Kids' Space - A Resource Guide for Books Helping Children Cope with Issues Concerning Divorce, Child Custody, Grief & Loss

 Kids' Space
presented by Best Care Monitor

Best Care Monitor understands that supervised visitation can be a very challenging situation for your child and family.

KIDS’ SPACE provides a list selected books helping children cope with issues concerning divorce, child custody, insecurities and loss. 

Most of the books appearing on this list can be ordered, shipped and/or picked up directly from Children’s Book World during normal business hours. Children’s Book World is located at 10580 ½ W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064. You can reach them by telephone at (310) 559-2665. Please note that Best Care Monitor does not receive any commission from the purchase of any book you obtain from Children’s Book World.

We hope you will find this list of children’s books helpful to you and your family.

 

Dear Mr. Henshaw: A Newbery Award Winner By Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator)
$9.99
ISBN: 9780380709588
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: HarperCollins - May 31st, 2000

Newbery Medal Winner * Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children * ALA Notable Children’s Book

Beverly Cleary’s timeless Newbery Medal-winning book explores difficult topics like divorce, insecurity, and bullying through the thoughts and emotions of a sixth-grade boy as he writes to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw. 


Strider By Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator)
$7.99
ISBN: 9780380712366
Availability: Not in stock but may be ordered. Subject to Publisher Availability.
Published: HarperCollins - August 8th, 2000

This sequel to Beverly Cleary's beloved Newbery Medal-winning classic, Dear Mr. Henshaw, stars Strider, a dog who loves to run.

Can a stray dog change the life of a teenage boy? It looks as if Strider can.


Two Homes By Claire Masurel, Kady MacDonald Denton (Illustrator) Cover Image
$7.99
ISBN: 9780763619848
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Candlewick - July 14th, 2003

"Parents looking for a book about separation or divorce will find few offerings as positive, matter-of-fact, or child-centered as this one. . . . Simple, yet profoundly satisfying." — Booklist (starred review)


Living with Mom and Living with Dad By Melanie Walsh, Melanie Walsh (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Melanie Walsh, Melanie Walsh (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780763658694
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Candlewick - June 12th, 2012

For young children who live in two homes, this bright, simple story with oversized flaps reassures young readers that there is love in each one.


When Mom and Dad Separate: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief from Divorce (Drawing Out Feelings) By Marge Eaton Heegaard, Marge Heegard Cover Image
$9.95
ISBN: 9780962050220
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Woodland Press (MN) - July 23rd, 1996

Divorce creates stressful feelings of grief from loss and change, and children who are unable to understand or verbally express their feelings often act them out in unhealthy ways. This book discusses basic concepts of marriage and divorce and offers young minds a creative way to sort out and express all the powerful feelings resulting from their parents' decision to separate.


Mom's House, Dad's House By Isolina Ricci, Ph.D. Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780684830780
Availability: Not in stock but may be ordered. Subject to Publisher Availability.
Published: Touchstone - November 18th, 1997

Internationally renowned therapist, family expert and mediator Isolina Ricci, Ph.D.


When Something Terrible Happens: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feelings) By Marge Heegaard Cover Image
$9.95
ISBN: 9780962050237
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Woodland Press (MN) - July 23rd, 1996

Creates ways for children to explore the fright, confusion, and insecurity caused by traumatic events in their lives. The 'Drawing Out Feelings' series has been designed to provide parents, educators and counselors with an organized approach to helping children cope with grief, family loss and change. A workbook to help children work out feelings about a traumatic event.


Who's In My Family?: All About Our Families (Let's Talk about You and Me) By Robie H. Harris, Nadine Bernard Westcott (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780763636319
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Candlewick - September 11th, 2012

Trusted New York Times best-selling author Robie H. Harris continues her series for preschoolers with a look at the many kinds of families that make up our world.


The Great Big Book of Families By Mary Hoffman, Ros Asquith (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Mary Hoffman, Ros Asquith (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780803735163
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Dial Books - April 14th, 2011

This fun and fascinating treasury features all kinds of families and their lives together. Each spread showcases one aspect of home life-from houses and holidays, to schools and pets, to feelings and family trees. Ros Asquith's humorous illustrations perfectly complement a charming text from the acclaimed Mary Hoffman; kids will love poring over these pages again and again.


In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts) By Jo Witek, Christine Roussey (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jo Witek, Christine Roussey (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781419713101
Availability: Not in stock but may be ordered. Subject to Publisher Availability.
Published: Abrams Appleseed - October 14th, 2014

New York Times Bestseller!
“A must-have for any storytime.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Childlike drawings evoke each feeling with a playful style.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Evocative imagery, popping with bright colors.” —School Library Journal
 
Happiness, sadness, braver


The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions By Anna Llenas Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316450010
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 4th, 2018

Unpack feelings with color in this international bestseller that helps young readers identify emotions and feel more in control.
 One day, Color Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad, and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows him what each feeling means through color.


When Sadness is at Your Door By Eva Eland Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780525707189
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers - January 29th, 2019

A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest.

Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who we are--an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation.


Families Change: A Book for Children Experiencing Termination of Parental Rights By Julie Nelson Cover Image
$11.99
ISBN: 9781575422091
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Free Spirit Publishing - November 15th, 2006

All families change over time. Sometimes a baby is born, or a grown-up gets married. And sometimes a child gets a new foster parent or a new adopted mom or dad. Children need to know that when this happens, it’s not their fault. They need to understand that they can remember and value their birth family and love their new family, too.


Somebody Cares: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Neglect By Susan Farber Straus Cover Image
$9.95
ISBN: 9781433821103
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Magination Press - March 14th, 2016

Charlie Anderson By Barbara Abercrombie, Mark Graham (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Barbara Abercrombie, Mark Graham (Illustrator)
$7.99
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9780689801143
Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - March 1st, 1995

Charlie, a fuzzy gray cat, walked out of the woods one evening and into Elizabeth's and Sarah's hearts. Now he sleeps on their beds, lets them dress him up in doll clothes, and laps up warm milk on chilly nights. But where does Charlie go during the day?
It's not until a storm keeps Charlie away one night that the two sisters discover his other, daytime, home.


Dinosaurs Divorce (Dino Tales: Life Guides for Families) By Marc Brown, Laurie Krasny Brown Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780316109963
Availability: On Our Shelves Now or Recently
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 1st, 1988

For over 25 years, changing families have been using Dinosaurs Divorce to learn to talk to each other about one of life's most difficult moments, from the creators of the beloved, bestselling Dino Life Guides--over 1.5 million copies of the series sold.


Divorce Is Not the End of the World: Zoe's and Evan's Coping Guide for Kids By Zoe Stern, Evan Stern Cover Image
$9.99
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9781582462417
Published: Tricycle Press - March 1st, 2008

"An upbeat look at the ways in which, with the right support, kids of divorce can grow stronger and more able to navigate life's storms. I recommend this kid-friendly, parent-helpful resource." --M. Gary Neumann, LHMC, Helping Your Kids Cope With Divorce the Sandcastles Way


The Co-Parenting Handbook: Raising Well-Adjusted and Resilient Kids from Little Ones to Young Adults through Divorce or Separation By Karen Bonnell, Kristin Little (Contributions by) Cover Image
By Karen Bonnell, Kristin Little (Contributions by)
$19.95
ISBN: 9781632171467
Availability: Not in stock but may be ordered. Subject to Publisher Availability.
Published: Sasquatch Books - August 22nd, 2017

A valuable parenting guide for divorced or separated couples with kids, this handbook offers tools for navigating conflicts, setting boundaries, and establishing guidelines so both children and co-parents can thrive.