cover image Let's Talk about It: Divorce

Let's Talk about It: Divorce

Fred Rogers. Putnam Publishing Group, $15.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-399-22449-2

Mister Rogers's talent for calmly explaining scary emotional upheaval to young children shines in this latest volume, following Let's Talk About It: Adoption. The painful realignment of the family unit that takes place when parents divorce inevitably fills children with worry, anger, doubt and a host of other feelings. Rogers offers caring support and validation for readers working through such trauma, and he supplies concrete examples of ways kids can deal with the stress. Statements such as ""Their divorce is not your fault"" and ""There's nothing you can do to make your mom and dad get married to each other again"" typify the book's straightforward yet concerned tone. Rogers wisely encourages adults to use his text as a jumping off point and tailor it to their own family's particular circumstances. Judkis's serviceable photos capture a variety of interactions--happy and sad--between the parents and children of three real families. Books that offer such honest reassurance are rare. Ages 3-6. (May)