Help! A Girl's Guide to Divorce and Stepfamilies [Paperback]

Nancy Holyoke (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: American Girl Library

The breakup of her parents can turn a girl's world upside down. This third title in the Help! Series answers girls' letters on every aspect of divorce - from the initial split-up to a parent's remarriage - and encourages conversation with parents when it's needed most. The book includes tips and quizzes, plus advice from girls who have wisdom to share.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Grade 4-8-This excellent self-help book draws on letters that have been sent to American Girl magazine over the years. The readable, general text includes advice from girls who have experienced parents' divorce, their dating and remarrying, and living with stepfamilies. In addition to offering words of encouragement to youngsters in these same situations, some of the letters pose questions or ask for help. This inquiry-and-response format and the inclusion of multiple-choice quizzes and peer input result in a reader-friendly nonfiction title. Yet there is plenty of solid information here. The upbeat and lively presentation stresses that divorce is never the child's fault and emphasizes that it is usually the best solution to the parents' problems. Plentiful full-color and black-and-white cartoons further enhance the book's appeal. Jane Hurwitz's Coping in a Blended Family (Rosen, 1997) includes a resource list of books, Web sites, newsletters, hot lines, and even a board game. Zoe, Evan, and Ellen Sue Stern's Divorce Is Not the End of the World (Tricycle, 1997), written by teenage siblings, takes a more in-depth approach. Nonetheless, Help! offers just that-help-and should be added to most collections.
Barb Lawler, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

A down-to-earth, practical advice manual gleaned from readers' letters to American Girl, asking for advice about divorce. With ``one out of every two marriages in America ends in divorce,'' readers are told that, if it happens in their families, the most important thing they can do is to ``talk.'' Beginning with the split-up and explaining how divorce works, this guide discusses the problems: wishful thinking (that parents will reunite), the one girl/two homes tug-of-war, stepparents, and stepfamilies. Holyoke's tone is one of love and understandingshe validates the hurt and confusion while giving wise advice on how to deal with the pain and how then to move on. Interspersed with the text are quizzes (which, unfortunately for institutions, ask readers to ``circle'' and ``check'' their answers); the answers offer insight into all sorts of situations. A savvy, simple book that will become a must for some girls of divorcing parents. (further reading) (Nonfiction. 9-12) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: American Girl (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562477498
• ISBN-13: 978-1562477493
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #791,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Role Play, June 20, 2000

By 

Molly Streat - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help! A Girl's Guide to Divorce and Stepfamilies (Paperback)

Being a stepmother of two beautiful children that came from a not so beautiful divorce, I was determined to help them understand the divorce and my role in their family. This was a wonderful book that allowed me to sit down with my stepdaughter and read the book together. The book is broken down into sections ranging all the way from feelings of divorce, mom and dad dating again, to acquring a stepmother or stepfather. Each chapter opened up with a fictional "letter to the editor" type letter written by a children asking for advice. My stepdaughter enjoyed reading the letters out loud and I would respond with reading the chapters out loud. I would end each chapter by asking her how she related and what her thoughts and feelings were. This book allows a great opportunity for stepparents to interact with their stepchildren and provides some clarification to the child as to what divorce is all about.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE FOR ALL GIRLS THAT ARE IN A DIVORCE SITUATION!!!, December 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Help! A Girl's Guide to Divorce and Stepfamilies (Paperback)

A wonderful book! It explains what and why girl's are feeling and thinking the way they do in a manner that is FAIR to all parties. It doesn't show bias to any individual (Mother/Father/Step Parent/Child). This book can help show a child that they are not alone and that it is normal to think and feel the way they do. It also explains when/how a parent is putting the child in the middle and how that shouldn't happen. And how a child plays both parents and shouldn't. The book stresses that the child should talk about their feelings with their parents. This book is a must have for any girl that has experienced divorce, whether it is happening now or happened 10 years ago.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HELP! Has helped much more than I ever thought., March 10, 2003

By 

Mel (Burlington, VT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help! A Girl's Guide to Divorce and Stepfamilies (Paperback)

After Separating, I realized things were becoming increasingly difficult for my daughter. I knew I needed help. So when I saw the title 'HELP!' I bought this book immediately. I have never been so impressed with a book. It asks the questions that kids have, but often are afraid (or unable) to ask and gives parents a way to answer - without too much information. HELP! assisted my daughter in breaking the silence with her therapist and to sort out some issues she had with her mother and me. It acts as a guidebook - informing children of some ways to speak up if they feel that their feelings are being squashed or if basic child/parent rules are being broken. HELP! even describes what some of those basic rules are. I'm actually purchasing one for my Ex-wife that she can read with our daughter. One of the best things that has come from this book is that my daughter now keeps a notebook and writes down questions for me in it, I respond to her and we bring those in to her therapists office. This approach lets us all know what important issues are on her mind, and how best to HELP! her through these difficult times. The best review though - I can't go more than a few days without being asked to read from the book.