I Don't Want to Talk About It

After reluctantly talking with her parents about their upcoming divorce, a young girl discovers that there will be some big changes but that their love for her will remain the same. Includes an afterword for parents on helping children through such a change.After reluctantly talking with her parents about their upcoming divorce, a young girl discovers that there will be some big changes but that their love for her will remain the same.

K-Gr 3-A competent piece of bibliotherapy aimed at helping children of divorce deal with their new, difficult, and conflicting emotions. Told by a young girl whose parents have just told her they are getting a divorce, the narrative then goes through the range of the child's possible emotions, as the adults suggest how she might be feeling. She, in turn, imagines herself to be an animal that would adequately express her emotions. When her father tells her that it's OK to be scared, her response is, "I wanted to be a lion with a roar so loud that everyone would think I was very brave." Assurances of her parents' continued love and that certain family rituals will remain the same make her feel better. Full-page illustrations capably portray the images in the text, especially the metaphors of the animals that the girl uses to express her feelings. The book concludes with a two-page note to parents suggesting ways to deal with their children's reactions. A worthy and appropriate addition to most parenting collections.-Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.