Let's Talk About Your Parents' Divorce

School Library Journal

Gr 3-4-With full-color photographs, large print, pronunciation guides, and simple texts, these books are excellent introductions to potentially painful topics. Each volume is divided into 10 sections, each consisting of one page of text and one photograph; these images depict people of a variety of races. Brief paragraphs focus on subjects such as "What are Drugs," "Why Are Some Drugs Illegal," "Depressants," "Hallucinogens," etc. The second title includes a definition of what a foster home is, why some children are placed in them, what adjustments might have to be made (new foods, new rules), and how a foster child might feel. "It's not your fault" is the focal message of the book about divorce, which discusses living with two homes and two sets of rules, communicating with an absentee parent, coping with limited resources, and the importance of talking about how you feel. While the books may seem oversimplified, the authors do an admirable job of introducing difficult issues without overwhelming young readers, of provoking thought and, one hopes, discussion with a caring adult. Written in the second person, these titles are appropriate for libraries, but may find their primary value in a counseling or guidance setting.-Rosie Peasley, Empire Union School District, Modesto, CA