Divorce is Not the End of the World
Zoe and Evan's Coping Guide for Kids
When children experience the negative emotions that often come when they discover their parents are about to divorce, it can seem like the world is at an end. But the authors of this book demonstrate that learning to cope with divorce can make children more resilient.
Written in a conversational tone, these siblings-turned-authors take turns sharing how they felt as teenagers when their parents divorced. Each chapter deals with a part of the divorce process and includes a letter from a child whose parents are divorced. Subject highlights include the questions most kids ask: Why did this happen? Will they reunite? Is it my fault? Where will I live? Later on, readers will find encouragement in the chapters on blended families. The final chapter helps children identify the positive aspects of divorce. Chapters include a quick tips summary and a notes section where the child can write how she feels.
Zoë Stern is an author and child life specialist at a children’s hospital. This is her fourth book. Evan Stern is an author and student studying sustainability at SUNY-Southampton. Ellen Sue Stern is the author of twenty books. She is a workshop and seminar leader and president of Stern Literary Enterprises.
This book about divorce and how it affects kids is a testament to its title. It offers support to children in divorce. Readers may feel less alienated and learn to connect to their feelings and express them. Approximately half of the content is printed in a juvenile-style typeface on lined and plain typing paper to appeal to children. What’s especially valuable is that the first edition was written while the authors were children, while this edition shares their adult perspectives ten years on. Readers get a before-and-after view.
Although written for children, divorced parents will glean insight into what a child may experience. This book is an excellent guidance tool for counselors and others who work with children of divorce. Online resources are included.
Reviewed by
Angela Black
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
