Table of Contents

IN

About the Author

Producer, magician, writer, puppeteer, minister, husband, father, Fred Rogers started out in children's television thirty years ago. The direction he trailblazed was the "creation of television programming that spoke, with respect, to the concerns of early childhood, not as adults see it but as children feel it."He has received virtually every major award in the television industry for work in his field, and dozens of others from special-interest groups.Fred Rogers lives in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 3‘Divorce is difficult enough for adults, but for children, it can be devastating. Here, Rogers presents much-needed information to read, discuss, and implement. He defines a family as anyone who gives a child food, care, love, and a place to feel safe. He explains that these main ingredients should remain constant even in the event of a divorce. Children are advised to ask about changes in living arrangements and other aspects of their lives. The text emphasizes that divorce is an adult problem for which children have no responsibility and that it is highly improbable that estranged parents will get back together. The author prescribes activities like talking, drawing, and playing with friends to deal with normal feelings of sadness, anger, and crying. Youngsters are encouraged to have fun even though they may feel guilty at the thought. Judkis's sensitive full-color photographs of three families work well with the text. This book fills a gaping hole on library shelves.‘Marsha McGrath, Clearwater Public Library, FL

Mister Rogers's talent for calmly explaining scary emotional upheaval to young children shines in this latest volume, following Let's Talk About It: Adoption. The painful realignment of the family unit that takes place when parents divorce inevitably fills children with worry, anger, doubt and a host of other feelings. Rogers offers caring support and validation for readers working through such trauma, and he supplies concrete examples of ways kids can deal with the stress. Statements such as "Their divorce is not your fault" and "There's nothing you can do to make your mom and dad get married to each other again" typify the book's straightforward yet concerned tone. Rogers wisely encourages adults to use his text as a jumping off point and tailor it to their own family's particular circumstances. Judkis's serviceable photos capture a variety of interactions‘happy and sad‘between the parents and children of three real families. Books that offer such honest reassurance are rare. Ages 3-6. (May)