Denver Divorce Lawyer News & Blog

7 Children’s Books that Effectively Tackle Divorce Woes

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It’s hard talking to your children about divorce, so why not let someone else find the right words? Grab a blanket, gather the stuffed animal friends, and snuggle in with these picture books well-suited to broaching some of the thorny issues that arise with a changing family dynamic.

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1. Dinosaurs Divorce (A Guide for Changing Families) 
by Laurene Krasny Brown and Marc Brown.
Suitable for children 5-8 years old, this popular book covers everything from what divorce words mean to how to tell your friends about your modified family situation. The comic-book style makes it more of a reference guide than a plot-driven narrative, so you’ll definitely want to keep coming back to it as new concerns emerge.

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2. Was It the Chocolate Pudding?: A Story for Little Kids about Divorce
by Sandra Levins and Bryan Langdo.

This light-hearted book for preschoolers and kindergartners features a father as the primary caregiver, and helps children navigate the age-old question of whether the divorce is maybe their fault.

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3. Two Homes
by Claire Masurel.

Two Homes, in which the story of young Alex reassures children they will continue to be loved despite divorce or separation, is a classic in this genre. As one reviewer noted, you might want to purchase two copies of the book””one to keep at Mom’s and one to keep at Dad’s.

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4. Horton Hatches the Egg
by Dr. Seuss

No child’s library is complete without a generous dose of Dr. Seuss, but this particular title caters to those with absentee parents. As the egg’s mother flies off to Palm Springs to start a new life, Horton’s tale covertly shows us a single parent can always share double the love.

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5. Mum and Dad Glue
by Kes Gray.

“My mum and dad are broken, I don’t know what to do. My mum and dad have come undone, I need to find some glue,” begins this book about a boy who tries to literally patch his family back together. It’s a sweet reminder there’s often no quick-fix solution to problems at home.

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6. Every Second Friday
by Kiri Lightfoot and Ben Galbraith.

This picture book prepares children for their new shared custody arrangement through the excitement Marge and Totty feel for the days they get to spend with their father, who no longer lives at their house.

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7. I Don’t Want To Talk About It
by Jeanie Franz Ransom.

The aim of this book is to validate the range of feelings a child might experience upon hearing his or her parents are to divorce. When everything gets too overwhelming, for instance, don’t turn into a bird and try to fly away; instead, roar like a lion to remember how brave you really are (maybe that’s where Katy Perry got her inspiration?)!

We would like to add to this list, so please recommend your favorite divorce-themed children’s books on our Facebook page.