Monday, November 28, 2011

Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Any More by Kathy Stinson

Illustrated by Nancy Lou Reynolds.29 p., Annick Press, 1984.

Feelings about divorce can be complicated. In this story, a girl lives with her brother and Mommy in the city, and spends weekends with Daddy in the country. Although she knows it won't happen, she can't help wishing that her parents would get back together again. She likes her life with each parent, and values what's special about her relationship with each one, although there's a sense of disruption in going back and forth, expressed in her wondering whether Santa Claus will know where to find her on Christmas. She struggles to understand why Mommy and Daddy can't make each other happy. But she finds comfort in knowing that she loves both parents and they both love her, "just not together." This sensitive portrayal of a child's complex feelings about divorce, and her work toward resolving what feel like inconsistencies, will resonate with children in similar situations.

Ages 4-8