Elementary-age fans of the Apple-TV series will love these books about dealing with divorce, moving, and friendship.
amber brown
TV-G. AppleTV+. Out now.
Amber Brown, a mixed-race (Black, Korean and White) teenager, deals with her emotions through music and art after her best friend leaves and her parents divorce. A heartfelt serial adaptation of Paula Danziger’s books.
READ ALIKES
Mallory on the move by Laurie B. Friedman, ill. by Tamara Schmitz. Carolrhode. 2004.
2-4 gr.– After moving to a new town, eight-year-old Mallory feels caught between her old and new friends and desperately wants things to go back to the way they were before her move. An upbeat series starter with related characters dealing with life changes. The entire “Mallory McDonald” series will appeal to fans of Amber.
2-4 gr.-In this book of episodic chapters, Max and his father, both white, spend the weekends together playing spy, working on school projects, and buying furniture after Max’s parents divorce. The sweet and fun story pays homage to the emotions children feel after a big change in the family.
3-6 g-When her best friend suddenly starts being mean to her, third-grade student Anna, whose race is unspecified, tries to figure out what’s wrong with this sensitive and realistic story. Like the entire “Anna, Banana” series, it’s a gripping, character-driven story about girls learning to deal with life’s ups and downs.
Place at Dymonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes, ill. by R. Gregory Christie. Putnam. 2009.
3-6 g-In this fun series, Dyamonde, an African-American third-grade student, tries to befriend the newcomer to her class by drawing on her own experiences moving after her parents’ divorce. Readers who identify with courageous Amber Brown and her struggles after her parents’ separation will love Dymonde.
Abby Johnson is the Collections Development Manager at the Floyd County Library in New Albany, IN.
