Families can be complicated, and when parents split up, it can be difficult for children to process this major shift in their lives. These three titles center on tweens dealing with parental divorce or separation, across varying circumstances and genre.

Max feels like his ability to see ghosts led to his parents’ breakup, but being sent to his grandfather’s mansion reveals that this burden may actually be his destiny in Alyson Noël’s Field Guild to the Supernatural Universe. On the flip side, newcomer Will steps right into East Emerson’s supernatural shenanigans when he moves there with his recently divorced mom in Rex Ogle’s Supernatural Society, while 12-year-old Justine finds herself falling deeper into the twists and turns of a messy custody battle in Monique Polak’s heartbreaking For the Record.

Noël, Alyson. Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe. 352p. S. & S./McElderry. Mar. 2022. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781534498235.
Gr 4-7–Twelve-year old Max has been seeing ghosts all his life, which has caused him no end of trouble. At school he’s a social pariah, and his continual “incidents” with the paranormal may have influenced his parents’ breakup. After a chaotic last day of sixth grade (which resulted in a viral video of him destroying a classroom), his father decides to send Max to stay with his grandfather, Ramhart Woodbead, at his mansion. Ramhart is known as “the Indiana Jones of the supernatural world” and authored the paranormal encyclopedia Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe. Max is initially angry at these summer plans, but realizes that the guide might hold the key to ridding himself of his unique abilities. Ramhart, however, has other ideas and begins training Max to take over the family duties of guarding graveyards, battling ghosts, and keeping the veil between the worlds secure. Max is immediately thrust into all sorts of wild and near-fatal adventures, discovering that his role in all of this was foretold in a prophecy. Will Max rise to the challenge set before him and take up the family mantle, or will he deny his destiny and risk the consequences? Narrated by Max in a droll, self-deprecating voice, this middle grade paranormal adventure by the award-winning Noël (the “Immortals” series) is irresistible. Sure to satisfy, the plot contains a cast of colorful characters including bogeys, school bullies, zombies, a monkey king, and a craven Chupacabra. Max is cued as white. VERDICT A captivating and diverting read with loads of action and humor, with a bonus lesson about accepting who you are. Recommended for purchase.–Amy Nolan

Ogle, Rex. The Supernatural Society. 288p. (Supernatural Society: Bk. 1). Inkyard. Feb. 2022. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781335424877.
Gr 4-6 –Nothing is as it seems in East Emerson, MA. The story begins with Will, a Latinx middle schooler, who is moving after a tumultuous breakup between his mom and dad. He is leaving everything behind: Brooklyn, his best friend, and hardest of all, his father. Instead of settling into this new life, Will finds himself face-to-face with monsters, and they are monsters no one else seems to see. Mythological beings, science fiction creations, and all the things which go bump in the night are out in force in East Emerson, and strange things start happening to Will. Luckily he lives across from Ivy and Linus, and the trio begins to investigate what lurks in the shadows and tunnels of the strange town. Ogle has created a series for elementary students with a diverse cast and an adventurous spooky angle, all told by an unknown “monster” narrator who provides advice, information, and subplot through interjected soliloquies. The plot evolves well, and the reader lands at the last page fairly breathless, eager for more adventure through this Goonies-esque story. VERDICT A recommended purchase for an elementary or middle school library looking for a tame thriller or horror adventure novel. Ogle crafts a likable cast and world for younger students to enjoy.–Rachel Joiner

Polak, Monique. For the Record. 256p. Owlkids. Mar. 2022. Tr $18.95. ISBN 9781771474375.
Gr 5-7 –Family dynamics are central to the story of 12-year-old Justine and her four-year-old sister Bea as they go back and forth between the homes of their divorced ­parents in Montreal. At their mother’s condo, things are strict and controlled because of mom’s anxiety. At their dad’s house the rules are more relaxed, but Justine’s mom thinks her dad and older half-sister Mariella are a bad influence on the girls. Justine begins gathering evidence about her dad’s neglect so that her mom can get sole custody, thinking it will help her mother feel better, and stop her migraines and all of the yelling directed at her. Her detailed notes go from things like her dad not sticking to the strict bedtime and serving sandwiches on white bread, to crafting a lie about physical abuse to help her mother’s court case. As lawyers get involved and the case moves forward, Justine begins to question her mom’s behavior and whether she should be helping her. Characters are cued as white; Justine’s father is of French descent and there are a few words regional to Canadian dialect that might be unclear for American readers. The author thoughtfully and honestly explores the realities of divorce, anxiety, and how kids are impacted by parental behavior. Justine’s voice will grab readers as she navigates changing family situations and the importance of sharing the truth.­ VERDICT ­Purchase for collections where family stories are popular. Children with divorced parents will see themselves reflected in ­Justine’s nuanced story.–Sarah Polace