Kids’ Books for Families Going Through Divorce
Divorce is hard on everyone involved, no matter what. It’s important to remind children of unconditional love, that they are not alone, and that just because things are changing, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be bad. The adjustment period can be mentally taxing, physically taxing, and seemingly overwhelming!
These picture books on divorce cover a wide variety of emotions, topics, and coping mechanisms for you and your little one. Using a warm and familiar tool like story time, these books can open challenging discussions through calming pictures and text. They can also help de-stigmatize, comfort, and explain divorce to young ones. May they bring you and your little readers comfort during these big changes. You are never alone!
A STEM-focused picture book about Ruby, a curious child who is eager to map the world around her, by beloved children’s book author Jane Yolen.
It’s Ruby’s first time drawing a map all by herself. She eagerly grabs her journal and markers and heads outside with her mama close behind. Down the street, under the railroad bridge, and through the park—her mapping has begun. With each step, Ruby draws key elements of her route, carefully adding details as she goes: bikers on the trail, birds in the sky, deer in the meadow. By the end of her special day, Ruby’s map is bursting with interesting observations.
This thoughtful picture book introduces the concept of mapping. It spotlights how a child’s daily life is filled with small maps—whether inside or outside, on the sidewalk or in the park—and reinforces how those maps help us tell our stories.
When Poppy and Robin’s parents separate, everything starts to transform around them. But as their new everyday lives take shape, the two slowly discover that even the biggest changes get easier with time. And just like a garden, it takes love and patience before seeds of joy begin to grow.
This heartfelt and honest picture book can be a springboard for discussing the emotional topic of divorce with children. It’s a gentle and hopeful reminder that happiness can bloom from even the toughest days.
“…Allows readers to connect with and reflect their own feelings about changes that might be taking place in their lives, now or in the past. Illustrations capture the emotional journey; these brim with love and reassurance . . . a story that is clear and honest without being didactic.” —School Library Journal
My friend Jenny Mei is sad. But you might not be able to tell.
Jenny Mei still smiles a lot. She makes everyone laugh. And she still likes blue Popsicles the best. But, her friend knows that Jenny Mei is sad, and does her best to be there to support her.
This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for introducing kids to the complexity of sadness, and to show them that the best way to be a good friend, especially to someone sad, is by being there for the fun, the not-fun, and everything in between.
A comprehensive, sensitive guide for changing families, Dinosaurs Divorce helps readers understand what divorce means, why it happens, and how to best cope with everyone’s feelings. Topics covered in the book include: Divorce Words and What They Mean * Why Parents Divorce * After the Divorce * Living with One Parent * Visiting Your Parent * Having Two Homes * Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions * Telling Your Friends * Meeting Parents’ New Friends * Living with Stepparents * Having Stepsiblings
With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling, beloved author Todd Parr has long been a favorite among young readers and caregivers. His books promote an essential message of love and acceptance that is inspiring, empowering, and accessible.
When you fall down.
When you are scared.
If you get a bad haircut.
You will always have me!
In this sweet picture book, Todd Parr celebrates the care and support we all need to thrive with his signature mix of humor and heart. You Will Always Have Me reminds readers that someone is always there for you—be it a parent or other family member, a friend, or even a pet. When you’re sad or mad, when you feel like you’re not good enough, and when you’re excited and proud of who you are…you will always be loved!
With over 2 million copies sold, this accessible, bestselling picture book phenomenon about the unbreakable connections between loved ones has healed generations of children and adults alike. A Spanish edition (El hilo invisible by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff) and a companion workbook are also available (The Invisible String Workbook).
Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. It’s also been joyfully embraced as a year-round celebration of love–gifted at births, graduations, weddings, Valentine’s Day, and beyond. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they’re all connected by an invisible string. “That’s impossible!” the children insist, but still they want to know more: “What kind of string?” The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.
For fans of The Invisible String, here is an uplifting and lyrical story about a young girl who learns to navigate her family’s divorce.
Leilah misses the time when her mom and dad were together. Ever since they divorced, her world and her heart feel split in two. She explores the city with Dad and walks Pepper at the park with Mom. She and Dad watch fireworks on the balcony, and Mom helps her make snowmen in the front yard. As Leilah moves back and forth between her two worlds, she wonders if her heart will ever feel whole again. Everything is just so different. Until one day she realizes that love is all around her, and the love her parents share for her will always stay the same.
Luna’s Fabulous Family reassures those children experiencing family separations and divorce. It reinforces parental/child love—even though all families are different, and sometimes things change, love is constant.
This is an important topic and great for use in classrooms or at home with a parent or caregiver.
