
Reach for this book when your child is facing a major life transition, such as moving away or saying a painful goodbye to a close friend group. This story follows Dawn Schafer as she makes the difficult decision to leave her friends in Connecticut and return to California to live with her father. It captures the bittersweet reality of loving two places at once and the anxiety of being 'left out' once you are gone. Parents will appreciate how it validates the complex grief of a child in a blended or bicoastal family. It is a gentle, realistic exploration of independence and the strength required to change your path while keeping your heart connected to those you leave behind. Best suited for readers aged 8 to 12 who are navigating shifts in their own social or family structures.
The book deals directly with divorce and the reality of split families. The approach is secular and highly realistic. It addresses the 'loyalty bind' children often feel between parents living in different states. The resolution is hopeful but acknowledges that life will be different and difficult for those staying behind.
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewA 10-year-old who is moving schools or states and feels guilty about leaving friends behind, or a child in a blended family struggling to balance their identity between two households.
Read the final chapter (the farewell party) to prepare for the heavy emotional payoff. It is a secular, grounded story that can be read cold. A parent might see their child withdrawing from friends or acting out before a move, or perhaps a child expressed fear that their friends will 'replace' them once they are gone.
Younger readers (8-9) will focus on the sadness of the friends splitting up. Older readers (11-12) will better grasp Dawn's search for her own identity and the maturity required to make a life-changing choice.
Unlike many 'moving' books that focus on arriving at a new place, this book focuses almost entirely on the process of saying goodbye to the old one, honoring the grief of the transition itself.
Dawn Schafer, a long-time member of the Baby-Sitters Club, feels the pull of her original home in California. After struggling with homesickness and the complexities of her parents' divorce, she decides to move back across the country to live with her father and brother. The story focuses on her final weeks in Stoneybrook, the preparation for the move, and the emotional farewell party thrown by her best friends.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.