Books to Help Children Understand Divorce

Here’s a list of books for kids about divorce.  I use these in play therapy and recommend them to parents when the family is going through a divorce.  If you have some to add, please leave a comment below!

• The Family Book, by Todd Parr … a great way to begin the discussion that there are many different types of families.

• Dinosaurs Divorce, by Laurene Krasny Brown & Marc Brown … this is always my “go-to” book when discussing divorce with kids.  It’s kinda lengthy, but use it as a resource books to talk about different aspects of divorce as they come up.

• The “D” Word, by Julia Cook … At first Otis can’t even say the D word, but then he learns the 3 C’s of divorce (he didn’t Cause it, he can’t Control it, and he will learn to Cope with it).

• Charlie Anderson, by Barbara Abercrombie … a wonderful story about two sisters, a cat, and discovering that having 2 homes isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

• Was it the Chocolate Pudding? A Story about Divorce for Little Kids, by Sandra Levins … highly recommended book that stresses divorce is NOT the children’s fault.

• I Don’t Want to Talk About It, by Jeanie Franz Ransom … a picture book that describes many emotions that a young girl feels when she finds out about her parents’ divorce.

• Standing on My Own Two Feet, by Tamara Schmitz … focuses on the unconditional love the remains for the child.

• Fred Stays with Me, by Nancy Coffelt and Tricia Tusa … the book discusses divorce from a child’s point of view.

• My Family’s Changing, by Pat Thomas … written by a psychotherapist to help explain divorce to preschool aged children.

• My Mom and Dad Don’t Live Together Anymore, by Judith Rubin … an interactive drawing book to help children ages 5-10, express and sort out their feelings after parents separate or get divorced.

• When Mom and Dad Separate, by Marge Heegaard … a workbook for kids to help them sort out their feelings regarding the divorce.

• My Parents are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts about Me, by Bill Cochran … a lighthearted book about having divorced parents doesn’t make you weird.

• What Can I Do?, by Danielle Lowry … illustrates the cycle kids go through when their parents divorce.

• When Mom and Dad Divorce, by Emily Menendez-Aponte … a spiritually based book to help kids with the conflicting emotions they may feeling when their parents get divorced.

• Goodnight, Daddy, by Angela Seward … this is not for typical divorce situations, but geared toward helping a child deal with having an absent parent.

• Mom and Dad Glue, by Kes Gray … a great book to help kids understand that divorce isn’t their fault.

• Best of Both Nests, by Jane Clarke … a little bird comes to terms of living in 2 separate nests.

• Two Homes, by Claire Masurel … a simple book for young kids about how there will be difference in both homes, but in each they will be loved.

• Divorce is Not the End of the World: Zoe’s and Evan’s Coping Guide for Kids, by Zoe and Evan Stern … written by a brother and sister, this book is geared toward kids aged 8 and up to help them navigate the changes a divorce brings.

• A Smart Girl’s Guide to Her Parent’s Divorce:  How to Land on Your Feet When Your World Turns Upside Down (American Girl), by Nancy Holyoke …    Geared for girls nine and older, the book covers varies aspects of divorce.

• It’s Not Your Fault, KoKo Bear, by Vicki Lansky … simple book for parents to read to younger children about the subject of divorce.

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