Hi! This book is for you, not your parents. This whole process you're going through is tough. Believe me, I know. I've been there. Divorce ran in my family even before I was born. My parents were divorced when I was six, and I've had multiple stepparents, new families, and half-brothers. Divorce is a mixed bag, and it's easy to get overwhelmed with the huge changes that are taking place in your life. With so many disruptions, it's hard to focus on everything that's going wrong and everything you think you've lost. But this book isn't about that. When I went through my experiences with divorce, I was lucky enough to have my family and friends all help me with good advice. They helped me see the bright side of all these new experiences, and they helped me keep a level head and a positive perspective. In this book, I've put together the most important stuff I figured out to try to make this whole thing a little easier for you to deal with.

I wrote this to be a practical book that deals with the everyday situations of divorce, and The Bright Sideis full of useful information, like tips on traveling through airports alone, managing your schedule between two houses, or how to tell your parents that you won't take sides. Most important is The Divorced Kids' Bill of Rights, seven inalienable rights that kids have and need to know. So take a look--it's not that long. I hope it helps you out and makes your life a little easier.

 

--Max Sindell

After his parents divorced when he was six, Max Sindall watched his mom get married once more and his dad get remarried twice. Written with insight, humor, and straightforward advice, this novel offers thoughtful, encouraging guidance from a kid whos been there.

Max Sindell's parents were divorced when he was six years old. That was his father's second divorce. His mother has since remarried and so has his father . . . twice. Max has dealt with all the angles of divorce, from traveling across the country alone at the age of eight, to dealing with his parents' new boyfriends and girlfriends, as well as step-fathers and step-mothers.

Max tried to find all the positive aspects of these divorces and the way they affected his family. He found that he has actually benefited from being a child of divorce:

· He met lots of new people and learned a lot about his parents.

· He became more independent and gained insight into himself.

· He could talk more openly with both parents.

· He learned how to stop blaming himself and separate his parents' problems from his life. Max wants to share this information and much more with as many people as possible. Several years ago, he decided that the best way to do that was with a book written for kids, by a kid who had been through what they were going through, a book that communicates with kids on their level.

Max Sindell (Brooklyn, NY) graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2007 with a degree in writing. Previously, Max attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, the nation's first and foremost boarding fine-arts high school, where he also studied creative writing. He was invited to attend the Global Young Leader's Conference, in Washington, D.C., and New York, where he participated in simulations involving international relations and world leadership. Have a question for Max? Ask him at his website, where you can also find resources including articles, links and interviews at <""target=_blank>