I often tell people, "This book needs to live at your house!" I have a sixth sense about who needs what book and I love to matchmake books and people. Sometimes, there are books that I know are important to get to kids, but I'm not always sure of the means to the ends. So if one of these books needs to live with one of your friends, please let them know!
The book I've recommended more times than any other is Laurene and Marc Brown's Dinosaurs Divorce. Every family who has a child four or older and is facing divorce should have a copy. And now it's paperback, so there's no reason not to get it into the hands of a friend who needs it. The authors discuss every issue of divorce with depth and sensitivity. To lighten the tension, they put their words in the skilful claws of humorous dinosaur characters, providing extra comfort for children and adults. Despite the playful appearance, Dinosaur's Divorce clearly defines limits, guidelines, and expectations of all family members at a time when life feels anything but clear.
Oliver Butterworth was inspired to write A Visit to the Big House after he took part in a program that finds visitors for prison inmates. The story centers on Rose and Willie who are preparing to visit their father in prison for the first time. They are full of concerns and questions. Their mother answers everything sincerely and finds comparisons to help them understand difficult concepts. She reminds Willie of the time he took bubble gum and returned it and then draws the parallel, "your daddy took something that didn't belong to him, and going to prison is a way to make up for what he did." The author doesn't give easy answers. Every step is awkward and difficult, but to present it any other way would destroy the honesty of this book.
Anyplace But Here: Young, Alone, and Homeless: What To Do is by Ellen Switzer. The author was motivated to write this book by incidents in her own past and two heartbreaking years of interviewing homeless kids. She wants to get information into the hands of kids who are considering leaving home. She wants them to know what homeless kids face and present them with other choices. Her book is full of practical advice and personal stories. You can't read this book without wanting to help Ellen Switzer find homes for it to live at!