What Books Should I Read with My Child to Help Explain Divorce?

Finding the Right Words Through Story

There are moments in parenting when words seem to fail us. Explaining why Mom and Dad no longer live together is one of those moments. You want your child to understand, to feel loved, to feel safe — but how do you explain such a big, emotional topic without overwhelming their young heart and mind?

Books, thankfully, can help. Stories have a way of entering a child's world gently. They mirror feelings your child might not yet know how to express, while reminding them they’re not alone. Whether you read together at bedtime or during a quiet moment on the couch, books can open a much-needed conversation — one that doesn’t have to happen all at once, and certainly not in a rush.

Choosing Books That Reflect Their Experience

When children aged 6 to 12 experience their parents’ separation, their understanding is full of questions: "Was it my fault?" "What happens now?" "Where do I belong?" The right book doesn’t try to sugarcoat the situation — but it also doesn’t dramatize it. Instead, it shows relatable characters navigating the rocky path of change with courage and honesty.

Look for stories that balance comfort with explanation. For example:

• "Two Homes" by Claire Masurel: For younger readers, this gentle book affirms the idea that two homes can both be filled with love and safety.
• "Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids" by Isolina Ricci: More suitable for kids entering their tween years, this thoughtful book helps children understand the logistics of shared custody and mixed emotions.
• "Dinosaurs Divorce" by Marc Brown and Laurene Krasny Brown: Using humor and factual information, this book offers clear explanations of everything from new living arrangements to feelings like anger and guilt.
• "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary: A beautiful fiction piece, told through a boy’s letters to his favorite author. It slowly reveals how he's coping with his parents' separation and adjusting to new life circumstances.

You don’t need to turn reading into a lesson. Let your child guide the conversation. Sometimes they’ll want to talk about the characters. Other times, they might sit quietly, soaking in the comfort of being together while you read. Both are good.

Using Stories to Open Conversations

A mother once told me she tried to explain her divorce to her 8-year-old daughter using charts, calendars, and more logic than emotion. Her daughter nodded but didn’t respond. The next day, they read a book together about a little girl with two homes. After a long silence, her daughter looked up and said, "That's kind of like me." It was a small moment — but also a breakthrough.

As parents, we often feel pressured to provide clear answers when the truth is, we don’t always have them. Stories give you the shared language needed to face uncertainty together. If your child is less verbal, even audio stories or storytelling-based tools can help. Some parents have turned to digital tools like the Skuli App to transform their child’s own written reflections into audio adventures — with the child as the hero — gently helping them process real-life emotions in a format they feel comfortable engaging with.

Every Child Processes Divorce Differently

Some children ask a hundred questions. Others retreat into silence. There is no correct response, only what’s natural for your child. The important thing is to be available, trustworthy, and consistent. If they associate reading with a safe and calm environment, books can become an ongoing resource they turn to whenever feelings become overwhelming.

If your child moves between homes, keeping a favorite book at both locations can give them a sense of stability. This is especially true for kids who struggle with routine disruptions during custody transitions — a challenge many of us explore in this article on learning between two households.

Supporting Your Child Beyond the Story

Reading is just one piece of the puzzle when helping your child adapt to a family change as big as divorce. But it can be a very powerful one. Over time, you can combine story time with other helpful strategies, such as:

• Creating consistent daily routines when possible (explored more in this guide on routines between two homes).
• Establishing harmonious parenting approaches across both households (this article explains how).
• Helping your child remain emotionally focused in school, even when family life feels uncertain — which we talk about here: keeping school a safe haven during a split.

Let Books Be a Bridge

As exhausting as it is to parent through a separation, your commitment to your child’s emotional world — even in the hardest moments — speaks volumes. You don’t have to have perfect explanations. You just need to show up, over and over again. Sharing a book is sometimes the most genuine way to do that.

And if there are difficult evenings when your child refuses to talk, but will still listen to a beloved story — whether read by you or heard through their headphones — that’s a door you’ve kept open. That’s the kind of presence that, long after the last page is turned, will stay with them where it matters most.