Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child's Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce

by Tamara Schmitz

Addison is a regular kid whose parents are going through a divorce, but he knows that no matter what happens, his parents will always love him. The text in this beautifully illustrated picture book is inspiring, gentle, and uplifting, and teaches kids that having two homes to live in can be just as great as having two strong feet to stand on.

Genres: Divorce, Picture Books, Childrens, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2008

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the books we took out from the library about divorce, this was probably my favorite. It was the simplest and most affirming, and seemed to be the easiest to understand for my four-year-old daughter.

[Josh White · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Standing on My Own Two Feet" by Tamara Schmitz is an attempt at streamlining the concept of divorce or family separation. It is very rich in its illustrations using vibrant primary colors to bring the foreground of almost every page into attention while the cooler, more subdued colors are used to denote background information. The illustrations, in my opinion, were very well done and conveyed information effectively. The text was sparse, as is to be expected from a 1st or 2nd grade reading level piece. As far as a positive portrayal, this is an idealized presentation of divorce that is sure to comfort children and possibly be a book that is read several times. While the book does break norms for its very special audience (children in non-nuclear families), it posses no intersectionality whatsoever as it portrays a blonde haired, blue eyed protagonist. Along with that, it has some slightly ableist overtones that could certainly be problematic in certain settings. The name of the book, being the chief offender here, does not tie into any major points that the book conveys. Not every child has two feet or feet at all. Devoting an entire few pages to this idea when it doesn't tie back into the book at all felt unnecessary. On the same side of that coin, the final page felt like a cheap addition to take a stab at diversity. Throwing some different ethnicities in and the very end doesn't change the fact that the book is not diverse at all. Overall, I feel like it drove home the points that it really wanted to well. It explained divorce in an easy, comforting way, but it certainly had a lack of diversity and ableist overtones that overshadowed the primary message, in my eyes.

[B.G. Clyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addison has two feet and two homes. Addison’s parents are divorced. This brightly illustrated, simple book explains to children that they are still loved even if their parents are divorced. It also reassures the children that the divorce is not their fault. This is a comforting book for children going through the pain of divorce.

[Heidi Schwarz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for young kids going through a divorce.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

An important message for children of divorce. Didn’t love the illustrations, though colorful. One full-page spread was right through the character’s face.

[Megan Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a decent book, but also useful for students who are coming from untraditional family structures to feel represented

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple, to-the-point book for children of divorced parents.

[Douglas Beagley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good.

[Tracy Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standing on My Own Two Feet, written and illustrated by Tamara Schmitz, reinforces the message that the love for a child doesn’t change in divorce. Addison, the young boy who narrates the story, describes how he has two homes, expresses how he misses each parent when he is apart, and longs for his family to be one unit again. He also describes that even though things change, his parents love for him always stays the same. This simple message, illustrated with colorful page filled illustrations, is one that most children can relate to. From the town where Addison lives, complete with a playground and library, to the soccer game with both his parents on the sidelines, there is nothing overwhelming or complicated for the reader. The bright and cheery pages are engaging for the intended age group. Addison is a happy child actively engaged in fun activities like reading and karate throughout the book. The words and storyline are easy for a child to understand; “just like I have two feet, I have two homes”. There is nothing too complicated that would cause the reader to miss the point of the book. This is a great book to explain divorce in simple terms to a young child age 2-5 years. The first page also contains a fill-in-the-blank section “Mom and Dad love _____ unconditionally. (No Matter What)” where the parent can write the name of their child as a reminder each time they read the book that they are loved. This is a great book for classroom use if family dynamics are discussed due to the positive tone and straight-forward message. This would be a valuable resource to any library.

[Faith Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story, Standing on My Own Two Feet, is about a little boy talking about how his parents are divorced. Throughout this story the little boy talks about his life since his parents got divorced. "Just like I have two feet...I have two homes." As the story continues the little boy talks about how sometimes he misses the one he's not with and that "I thank my lucky stars for the phone." Even though his parents do not always agree on things, the little boy knows that it is not because of him.
I think this is a great story for children to read if his/her parents are going though a divorce or are already divorced. I think this because the little boy says something in this book that I think every little kid should know/hear from their parents if they are getting divorced, "Mom and Dad do not always get along. But it's not because of me. Mom and Dad live in different homes. But it's not because of me." The author and illustrator, Tamara Schmitz began in advertising and teaching art. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her blended family.

[Leslie Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a little boy named Addison who is living with divorced parents. The boy is extremely positive and knows that no matter what happens that his parents love him. "Just like I have two feet, I have two homes." Sometimes he misses his mom when he is at his dad's house and sometimes he misses his dad when he is at his mom's house. "Even when we are apart, we can look out our windows...and enjoy the same moon." The book is an excellent tool for the classroom because it teaches children that having two homes does not mean that everything is falling apart. There are good things about having two homes just like you have two feet. I love the positive language in the story and it can be used to show children that while divorce is not a happy situation that there can be a happy resolve between parents. The author, Tamara Schmitz, writes in her biography that she currently lives with her blended family. She is divorced and wrote and illustrated her book to teach a positive message about different kinds of families.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standing on my own two feet is a cute narrative about a little boy Addison whose parents are divorced. In the book, he talks about how his parents don’t live together "I have two homes", but they still love him. He also mentions how it’s not his fault that his parents have gotten a divorce. This book wouldn’t be my first choice to use in the classroom because I think it’s more appropriate for a counselor’s use. Standing on My Own Two Feet uses general, simple language that preschoolers could understand and relate to. The book is good for a diverse family structure topic since many children live through this same situation. The author, Tamara Schmitz, doesn’t have a strong connection with the book culturally. The topic of divorce was important to her but no personal reasons stated. She uses simple words so that the targeted audience can fully understand her message.

[Shanice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a little boy named Addison. Addison's parents are going through a divorce which causes him to have to live in two different homes. Although Addison knows his parents will never get back together, he knows that they will always love him regardless of what happens. This book is very easy and straight forward for young readers to comprehend. This book will keep children interested and allow them to question their own feelings about the love their parents have towards them. The language used in this text is similar to the language of children making the plot of this book straight forward. The illustrations go hand-in-hand with the text and is able to keep children wanting to know more about the story.

Quote from the book "No matter what happens they'll ALWAYS be my mom and my dad."

[Cherina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary: Addison's parents are divorced, but that doesn't mean that they don't both love him. His parents got a divorce, but it's not Addison's fault. He realizes that his parents will more than likely not live together again. They both love him and that's all that matters.

Uses: recommend to a child who is struggle with a difficult divorce (parents may read to younger readers or early readers can read this story on their own); mention to parents before you recommend it.

Literary Devices: metaphor (butterfly), simile

Social issues: divorce

Other: very colorful illustrations, illustrator shows a lot of emotion in the little boy's face

[Erica Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a little boy whose parents are divorced. While his parents may argue and live in separate homes he knows that they love him equally. This is a great story to use in the classroom to address personal issues with the children. Not all children come from a two parent home and this is a great way to represent those children.

[Molly Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for a younger audience considering there are very few words within the text. It's about a child going through a divorce, but overcoming it and being thankful for what he has, along with his parents loving him through it all. It helps give children struggling through divorce a motivation and confidence to be strong and content with what is happening. This works a lot with sequencing.

[Shanaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read to a child one on one that is going through the issue of having their parents separate. It helps explain on a childs level what is happening and how its not their fault.


Have child make a rainbow of feelings... meaning for each feeling they have experienced have them chose a color to represent that feeling and make a rainbow out of all the colors.

[Jenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very simple and straightforward, but talks about a difficult subject like divorce in a good way. The illustrations and text show how divorce may affect children, but ultimately the love for the child never ceases. I think this book is important especially in today's society for children and demonstrates in a creative way how divorces are.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for the narrowly focused audience for which it is written. It's not forced, it's very simply laid out and uncomplicated. Great for children of divorced families as well as any child with questions regarding divorce.

[Christie Suh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a little boy whose parents are divorced. While his parents may argue and live in seperate homes, he know that they both still love him. About the emotional struggle that one may have when dealing with divorce.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great simple read for a child who's parents are going through a divorce. This is a sensitive subject for a child and this book adresses this topic in an appropriate manner for a child. The illustrations are also fun and colorful!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel approach to a sticky situation. Well illustrated with bold design and rich inviting colors, with well spoken spare text. This will be a book a child might well read again and again because it offers security and acceptance during a difficult time.

[Danielle Desmarais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book I found that deals with children and divorce. This boy's parents are going through a divorce but through the story you learn they will always love him equally. Shows children a realistic and modern day situation.

2nd grade readling level

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have quite a few on this topic but this is so age-appropriate and really enjoyable for a 5 year old!! I love it.

[Tina B · Rating 4 out of 5]

"divorce, basic introduction, feelings of strength, parent's love"

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bright, happy, positive message in a book about divorce? That's pretty neat.

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers support to children on being oneself amidst all the turmoil of life when parents divorce.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

good, positive message of unconditional love for the younger set