J. (2010). Divorce. Alphabet Soup Paperbacks.

Blume, J. (2014). It’s not the end of the world. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Brown, L. K. (1988). Dinosaurs divorce: A guide for changing families. Little, Brown & Company.

Cook, J. (2011). D word: Divorce. National Center for Youth Issues.

Daly, C. (2014). Emily’s blue period. Roaring Book Press.

Harrington, C. (2015). My two homes (My family). Looking Glass Library.

Higginbotham, A. (2015). Divorce is the worst. The Feminist Press.

Jackson, A. (2014). Eggs over Evie. Square Fish.

Knisley, L. (2020). Stepping stones. Random House Graphic.

Mohr, C. (2009). Two homes. Townsend Press.

Moore-Malinos, J. (2005). When my parents forgot how to be friends. B.E.S. Publishing.

Morris, A. (2000). Families. HarperCollins.

Murray, J. (2021). My two homes (This is my family). Abdo Kids Junior.

Park, B. (2002). Don’t make me smile. Random House.

Pellegrini, N. (2005). Families are different. Scholastic Educational.

Ransom, J. F. (2000). I don’t want to talk about it. Magination Press.

Schmitz, T. (2008). Standing on my own two feet: A child’s affirmation of love. Price Stern Sloan.

Simon, N. (2003). All families are special. Albert Whitman & Company.

Smith, T.E. (2019). Here and there. Barefoot Books.

Stead, R. (2020). The list of things that will not change. Wendy Lamb Books.