The book is about two little girls who find out that their grandparents are getting a divorce. Though the girls both feel sad, Nora trys to understand why someone would get a divorce in their 60s. She and her sister talk with their parents, grandma, and grandpa. Nora begins to understand and she accepts the divorce, knowing that her grandparents will both continue to be in her life and love her the same.
To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about this book. I understand the author's choice to end the book in the manner that she did, but I can't help but feel a little sad from it. I would want children who are reading a book about divorce not see the subject so sad, but the book is realistic which could also be comforting. ( )

While this is not a book that I would read to a classroom, I can see how it would be beneficial for a child who is experiencing divorce in their family. In this story, Nora and her sister JoJo are dealing with their grandparents getting divorced. I found it interesting that the grandparents were getting divorced, instead of the parents which is what I originally thought would happen before reading the story. It's rare to hear of grandparents getting divorced. As the end of summer draws near, the girls realize that there is a last time for everything that summer; the last time feeding the ducks, the last time getting ice cream, the last time staying up until 9:30. They go to their weekly dinner at their grandparents and realize that they did not know that the last time was the last time with their grandpa there. They talk to their grandpa on the phone and make plans to see him the next weekend. They realize that even though there is a last time for everything, there is always the start of something new. ( )

Nora and Jojo are learning how to cope with the divorce that their grandparents are going through. Jojo compares their divorce to a tv show hoping that maybe they’ll get back together. They both struggle with the fact that both grandparents won’t be together at the same time. I found this to be odd in a children’s book but I can see how it could be helpful for some kids. This definitely isn’t a book I would read to a classroom of children. For a kid that is going through similar experiences this could be helpful to teach them to learn to cope. Both Jojo and Nora realize it isn’t the end of the world and they still have love from both grandparents. ( )

The Days of Summer is atypical because a couple in their sixties, or Nora and JoJo's grandparents, are getting a divorce. This is especially hard on JoJo, who believes they will get "undivorced" like her favorite characters on TV. The kids are "doleful," which is a new word they learned which was fitting as their summer was drawing to a close. The news of the grandparents splitting affected their thoughts on everything: the last time feeding the ducks, the last time staying up late to read, and the last trip for ice cream. Upon visiting their grandma on Sunday, and speaking with their grandpa on the phone before bed, they are comforted by all of the adults words that everything will be fine, and they will adjust to their grandma and grandpa being separate but happier. ( )

This book was a story about grandparents getting divorced. I've got to admit, like, Jo-Jo said in the book, I don't hear about grandparents getting divorces too often. Jo-Jo and Nora are the granddaughters in the book that are trying to convince their grandparents to stay together. They're young girls who don't understand the struggle it is to stay with someone you're not in love with anymore. They learn to be okay with it at the end because both grandparents will live nearby and stay in touch. ( )

The Days of Summer centers around divorce in the family, and children's books about this are so uncommon. The main characters in the story, Nora and Jo-Jo, are so concerned because their Grandma and Grandpa are getting a divorce. This effects the whole family, and makes everyone every upset. Nora and Jo-Jo start off the story as very unopen to the divorce, and beg their grandparents to get back together. As the story goes on, the girls become more accepting. They realize that the divorce is for the best, and even accept it. This shows so much about the development of Nora and Jo-Jo. They realize that not everything will remain perfect. Books like these are so important because children need to know that they are not alone, and can grow from this. ( )

This beautifully illustrated picture book is about two young sisters whose grandparents decide to get divorced. At the end of summer, Nora, a fourth grader, and her little kindergartner Sister Jo-Jo were upset when their parents told them about their grandparents' impending divorce. The two sisters, who were worried about the kind of changes their grandparents’ choice will bring, have a little different experience about divorce. For instead, jo-Jo saw a cartoon about two chipmunks who get divorced, and then they get married again. This cartoon gave her some hope that her grandparents may come back to each other again. However, Nora’s experience was much more realistic and harder than her sister’s, "After my friend, Fiona's parents got divorced, she never saw her dad again. I couldn't bear it if we never saw Grandpa". On Saturday, they went to their grandparents’ house for dinner. Jo-jo tried her best to change her grandma’s decision, “please, please don’t divorce Grandpa, I’ll pay you not to. I've got thirty-three dollars. I’ll give you every bit.” Their grandma, who was so ordinary about it, told them that she knows is it sad, but they should know it happy too. After talking to their grandparents and make a plan to visit their grandpa’s new apartment, the sister felt better and started to adjust. The great feeling of reassurance, care, love, and family’s support are what children always need to help them deal with any problem. I loved loved how the author shows Nora’s sadness not just because her grandparent will divorce, but also her additional emotions as she eats last ice cream of the summer, the last visit to the duck pond, and the last time her parents will let her read in bed till nine-thirty). The Photoshop and realistic illustrations capture the vibrant colors of last days of summer and illustrate the lovely closeness of the family. The girls ’strong emotions are reflected in their facial expressions. Even though the text is a little bit long, and Nora’s character is too wise compared to her age, this book can be an excellent choice for anyone who wants a useful story about divorce. ( )

The days of Summer is a unique story. Most books are written about parents getting a divorce not grandparents. We see the children, Nora and Jo-Jo, growing sad. I feel like divorce is a problem children face as it becomes more common and acceptable. I feel like divorce is not really looked down upon. Divorce to every child is a sad subject. As a child we do not understand why people get a divorce. They are suppose to love each other and then suddenly they don't? It just doesn't make sense. That's when an adult figure comes in and explains the way life works and makes everything better. ( )

What I enjoyed most about this book, is that it's not only unique but also gives the reader a different perspective on divorce. Whereas most children's divorce books are about parents divorcing, this one is about grandparents getting a divorce. Although it was hard for the characters Jo-Jo and Nora to understand their grandparent's divorce, in the end, they gained knowledge from it and realized that everything would eventually be okay. I connected well with this story, because when I was younger my grandparent's also had gotten a divorce. Unfortunately, I didn't understand it much as a young child. I feel as if I had read books such as this one, I may have understood it better. In today's society, although divorce is more accepting, there aren't many child books that focus on grandparents divorcing. Children today should realize that divorce is a normal thing that could occur in many relationships, including grandparents, who as Jo-Jo would say are "about a hundred". The story was written in first-person, the perspective of the older sister Nora. I would have liked this story better if the younger sister Jo-Jo was the narrator because she is young and it would have been interesting to see how she personally felt about the situation. Being that Nora is a little older, she understands what's going on a little better, but if you are reading to young children they may feel more connected to the younger sibling Jo-Jo. ( )

"The Days of Summer" by Eve Bunting is a very depressing book, but it teaches that life is not always happy. It starts off by telling the story of two little girls that are dealing with their grandparents getting a divorce.They wake up in the morning and see the depression that is running through the whole family. Their mom is upset, because that her parents that are getting divorced, but she has to stay strong for her daughters. The two girls go over to their grandparents for dinner on a Sunday evening, but grandpa is not there. He has moved out and got his own apartment. The girls ask their grandma when grandpa will be coming back and she tells them only on holidays. The grand kids tell their grandma that it will never be the same and she agrees. The girls then go get to see their grandfather and the girls exclaim that it will not be the same and their grandfather agrees as well. As the book tells its tale summer vacation is ending and is a metaphor to the divorce the grandparents are having. That some things don't last forever and things will change, but it does not mean that things will not be alright. ( )

This was the most shocking book I have came across in building my text set on LibraryThing. I saw this book in the library and read the back to find that this children's book was about divorce. The topic of this book is what surprised me the most. I never have come across books on divorce. I think that the main topic of this book covers a great topic for children to read. More and more parents are getting divorced now a days, that a book talking about it can help a reader cope with the event and understand that everything will be alright. I loved in the book that it said, "Both of us still love you just as much as we did before." I think that sentence will help children understand that divorce is not their fault. The big picture of this book is truly used as a coping mechanism for children. It is a great topic to discuss by having Mallory talk about her grandparents that are getting divorced. A story that has a nice plot with a problem and how to solve it, is great for your students to read. The book was aimed toward higher grades by the word choice they had. There were high frequency vocabulary with long compound sentences on each page.

Nora isn't happy that her grandparents are getting divorced. She comes around later, knowing she is still loved.

Dealing with change: the last days of summer as a metaphor for dealing with a divorce in the family. More than a book that is a joy to read on its own, this is one probably meant to open up discussion and help a child cope with divorce. This one is strictly for the kids, but I did appreciate how Bunting remembers some of the silly mind games we play as children that set us up for disappointment, such as "If I can catch this lighting bug, my parents won't get divorced." I remember doing that all the time (glad I'm not the only one). ( )

Jo-Jo, Nora and their mom were unhappy to hear that grandma and grandpa are getting divorce. All that the two girls can think about is why are they breaking up.

age 5-8
pierce county library
pierce county library

A sad story, but a real-life situation that many children experience and I think that the author did a great job writing it. I like this book and love the message the author wants her readers to take from it. Divorce separate love ones, but it doesn't mean your loves one don't love you. The book is touching and the the pictures resembles a masterpiece. They look like paintings and go very well with the story. Famous Quote: "A picture is worth a thousands words." Well these pictures sure do tell a story. ( )

I'll be honest. This was a tough book to read. It made me sad. The catalyst of the whole story is two grandparents getting a divorce, but the real focus was the impact divorce has on a whole family. Divorce is never just between two people. Everyone who knows the couple goes through the separation too. Here, the divorce impacts the grandchildren and the children of the divorced couple a lot and the story really becomes focused on how the family copes with the new set of circumstances that are in place. I'll be honest. This book brought me down, and not because Bunting was trying to be depressing. It just can't honest and end happily and cleanly. It's depressing and there's no way to avoid that. ( )

This book would be a good story to tell children that are dealing with a divorce. Nora and Jo-Jo's grandparents are getting a divorce and they are very sad. They want everything to stay the same but they know things will change. Nora is very smart and realizes that her grandparents have been unhappy for weeks, months, and years and that they don't want to be wasting whats left. They know that they will get to see their grandparents and both of them together on holidays and so they are content with that. It shows that divorces are hard and that it can affect everyone. ( )

Two sisters have to cope with their grandparents getting divorced and the summer coming to an end. They are very inquisitive, but become understanding and accepting of their grandparents' fate.

2 girls grandparents are getting divorced very soon and the girls are distraught at how this could happen. The girls drive with their parents to go meet up with their grandmother and talk to her about the divorce. The grandparents decide to still get divorced and the girls decide that they need to be okay with it.

This book is about two sisters dealing with their grandparents divorce. It was a good book but not one I would read to a class.

http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-bunting-eve.asp

Jo-Jo and Nora find out that that their grandparents are getting a divorce. They were not very happy about this. They did not understand why their grandparents were getting divorced. The girls discussed it among themselves. The next morning they asked their mother why their grandparents were getting divorced. Their mother explained that they were not good friends anymore and it was for the better. It was the week before school started and their schedule was very busy. The weekend before they started school they went to their grandmothers house. They asked their grandmother why she was getting a divorce and she explained that it was for the better. Then their grandfather called them and asked if next weekend they wanted to come see his new apartment. They were excited and their grandfather was getting a pet and they got to help pick one out. They soon realized that although things were not going to be the same they were going to be okay.
Website: http://dev.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/readers_guides/bunting/wednesday.shtml