My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames

My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me by Bill Cochran, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. HarperCollins. 2009. Copy supplied by Raab Associates.

The Plot: Ted is made up of many things. His parents are divorced (but that doesn't make him weird.) He sleeps with one sock on (so maybe that's a little weird.) Sometimes when he answers the phone pretending he's a chicken (OK, so that IS weird.) Ted is Ted; he is who he is.

The Good: Kids, like adults, are made up of many things -- weird bits (eating cold spaghetti out of a jar) and not so weird bits (having your divorced parents on opposite sides of the soccer field.)

Cochran uses humor to address some not-so-funny issues, such as being angry about divorce and separate houses and stepparents.

Divorced parents (and the separate houses) is just one part of who Ted is; and this funny book is a gentle reminder to kids to think of themselves as a whole person (who may indeed have some strange habits!) instead of a person with a label ("parents are divorced.") And to embrace the part of you that wears your cape even when it isn't Halloween.


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