Divorce & Stepfamilies

• Picture Books about Divorce
• Picture Books about Stepfamilies
• Nonfiction Books about Divorce & Stepfamilies
• Juvenile Fiction Books about Divorce
• Juvenile Fiction about Stepfamilies

 Picture Books about Divorce

Adams, E. On the Day His Daddy Left. (JUV E)
On the day his father moves out of the house, Danny's teacher, friends, and family reassure him that his parents' divorce is not his fault.

Boegehold, B. Daddy Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. (JUV E)
A book about family divorce.

Boyd, L. The Not-So-Wicked Stepmother. (JUV E)
Expecting her new stepmother to be mean, ugly, and horrible, Hessie is surprised and confused to find her not wicked at all.

Brown, L. Dinosaurs Divorce. (JUV E)
Presents reasons why parents divorce and offers suggestions to help cope with the change.

Bunting, E. Some Frog. (JUV E)
Billy is disappointed when his father doesn't show up to help him catch a frog for the frog-jumping competition at school, but the one he and his mother catch wins the championship and Billy begins to accept his father's absence.

Caseley, J. Priscilla Twice. (JUV E)
When Priscilla's parents divorce, she learns that there are different kinds of families.

Cole, B. The Un-Wedding. (JUV E)
As their parents disagree more and more about everything, Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt decide that everyone would be happier if they "un-marry."

Coy, J. Two Old Potatoes and Me. (JUV E)
After a young girl finds two old potatoes at her father's house, they plant and tend them to see if they will have new potatoes in September.

Dragonwagon, C. Always, Always. (JUV E)
A little girl discovers that although her parents are divorced, it in no way changes their love for her.

Gibbons, F. Mountain Wedding. (JUV E)
The children from two mountain families about to be joined in a wedding change their minds about each other only after all of them together cooperate in a rescue.

Girard, L. At Daddy’s On Saturdays. (JUV E)
Although her parents' divorce causes her to feel anger, concern, and sadness, Katie discovers that she can keep a loving relationship with her father even though he lives apart from her.

Hopkins, B. Changes: My Family And Me. (JUV E)
A child describes the changes that divorce and remarriage bring to the make-up of a family.

Mcafee, A. The Visitors Who Came To Stay. (JUV E)
When Mary and her son come to stay with Katy and her divorced father, Katy has a hard time learning to share her father's love.

Petty, K. Splitting Up. (JUV E)
Little Maria learns to deal with her parents' separation.

Rodell, S. Dear Fred. (JUV E)
A young girl writes a letter to her brother back in Australia telling him how much she misses him since they no longer live together.

Spelman, C. Mama and Daddy Bear’s Divorce. (JUV E)
Dinah Bear feels sad and scared when her parents say they are going to divorce.

Vigna, J. Grandma Without Me. (JUV E)
A young boy finds a way to keep in touch with his beloved grandmother despite his parents' divorce.

Weninger, B. Good-bye, Daddy. (JUV E)
A little boy's teddy bear helps him come to terms with his parents' divorce by telling him a story about a little bear in similar circumstances.

Winthrop, E. As The Crow Flies. (JUV E)
A second-grader describes how he feels when his father comes all the way from Delaware to Arizona to spend a week with him.

Picture Books about Stepfamilies

Benjamin, A. Two’s Company. (JUV E)
Feeling threatened by the possibility of her mother's remarriage, Maddy copes by planning her own wedding to her lizard friend Little Adam Zurka.

Best, C. Getting Used To Harry. (JUV E)
When her mother marries Harry, Cynthia finds that she has to adjust to changes in her life at home.

Boyd, L. Sam Is My Half Brother. (JUV E)
A young girl, fearful that her newborn half brother will get all the attention, is reassured of her father's love.

Hoffman, M. Boundless Grace. (JUV E)
Grace is invited for a visit with her father and his new family in Africa.

Vigna, J. Daddy’s New Baby. (JUV E)
A near disaster helps a child of divorced parents soften her feelings toward her father’s new baby.

Vigna, J. She’s Not My Real Mother. (JUV E)
When Miles gets lost, his stepmother comes to his rescue, forcing him to reevaluate her. Could she be his friend!

Nonfiction Books about Divorce & Stepfamilies

Charlish, A. Divorce. (JUV 306.89 C381D)
Discusses divorce in today's world and in the past, legal and financial issues related to it, and the effects of divorce upon children and society. Includes case studies.

Cole, J. My Parent’s Divorce. (JUV 306.89. C675M)
Discusses why divorce happens, how to cope with it, and how to deal with difficult feelings as well as friends whose parents are divorced.

Devore, C. Breakfast for Dinner. (JUV 306.89 D498B)
Text and photographs describe problems faced by the parents and children when a divorce occurs.

Goldentyre, D. Divorce. (JUV 306.89 G566D)
Describes divorce and explains how to deal with the breaking up of a parents' marriage.

Holyoke, N. Help! (JUV 306.89 H748H)
Answers letters from girls dealing with various aspects of divorce, remarriage, and stepfamilies. Includes tips, quizzes, and advice.

Johnson, J. My Stepfamily. (JUV 306.874 J633H)
Young people in stepfamilies describe how they cope with having stepbrothers, stepsisters, and stepparents and offer tips on dealing with change in a family.

Krohn, K. You and Your Parents’ Divorce. (JUV 306.89 K916Y 2001)
Discusses the following topics: What exactly is a divorce, It's not your fault, Finding friends who understand, Please don't put me in the middle, and Adjusting to change.

Lansky, V. It’s Not Your Fault, KoKo Bear. (JUV 306.89 L292I)
KoKo Bear learns what divorce means, how to deal with changes, how to recognize and deal with feelings, and that divorce is not KoKo's fault. Each page includes tips for parents.

MacGregor, C. The Divorce Helpbook For Kids. (JUV 306.89 M178D 2001)
A guide to dealing with the divorce of parents, discussing various reasons for divorce, the emotions experienced by the children, and ways of coping with the change.

Rogers, F. Divorce. (JUV 306.89 R632D)
A gentle and reassuring book to help children cope with their feelings.

Rogers, F. Stepfamilies. (JUV 306.874 R631S)
Discusses the changes involved in becoming part of a stepfamily and ways to deal with the new situation.

Rosenberg, M. Talking About Stepfamilies. (JUV 306.874 R723)
Children and adults who have become part of stepfamilies describe their experiences in coping with new stepparents and stepsiblings.

Weitzman, E. Let’s Talk About Living In A Blended Family. (JUV 306.874 W439L)
Provides advice on how to accept and deal with the challenges of living in a stepfamily, or blended family.

Weitzman, E. Let’s Talk About Your Parent’s Divorce. (JUV 306.89 W439L)
Offers basic advice on how to deal with parents' divorce, including coping with feelings and adjusting to stepfamilies.

Juvenile Fiction Books about Divorce

Abercrombie, B. Cat-Man’s Daughter. (JUV FIC)
13-year-old Kate is kidnapped by her grandmother in an attempt to make her divorced parents consider Kate's welfare instead of their own.

Birdseye, T. Tucker. (JUV FIC)
Eleven-year-old Tucker likes his life with his divorced father, until the nine-year-old sister he has not seen in years moves back in with them and claims that their mother wants them to become one family again.

Blume, J. It’s Not The End Of The World. (JUV FIC)
The pain of a family breakup is tastefully and realistically conveyed.

Christopher, M. The Comeback Challenge. (JUV FIC)
Mark, center for his middle school's soccer team the Scorpions, must cope with his parents' divorce and a teammate who holds a grudge against him.

Cleary, B. Dear Mr. Henshaw. (JUV NEW)
Leigh Botts writes to his favorite author as a class assignment.

Cleary, B. Strider. (JUV FIC)
In a series of diary entries, Leigh tells how he comes to terms with his parents' divorce, acquires joint custody of an abandoned dog, and joins the track team at school.

Clements, A. The Landry News. (JUV FIC)
A 5th-grader starts a newspaper with an editorial that prompts her burnt-out classroom teacher to really begin teaching again, but he is later threatened with disciplinary action as a result.

Cruise, R. The Top-Secret Journal of Fiona Claire Jardin. (JUV FIC)
At the suggestion of her therapist, ten-year-old Fiona begins to keep a journal in which she records her fears, feelings, and gradual adjustment in the year after her parents get a divorce.

Danziger, P. Amber Brown Goes Fourth. (JUV FIC)
Entering fourth grade, Amber faces some changes in her life as her best friend moves away and her parents divorce.

Danziger, P. The Divorce Express. (JUV FIC)
A 14-year-old’s adjustment to her parents’ divorce.

Fitzhugh, L. Sport. (JUV FIC)
Eleven-year-old Sport lives happily with his absent-minded father, when suddenly his ruthless and wealthy mother wants custody of him.

Franklin, K. Lone Wolf. (JUV FIC)
When a large family moves into the house near where he and his father live in the woods, Perry's friendship with the oldest girl helps him come to terms with his sister's death and his parents' divorce.

Giff, P. Rat Teeth. (JUV FIC)
Fifth-grader Cliffie feels that nothing has been right in his life since his parents got their divorce and his front teeth began growing out over his lower lip.

Greene, C. Ask Anybody. (JUV FIC)
The daughter of divorced parents befriends an eccentric new girl who is full of unexpected surprises.

Greene, C. A Girl Called Al. (JUV FIC)
Al is a non-conformist seventh-grader who is ignored by both of her divorced parents, which she tries to overcome by pretending not to care.

Hobbs, V. Charlie’s Run. (JUV FIC)
Hoping to stop his parents' impending separation and keep them from getting a divorce, eleven-year-old Charlie runs away from their house in the California countryside and finds a ride to the coast.

Hurwitz, J. DeDe Takes Charge! (JUV FIC)
A year after her father has left home for good, fifth-grader DeDe helps her mother cope with the realities of life after divorce.

Jones, J. Dear Mrs. Ryan, You’re Ruining My Life. (JUV FIC)
In an effort to get his mother to stop writing about him in her books, fifth-grader Harvey and his best friend decide to try to make a romantic connection between her and their school principal.

Lisle, J. The Gold Dust Letters. (JUV FIC)
When nine-year-old Angela and her friends begin investigating the letters she has received from her fairy godmother, it helps take Angela's mind off her strained relationship with her father.

Moss, M. Amelia’s Family Ties. (JUV FIC)
Ten-year-old Amelia records her thoughts and feelings about flying solo to Chicago to meet the father she has not seen since her parents divorced when she was an infant.

Naylor, P. Being Danny’s Dog. (JUV FIC)
Ten-year-old T.R. and his twelve-year-old brother Danny move to Rosemary Acres with their mother and find new friends as well as a lot of community rules to follow.

Park, B. Don’t Make Me Smile. (JUV FIC)
A young boy has trouble adjusting to his parents’ divorce.

Park, B. My Mother Got Married (and other disasters). (JUV FIC)
Just when eleven-year-old Charlie Hickle is starting to adjust to his parents’ divorce, disaster strikes again! His mom remarries, and his new stepfather moves in with two kids.

Paulsen, G. Hatchet. (JUV FIC)
After a plane crash, 13-year-old Brian spends 54 days in the wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given to him by his mother.

Petersen P. I Hate Weddings. (JUV FIC)
When Dan has to meet his new stepfamily and take part in his father's wedding, he finds that all sorts of horrible and embarrassing things happen to him.

Ransom, C. More Than A Name. (JUV FIC)
When her mother remarries, 8-year-old Cammie feels awkward with her new stepfather and being part of a new large family.

Roy, R. Avalanche! (JUV FIC)
Upset over his parents’ impending divorce, fourteen-year-old Scott goes to visit his brother in Colorado where they are both nearly buried by an avalanche.

Roy, R. The Chimpanzee Kid. (JUV FIC)
Considered to be something of a misfit by his classmates because of his interest in animal rights, Harold finds a friend who agrees to help him in his secret plan.

Schnur, S. The Koufax Dilemma. (JUV FIC)
Angry when he cannot pitch in the season's opening game because of Passover, Danny finally makes some important decisions about loyalty to his divorced parents, his team, his heritage, and himself.

Siebold, J. Rope Burn. (JUV FIC)
While working on a writing assignment at his new school, Richard learns the meaning of various proverbs and how to express his feelings about his parents' divorce.

Smith, R. The Squeaky Wheel. (JUV FIC)
Moving to a new neighborhood following his parents' divorce, Mark has trouble making new friends and coping with his father's absence.

Stowe, C. Home Sweet Home, Good-bye. (JUV FIC)
Reluctantly getting ready to move to a new house with his mother, eleven-year-old Charlie gets caught in a funny chain of events, culminating in the reuniting of his long-divorced parents.

Van Leeuwen, J. Blue Sky, Butterfly. (JUV FIC)
When her father leaves, Twig feels isolated from her older brother and her mother as they all try to cope with the change in their lives.

Voight, C. Bad, Badder, Baddest. (JUV FIC)
When fifth graders Mikey and Margalo devise a plan to prevent Mikey's parents from getting a divorce, the two friends find their scheme foiled by a new girl at school.

Warner, Sally. Sister Split. American Girl Fiction Series. (JUV FIC)
When her parents separate, eleven-year-old Ivy must cope not only with their impending divorce but also with the unexpected impact it has on her relationship with her older sister.

Willner-Pardo, G. Jason And The Losers. (JUV FIC)
Following his parents' divorce a fifth grader goes to live with his aunt and uncle and attends a new school where he changes some attitudes about friendship.

Juvenile Fiction about Stepfamilies

Alder, C. S. Her Blue Straw Hat. (JUV FIC)
Having grown to accept and love her stepfather Ben, twelve-year-old Rachel is dismayed when his spoiled daughter joins the family on their beach vacation.

Christopher, M. Spike It! (JUV FIC)
Unhappy at having to share space and family with her new stepsister Michaela when her father remarries, thirteen-year-old Jamie is further dismayed when Michaela joins her volleyball team and becomes a star player.

Deletion, J. Angel Spreads Her Wings. (JUV FIC)
Angel, whose active imagination always causes her to expect the worst, is given many new things to worry about when her stepfather plans to move the family to Greece for the summer.

Griffin, A. Dive. (JUV FIC)
Young Ben finds that he is happy in the stable life provided by his stepfather despite his uncertain relationship with his moody and troubled stepbrother and his mother's growing restlessness in her new marriage.

Miller, D. Home Wars. (JUV FIC)
Twelve-year-old Halley sees her family torn apart when her father gives her teenage stepbrothers antique flintlocks, which begins an escalating argument between her parents about the dangers of guns.

Updated 4/05, NL: Holdings checked 7/06 KRL