The Divorced Kids Club: And Other Stories [Hardcover]

W. D. Valgardson (Author), W.D. Valgardson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 1999 | Age Level: 10 and up

Sam's parents ban him from using the Internet, forcing him to get out of the house and "surf" reality. Tracy's parents are old hippies, yet all she wants is to make enough money to have a nice apartment, leather furniture, and a little red car. Annie is stranded in her parents' remote cabin and must decide for herself whether to accept rescue from a handsome stranger on horseback. And Jeremy finds himself cleaning chickens in a country village. The kids in these stories draw on their considerable inner resources to survive and adapt in a confusing world. To each of these tales, W. D. Valgardson brings the wit, humor, and originality that characterize his fiction. The characters' triumphs are sometimes small (being there for a friend) and at other times big (discovering that it is better to be alive than dead, even if your parents aren't perfect), but instantly recognizable and engaging to today's young teens.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A different adolescent drives each of the seven tales in Valgardson's (Sarah and the People of Sand River) uneven but ultimately rewarding collection. Each protagonist is isolated and struggling through a rough patch: parental separation, moving or just plain being unlike everyone else. The book sputters at the start. In the opener, "The Entertainer and the Entrepreneur," aspiring capitalist Tracy spews cliches from financial magazines, horrifying her hippie parents; Shawn, an earthy musician, helps her accept their differences. Not only are the characters stereotypical, but the moral is heavy-handed (in the conclusion, Shawn proclaims, "You'll be a CEO one day," and Tracy, finally understanding the ultra-obvious message, replies, "I'll come watch you perform"). Later in the volume, the story "Mrs. Galoshers" tackles the same theme--but with more success. Here a boy adapts to life in the country while his city-mouse mother and country-mouse neighbor overcome their mutual disdain to appreciate each other's strengths. The women's evolutions are both subtle and gradual, outlined with humor and heart. The majority of stories are in this latter vein, and their memorable characters and delicate plotting are what readers will take away from the work. Ages 10-up. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10-In the title story, the narrator, Kathleen, is a member of an informal group of students all of whom have divorced or separated parents. On a weekend trip with her mother and the man her mother is seeing, disaster strikes. In a search for help, Kathleen is brought into contact with an older couple who has been married for 50 years and learns their secret for staying together. In another, a boy banned from using the computer for a month by parents who want him to experience some "reality" goes to a reenactment of a medieval jousting tournament. Strong, central characters that grow and are easy to identify with characterize these short stories. This solid collection will be enjoyed by young teens.
Erin Pierce, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Groundwood Books (September 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888993692
• ISBN-13: 978-0888993694
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,449,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for Kids Who Feel a Little Different, April 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Divorced Kids Club: And Other Stories (Hardcover)

The Divorced Kids Club features stories about kids who feel like they don't belong. The stories are similar to real life situations kids may encounter. As a future middle school English teacher, I would recommend this book for the bookcase or library. The stories do not sugar coat life as a teenager; but they do show that being different doesn't have to be negative. The stories show kids using their own resources both external and internal to survive what life throws at them. I think this book sends positive messages to kids about the jobs of growing up and being true to yourself.