The Divorce Express Book

No one wants to ride the Divorce express. especially phoebe. it means leaving her New york City apartment and friends, moving to the country with her dad, and taking the bus every weekend to visit her mom in the city. it means she has to go to ninth grade in a new school, and see her father go on dates. it's a hectic life with no time to feel she really belongs with the kids in either place. then, just when phoebe gets a handle on juggling the pieces of her life, her mother makes a decision that will change everything again. Can phoebe be herself and still be part of both her parents' worlds?

Children's Literature

This paperback reprint of Danziger's 1982 young adult novel still rings true today. With teen-centered humor and real understanding, the author tackles a tough subject that many kids can relate to: divorce. Phoebe Brooks has shuttled between her divorced parents' homes for some time now. "Joint custody" wasn't so bad when both her mother and father lived in the city. But ever since her father moved to a house in the country, Phoebe has had to ride the "Divorce Express." That's what she calls the bus that takes her away from her New York City apartment-and her boyfriend-every Sunday night, so she can spend the week in Woodstock. The Divorce Express is no joy ride: It means Phoebe must go to ninth grade in a new school and try to make new friends. It's a hectic life that leaves this human yo-yo with little time to feel she belongs in either place. Just when Phoebe thinks she has a handle on it, her mother makes a decision that may change everything all over again. The plot breezes along, but the story's strength lies in its expert telling. Danziger has a good ear for teenagers' conversation and concerns. Her characters' dialogue shows the bravado that often hides underlying adolescent fears. 1998 (orig.