Two Places to Call Home: A picture book about divorce

Really good book for young kids whose parents have separated

My son was struggling with adapting to visit his dad, so bought this book to help him. For the most part I enjoy the book. I appreciate adults get scared and upset, especially at the initial part of a separation, but I wonder if that aspect of the story in the book was too much for my son (he is 3 for context, so probably more suitable for older children). He is quite sensitive and started to worry about how I was feeling. But for the most part a nice story with beautiful illustrations.

Just what I needed

This book is good for children with separated parentshelps them to see what will happen after the separation.give them re-assurance that all parents will love him as usual.

The story is about a young girl called florie who's parents have divorced, meaning she now lives in 2 houses. She doesn't feel brave enough to do this, but both parents find a way to show her she's braver than she thinks. A cute story, but I do think it has its issues.Firstly, divorce isn't mentioned at all in the book, it just says that the girl has to live in 2 houses. It would have been a good idea to lead upto her living in 2 houses, for example maybe saying mummy and daddy were always arguing and now they live apart, and that's how florie came to live in 2 houses and include the parents saying they still love her even though they are apart from each other and that it's not her fault.Secondly it is never explained why her brothers only live at mums house, do they have different dads? And why not much interaction between them?Like I said, a cute idea, but they could have done so much more with the story.

Florrie has two homes: one with her mum and one with her dad. But Florrie doesn’t like it - she doesn’t feel brave enough to live in two different houses and each time she has to go to the other parent, she feels worried. Fortunately her parents know just how she can find her courage to move between them …Phil Earle’s sensitive and thoughtful picture book aims to help young readers deal with the emotional wrench of moving between parents when they separate. Jess Rose’s illustrations are an absolute delight - I loved the way Florrie’s appearance has elements of her mum and dad and she gets across how much Florrie’s parents love her. I think this is a great way of introducing a difficult topic for young readers and as such is worth a look.The structure of the book is deceptively simple - Florrie feels anxious when she has to move between her mum and dad. What makes it stand out is how each of her parents (who are shown as loving her very much) try to help give her the emotional resilience and courage to address it. The adventures that each of her parents take her on and evocative and fun and I enjoyed how at the same time you see the “normal” activities that each parent does with her, e.g. cycling and baking.Jess Rose’s illustrations are a superb complement to the text. She draws out the fantastical element of the adventures but also shows through the illustrations how much each parent clearly loves Florrie and is trying to do their best for her to help her feel better. I also enjoyed how you can see the resemblance between Florrie and each of her parents and there’s a neat little detail about Florrie in that her leggings are in different colours, which reinforces how she is split between two places.If I had a quibble (and it is a very minor point), then it was that I read the book wondering why Florrie moved between her parents but her two brothers seemed to only live with her mum. I get that this may be a blended family point and is very common and I suspect that younger readers may not pick up on it, but it was something that kept me wondering throughout the book.That quibble aside, I think this is a great way of dealing with a difficult subject with your younger reader. Earle is always a very thoughtful writer who knows how to get straight into the emotions and this picture book is no different. His work here with Rose is right on the money and I think it’s well worth a look if you need to introduce the topic to your little one.

A lovely picture book that acknowledges the emotions and difficulties that a child can go through moving between different homes and parents. Mum and Dad help Florrie with some coping mechanisms until she feels settled and happy with her two homes.

Two Places to Call Home is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that helps young readers embrace change and discuss their feelings around divorce or separation. The story follows Florrie, a young girl who now has to live in two different houses - one with her mom and one with her dad. The book does an excellent job of highlighting the challenges that come with shuffling between two homes while also reminding readers that change can be good.Author Phil Earle has created a relatable and endearing character in Florrie. Young readers will see themselves in her shoes, and the book's uplifting message will leave them feeling reassured and comforted. The illustrations by Rebecca Cobb are also top-notch and bring Florrie's story to life beautifully.While some readers may have expected more of a focus on divorce specifically, I think the book's gentle approach is appropriate for its target audience. Two Places to Call Home is perfect for kids aged 3+, and it is an excellent resource for parents and caregivers looking to start conversations around separation and change with their children.Overall, I highly recommend Two Places to Call Home for its beautiful storytelling, relatable characters, and important message. At £6.99, it is an excellent value and would be a great aid to help any young children trying to deal with separation of their parents.