ON THE DAY HIS DADDY LEFT

Another in the Concept Book Series, this title deals with the guilt that many children feel when their parents divorce. Danny’s father is leaving their home. An unhappy Danny writes a question on a piece of paper and pulls it out to question different people in his life. He asks his teacher, a young friend whose parents are divorced, and, finally, his own parents. His question: “Is it my fault?” The adults all respond with a vigorous “no,” but the young friend is not quite so sure. In a straightforward manner, the authors deal with a very common feeling that children of divorced and divorcing parents have. They give advice in the text that the child can understand and address the parents at the end of the book. The advice expands on the feelings children may have about divorce and offers some suggestions for how parents can best deal with these feelings. Johnson’s illustrations are appropriate to the text. They show a believable second- or third-grade troubled boy and the sympathetic adults who try to reassure him. A useful title for adults who counsel children, for teachers, and for parents who want a way to discuss divorce with their children. (Fiction. 5-9)