Customer Reviews

I Don't Want to Talk about It

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The text covers the issue of divorce excellently. The "Note to Parents" at the end of the book is a wonderful tool for parents considering divorce or at at any stage of the process. This book is a "must have" for helping children sort through divorce issues AND it is SO MUCH MORE! Less abstract than 'My Many Colored Days' by Dr. Suess, this book is very effective! Through the use of animal imagery 'I Don't Want to Talk About It' covers the range of emotion a child might feel during ANY transitional time. As Director of Children's Ministry, I have used it to open discussion with assorted ages of children dealing with various issues. The kids compare their feelings or situation with the girl in the book. In my book 'I Don't Want to Talk About It' transcends the ages, the issues, and is a lot to talk about.

Some books get to the heart of things. "I Don't Want to Talk about It" is one of them. I could say that it's a skillful psychological examination of the feelings a girl experiences when her parents announce that they plan to divorce. That would be true. But this girl expresses real emotions in ways a kid can completely understand with gobbling crocodiles and prickly porcupines. The animal metaphors make room for energetic pictures by Kathryn Kunz Finney. The lively text and illustrations raise this book head and shoulders above the standard divorce books.

Children have a hard enough time dealing with their parents' divorce without getting patronizing advice from grownups who think they know better. This book speaks to children on their level, and gives them a chance to realize that although their lives will change, their parents' love for them will not. Children need to know that the things they count on the most will always be there, and this book helps reassure them that they will be OK despite what's going on with mom and dad.

Though I was initially put off by the stark whiteness of the characters, I highly recommend this book to anyone going through divorce with young children. This book reads like poetry, is beautifully illustrated, and gets to the point quickly. All this allowed my active 4 year old son to be taken in on the first read, ask for it a second time, and actually start TALKING about his feelings!

After reading the positive reviews of this book, I went ahead and bought it without reading it. Big mistake. It is a very strange and confusing book. It assumes that small children understand the depth and meaning of the word "divorce" yet can not understand or articulate any of their own feelings. It also depicts the "fairy tale" divorce, where the parents are mature enough to sit down to confront their child and actually "talk about it" together--as well as agree to divide time with the child equally afterwards. I read this before I read it to my son, and I was going to give it away, but he begged and begged to read it when he caught a glimpse of it. So I read it to him anyway and he really hated it. He thought the animals were scary, and he thought the girl was mean and a real whiner. Overall, he seemed to feel that the book was just confusing and negative. My son and I MUCH preferred Goodbye Daddy, which is much more positive and gentle, acknowledging hurt, but emphasizing keeping a positive attitude. I suppose if you have a feisty daughter who doesn't understand her feelings and you're having the perfect divorce, then I Don't Want to Talk About It may be for you. But it sure wasn't for us.

This is a wonderful book that helps parents and children talk about divorce, by using imagination to express children's feelings. Well written and illustarted.

Love, love, love this book!!!!!! I am a Christian Counselor and this book is great for children experiencing divorce. It gives them the okay to have all the feelings they are facing and understand they will change at the blink of an eye. I once had a girl in counseling pick the fish and said she wanted to be the fish so she could hide all her tears and no one else would have to see them. I read the book to her daddy and he immediately picked the fish out for her and it was great to see that he recognized his daughter's feeling and it helped them bond in this time of sadness.

This book is a great way to help children deal with the losses associated with divorce. Through the use of animal characters, children are able to explore the feelings and experiences encountered in a divorce. The characters give children an avenue to begin discussing what they are experiencing and an opportunity to talk about what is happening to them. This book is a kind, gentle way for a parent to help and support their child through a difficult situation.

This was a good story, but it uses the word "divorce". I was looking for a story about separation, but this one explains a final, divorce situation. If that is what you are looking for, then this is a good book. I am going to donate it to my child's school. It isn't right for us.

I thought this book was terribly negative and would actually make children feel worse. I do not rec it for young children. I bought it to read with my 6 yr old and will not let her see it.