My Bonus Mom! Taking the Step Out of Stepmom
Written by Tami Butcher
Illustrated by Feras Nouf
If a child is hurting because of a divorce or a parent remarrying, this fun little book might be just the thing to help. The author tells her story of her own parents’ divorce. She is honest that at first she was angry and afraid, but once she settled into the situation, there were good things about having two homes, two birthdays and two Christmases. Then, her father remarried. Instead of a woman who tries to take her mother’s place or who is mean, her stepmother is loving and friendly, becoming an extra mom, a “bonus” mom.
The story is told with a rhyming text and an upbeat feel. The cartoon illustrations add a lighthearted touch. There are current photographs of the author’s real blended family, which further reinforces the message that everything turns out well. This book would be best used as a one-on-one read aloud with a lot of opportunities for interaction between an adult and a child. Once this book is shared with a child in need, he or she will have the reading skills to return to the book and find comfort from it as his or her personal situation evolves. There is a book trailer on YouTube that is a good introduction to the book: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgxhC2i45c4).
TITLE: My Bonus Mom! Take the Step Out of Stepmom- AUTHOR: Tami Butcher
- ILLUSTRATOR: Feras Nouf
- PUBLISHER: Little Five Star
- REVIEWER: Risa Brown
- EDITION: Hardcover, 46 p.
- ISBN: 978-1-58985-081-1
What a great book! I used it as part of a Children’s Lit unit with future teachers exploring how to talk with children about sensitive issues.