The Big Split

Elizabeth Levin is chair of the Psychology Department at Laurentian
University.

A sizable number of young people have lived through the divorce of their
parents. They and others who know someone whose parents have divorced
will empathize with the protagonist of this novel.

Zack, a Grade 11 student, is a pretty regular guy who finds out that
his parents are divorcing. He knew that his parents had been
arguing—his dad even missed his six-year-old sister’s birthday
party—but he wasn’t prepared to discover that his dad was dating his
substitute teacher. Zack really feels for his mother, who has to pick up
all the slack, even when his younger brother Michael breaks his arm.
Interwoven with all this is a subplot where Zack appears to be cheating
on his girlfriend with his best friend’s sister. Although there are no
final resolutions at the story’s end, Zack does end up feeling that he
is normal after all.

The Big Split is from the Bayview High series and is a well-written
book for young adolescents. The book conveys the emotional upheaval
associated with divorce and makes no unrealistic promises. Highly
recommended.