Dear Parents,

Congratulations! Your child has the opportunity to bring home a World on Our Shoulders Backpack.
Included in the backpack you will find an In This Backpack page outlining all of the contents of the
backpack, including 5 books and 3 corresponding activities. The purpose of these backpacks is to give
access to new and exciting books and provide motivation for children to read. Reading with family not
only serves as motivation, it can strengthen language skills, literacy development, and parent-child
relationships. It is important to motivate students to love reading, because heavy reading is the best
predictor of school success; students who read the most do the best on standardized tests not only in
language arts, but also science, and social studies.
In Canada nearly 50% of families are divorced. This means that up to half of kids are directly
dealing with this situation, even if they are not it is very likely that they have friends that are or have
maybe even wondered about it. Addressing this topic through literature can help bring up some of the
thoughts and questions kids may have, but are too afraid to ask. All of the included books and activities
approach the topic of divorce in a variety of ways. The purpose of this backpack is not to intrude on your
situation, but to provide support. The additional activities can also be a fun way to help give children the
tools and coping skills to deal with these feelings themselves or help support their friends, in addition to
promoting reading.
When reading with your child, we encourage you to also read the pictures. Many of the pictures
included carry a lot of meaning, and can also help your child to understand the story. We also encourage
you to have fun with your reading! You may read aloud to your child, and have your child read to you.
Allow your child to choose which of the books they would like to read. Choice can also increase their
motivation and love for reading.
Please dont feel obligated to use all the contents of this backpack, however we do encourage it.
We hope you LOVE your backpack and have fun engaging with literature with your child!

In This Backpack
Divorce is the Worst, written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham, published in
2015 by The Feminist Press
Divorce is the Worst conveys the struggles, feelings, and changes that may occur when
your whole world is split in two with honesty and humor. Kids are often told Its for the best, but
to them it feels like the worst. This story gives a realistic view of how children experience
divorce, taking us all the way from the initial feelings and changes through to some of the good
changes that can happen too. We are left feeling that maybe it really is for the best.
 We chose to include this book because it realistically portrays a wide array of feelings and experiences that a
child may feel when involved in divorce. In addition, there are activities and strategies to help deal with these feelings
and changes.

Mom and Dad Glue, written by Kes Gray, illustrated by Lee Wildish. Published in 2009
by Barrons educational series.

A little boy is on the search for a pot of parent glue to help re-establish his mom and
dads marriage. Throughout the story he realizes that even though his parents marriage is
broken their love for him is still as strong as it was before the divorce. This story gives a
realistic view of how some kids may feel when their parents are going through a divorce.
Many times children feel like its their fault that their parents are separating and those
feelings are brought into the school.
We chose to include this book because it portrays some of the feelings and emotions that the children may
be going through. It also portrays the idea that mom and dad will love the child no matter what! The strength of their
love will not decrease because of the divorce.

The Color Monster, written and illustrated by Anna Llenas, published in 2015
by Sterling Childrens Books

The Color Monster illustrates common feelings including sadness, anger, fear, and
happiness through color and pop-up pictures that kids will love! This book helps to
separate and understand some of the emotions and encourage children to open up
about them.
This book is included to further help children understand some of the emotions that
may come with divorce. However, this book will be beneficial for all kids whether or
not divorce is something that they are dealing with.

Fred Stays With Me, written by Nancy Coffelt and illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Published in 2007 by Little Bear and Company
Fred Stays with Me is written from the perspective of a young girl as she faces her
parents divorce by leaning on her best friend- her dog Fred. A light and humorous tone
is created as we follow the girl through some of the changes that come along with
having two homes and the mischief that is caused by Fred. The bright, warm colours
and cheerful mood will help reassure and comfort any child who has two homes.
This book is included for kids that are feeling uneasy about some of the changes that
may be occurring and outlines what living in two homes might look like. Fred Stays with
Me also outlines the importance of leaning on friends and family for support when you
need it.

How Can I Deal With My Parents Divorce? Written by Sally Hewitt

Published in 2009 by Black Rabbit Books
This nonfiction book gives many stories of children whose parents have gone through a
divorce, and the feelings and emotions that come with a divorce. It also provides students
with strategies for what they can do with their parents. For example, talk to them to find out
 more about the situation. This book was included because we felt a nonfiction book would give some of the real
life situations of divorce and how to deal with the emotions that come with the divorce.

Activity 1: Calm your glitter bottle

Activity 2: Make your own Feelings bag
Activity 3: Reflection Questions found inserted into the books

Calm Your Glitter Bottle

Just like in The Color Monster when the feelings were all separated to help them make more sense, we
can make a jar to help us with our feelings.

These glittery, captivating bottles can soothe children when they are upset and help them regulate their
emotions by reminding them to refocus and breathe. When feeling anxious or angry, children can shake
up these bottles and remember to focus on the glitter and breathe until it has completely settled.

These calming bottles are super-fast and easy to make with supplies you probably already have around
the house. Make them in any size plastic bottle you have lying around, from big too small. Customize
each one with special color-themed contents for your child.

Materials Needed:
Any clear plastic bottle you have at home, measurements below are based on a bottle around 850 mL
600 ml warm water
 200 ml glitter glue (or loose glitter and 200 mL clear glue)
30 ml liquid soap
Optional: additional sequins and stickers

Directions:

Helpful how-to video can be seen here if desired: http://www.shared.com/keep-calm-and-carry-on-with-

these-mesmerizing-calming-bottles-2024824389.html

1. Pour warm water (ensure it is warm water!) into your bottle.

2. Pour glitter of choice into the bottle.

3. Add glue. Either clear or glitter glue can be used. Adjust the amount needed based on the size of the
bottle. If you want the glitter to move more slowly, add more glue, if you want it to move faster, add less
glue and more water.

4. Add soap or dish soap to further thicken the mixture.

5. Glue the lid to seal bottle. Optionally, wait a couple of days to see how fast/slow the glitter is falling before
gluing shut. You can feel free to adjust and add more water/glue before gluing the lid.

6. Decorate the lid with stickers if desired.

 Make Your Own Feelings Backpack
Divorce is the Worst focuses on the feeling and emotions that come to students when dealing with
divorce. In this activity children will be building bags where they can release those emotions and feelings.
A good strategy when dealing with the feelings and emotions of divorce is to reflect on whats in
your bag? In this activity students will be asked to reflect on the feelings and emotions that come with
divorce. Writing them on strips of paper. I feel rejected by my dad who moved out may be an example of
something that would be written on a slip of paper.
After this is complete students will have the opportunity to build their bag using a paper bag.
Students are able to design it in any way that they see fit. We suggest using snips/ scraps of magazines.
After the paper bag is complete the slips of paper will be placed in the paper bag. This activity helps to
release those feelings and lay that burden down.
Materials needed:
Paper bag
scissors
Slips of paper
Glue
pencil/pen/crayons
Directions:
1. Ask students/ child to reflect on what is in their backpack? (See above pictures)
2. Ask students to write down ideas that come to mind on slips of paper
3. Students will then build bag where they can place these slips of paper in (see above pictures)
4. Place paper slips in the bag representing the laying down of the burden

What Do You Think??

Mom and Dad Glue
By: Kes Gray
 Wh
at
are
s
ome
Do feel that your parents love for you is still the same?

wa
d?
v orce
di
ng
getti
re a
rents
pa r
y you
wh n
r easo
he
ure t
o y

What Do You Think??

 Fred Stays with Me
By: Nancy Coffelt

What things are The little girl in Fred Stays

changing in your With Me has her dog to
help support her through
life? the changes happening.
Who else could you lean
on or talk to when you
need support?

What
things are
staying the
same?
What Do You Think??
How can I deal with my parents
Divorce?
By: Sally Hewitt

Whos story do you

relate to the most?
What did they do
to help deal with
the situation?

Could you
use any of
these
strategies to
help you?
What Do You Think??
The Color Monster
 By: Anna Llenas

What can you do

when your feelings How do the colors
are all mixed used in the book
together like the help illustrate the
color monsters? different feelings?
What color would
your feelings be?
What could
the leftover
color be at
the end of
the book?
What Do You Think??
Divorce is the Worst
By: Anastasia Higginbotham

Do you ever feel like you

What was your
are being pulled in two
reaction when your
directions at once?
parents told you
that they were
getting a divorce?

What are some

ways that
divorce isnt the
worst? Is it for
the best?
Tech
Conncections
 This website gives advice, ideas, and answers to your questions about divorce from kids
who have been through divorce already: http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/divorce/

Watch the Movie Inside Out.

This movie takes us through the life of young Riley after she is uprooted
from her life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust
and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.

Free Settle Your Glitter App: This app guides you through a deep breathing exercise that allows you to
regain control of emotions and shift focus back to the task at hand.

This website includes a sesame street video, as well as, printables including a colouring book, multimedia
tools, and songs: www.sesamestreet.org/toolkits/divorce
 Instructions for the library:
1. Purchase books
2. Laminate questions sheets/activity sheets
3. Place Question sheets in corresponding books
4. Place books and activities in backpack
5. Give to children