Description

Although there are many childrens books about divorce, few move beyond bland therapeutic preaching into the realm of well-told stories. This one does. A hard look at joint-custody life, The Suitcase Kid follows Andrea West and her tiny stuffed rabbit, Radish, through the painful adjustment of being a kid with divorced parents. She must leave the home she loves with the mu Although there are many childrens books about divorce, few move beyond bland therapeutic preaching into the realm of well-told stories. This one does. A hard look at joint-custody life, The Suitcase Kid follows Andrea West and her tiny stuffed rabbit, Radish, through the painful adjustment of being a kid with divorced parents. She must leave the home she loves with the mulberry tree in the front yard, and deal with parents who still fight, step parents, step siblings, two different bedrooms (neither of which is really hers), loneliness, and an acute longing for the past. Her grades sink. Her friends drift away. And shes not quite sure how to fix any of it. Wisely, Jacqueline Wilson doesnt offer instant solutions; rather, she chronicles Andreas journey to the beginning of equilibrium in her new life. Things will never be the way they were, but, as the book suggests, theyll get better over time. And because its well written and honest, The Suitcase Kid will appeal to any child who enjoys realistic fiction, not just those who need to read a book about divorce. (The publisher recommends the The Suitcase Kid for ages 8-12, but it could well appeal to children who are a couple of years younger or older.)

Although there are many childrens books about divorce, few move beyond bland therapeutic preaching into the realm of well-told stories. This one does. A hard look at joint-custody life, The Suitcase Kid follows Andrea West and her tiny stuffed rabbit, Radish, through the painful adjustment of being a kid with divorced parents. She must leave the home she loves with the mu Although there are many childrens books about divorce, few move beyond bland therapeutic preaching into the realm of well-told stories. This one does. A hard look at joint-custody life, The Suitcase Kid follows Andrea West and her tiny...  Read More