Nobody like discussing divorce with their children, but it is a reality. These children’s books about separation and divorce serve as good discussion starters for all youngsters, not just those with parents who have separated.

Children who read books about divorce may find it easier to express their emotions, whether fear, worry, or the desire for a brighter future. This list of novels includes middle school, beginning chapters, and picture books on divorce.

In some stories, divorce is the main theme, while in others, it is only a background factor that affects the characters’ behavior.

STANDING ON MY OWN TWO FEET

by Tamara Schmitz

This is a fantastic book for young children about divorce. It depicts Addison, a little child with divorced parents, going about his daily routine and feeling secure in both his parents’ houses. The text’s repetition helps Addison understand that the divorce was not his fault and that his parents still care for and love him.

FRED STAYS WITH ME

by Nancy Coffelt

A girl talks about her daily commute between the houses of her two parents. Everywhere she travels, her dog, Fred, gives her the feeling of security and company she needs amid the changes. The daughter maintains her position and demands that Fred remain with her despite some annoyance from both parents toward Fred. I liked this book since it didn’t make a big deal out of the girl’s living circumstances and because the ending wasn’t excessively emotional.

EMILY’S BLUE PERIOD

by Catherine Daly

Another excellent novel that portrays a divorced family is this one. Picasso is particularly beloved by Emily. She declares her creative “blue time” and expresses her sadness about her familial condition. She can express the spectrum of feelings she experiences as a result of her parent’s divorce via her work, which enables the tale to be told without a detailed explanation.

A FAMILY IS A FAMILY IS A FAMILY

by Sara O’Leary

The instructor asks pupils in a diverse classroom to describe their families. They are all distinctive. Some people have a mother and father, whereas others live with a grandparent, have divorced parents, or have step-siblings. LGBTQ families, parents with disabilities, foster families, and more exist. As a young kid listening to all of the descriptions, the narrator concludes that all families are unique because they are made up of individuals who love one another.

CHAPTER BOOKS WITH DIVORCED FAMILIES AGES 6-10

AMBER BROWN IS GREEN WITH ENVY

by Paula Danziger

Amber has parents who are divorced in this well-liked series. Amber, though, is starting to feel jealous of all the youngsters who seem to be in perfect health. After all, Amber’s mother is remarrying, and her father has too many dates. Like the others by Amber Brown, this novel addresses teenage issues with heart and comedy.

WEEKENDS WITH MAX AND HIS DAD; ROAD TRIP WITH MAX AND HIS MOM

by Linda Urban

This sweet novel is about a youngster who cherishes his time with his father. Although not overbearing, it is obvious that Max’s parents are divorced, and readers follow Max as he realizes that his father’s house is also his home. The second book, Road Trip with Max and His Mom, has Max embarking on adventures with his mother after discovering that his father would be well without him.

A BOY CALLED BAT

by Elana K. Arnold

Bixby Alexander Tam, a third-grader known by the moniker Bat, has traits that put him on the autistic spectrum. Bat avoids eye contact and flaps his hands, yet the author never refers to him as “autistic.” She enables us to recognize the individuality of Bat and his buddies. Veterinarian Bat’s divorced mother once brings home a young skunk, and bat wants to look after it and has to show his mother that he can do so. This is a great novel, full of fantastic characters and many useful facts about skunks.

THE ACCIDENTAL ADVENTURES OF INDIA MCALLISTER

by Charlotte Agell

India, a fourth-grader, and her artist mother reside in Maine. India’s parents are divorced, and she is unsure how she feels about Richard, her dad’s new partner. India was adopted from China, and this book attempts to pack a lot into a little chapter book format. Still, many youngsters are already dealing with a variety of identity concerns.

MIDDLE-GRADE NOVELS ABOUT DIVORCE (AGES 8 -13)

I, COSMO

by Carlie Sorosiak

This book was fantastic. It stands out because the elderly family golden retriever serves as the narration. Cosmo sees himself as Max’s older brother, and he has made it his life’s mission to protect Max. The family, though, is in disarray. Max and his sister are worried because their parents are arguing. By teaching Cosmo a dance routine, Max gets the notion to join a competition in the hopes that it would persuade his parents to stop bickering and acknowledge him. This is a lovely, heartfelt tale.

THE GREAT TREEHOUSE WAR

by Lisa Graff

When Winnie’s parents separated, they agreed that Winnie would split her time equally between them, spending three days with each parent and the day in between in a treehouse located halfway between the two homes. Winnie, however, has had enough of her parents’ absurd conduct and resolves to stay in the treehouse until they begin to behave like normal people. Her friends later join her, and everyone is seeking to win favor with their parents. Who will prevail in the conflict? A lighthearted, eccentric concept that deals with a weighty issue.

FLORA AND ULYSSES: THE ILLUMINATED ADVENTURES 

by Kate DiCamillo

Ulysses, the squirrel, gains superpowers after a collision with a vacuum machine! With split parents and a self-described cynic attitude, 10-year-old Flora gets friends with this new superhero and even lets her cynical heart open. The narrative is told in sections by comic strip-style drawings in this hilarious and heartfelt book.

DEAR MR. HENSHAW

by Beverly Cleary

Leigh Botts expresses his sentiments about his parents’ divorce, establishing friends at a new school, and the enigmatic lunch thief through letters and journal entries to his favorite author. The fact that Cleary authentically captures the complicated and urgent voice of an 11-year-old child is one of this book’s most endearing features. Epistolary books for kids are uncommon, but this one is readable.

DEAR SWEET PEA

by Julie Murphy

In an attempt to co-parent their daughter, Sweet Pea’s divorced parents still reside next door to one another. In Sweet Pea’s changing friendships, a neighbor begs her to watch after her mail. The neighbor writes a column for a magazine, and Sweet Pea can’t help but respond to a couple of the letters. She naturally finds herself in a bit of a predicament! Both amusing and touching.

THE LOST BOY’S GIFT

by Kimberly Willis Holt

Daniel and his mother move away to While-a-Way Lane after his parent’s divorce. Daniel is in a nasty temper when he arrives. He misses his father and is upset and enraged by his current situation. He slowly starts to pay attention to his surroundings and get to know his new neighbors, who start to wow him with their knowledge and magic.

ONE-THIRD NERD

by Gennifer Choldenko

Liam, a fifth-grader, and his two sisters are attempting to gather money so they can take their dog, Cupcake, to the vet. The landlord is threatening to evict them because Cupcake has been urinating all over the flat. Together with Dakota, his flamboyantly scientific sister, and his youngest sister Izzy, who has Down syndrome, he strives toward achieving this aim. The children’s divorced father still picks them up for trips, which I liked considering that the siblings live with their single mother. This is a terrific read-aloud for children who like family tales because of the sibling’s pranks and plots, which are entertaining and humorous.

BLENDED

by Sharon M. Draper

Isabella is attempting to define her identity and struggles with having two distinct selves. Isabella divides her time between the houses of her divorced parents—a rich black father and a working-class white mother—on alternating weeks. A sad incident at school prompts Isabella’s instant quest for identification since she is aware that her sense of self is far more nuanced than what the outside world sees.

HOW TÍA LOLA CAME TO STAY

by Julia Alvarez

Miguel, 10, his sister Juanita, and their mother had just relocated to Vermont from New York City. Lola, his aunt, travels from the Dominican Republic to see him. The lively and energetic nature of T’a Lola helps Miguel deal with his emotions over the divorce and his new position as the only Latino student in his class while also bringing laughter, excitement, and adventure into his everyday life.