This is the book I reach for first when a child is scared about two homes or a big move. The idea is simple and powerful. People who love each other are tied together by an invisible string that nothing can cut. Kids hear that and breathe easier. The story gives you a calm way to promise that love travels with them in a backpack in a car and across town.

It works for many situations. Divorce. Sleepovers. First day at a new school. By the last page most kids are hugging you and pointing out all the people their strings connect to.

Short sweet and full of pride. This little book makes big brothers feel important instead of replaced. It shows what babies can and cannot do and it gives older kids simple jobs that really help. Parents love how the tone is calm and upbeat. Siblings love the feeling that they now have a special role that no one else can fill.

Read it a few weeks before the baby arrives then pack it in your hospital bag. It becomes a keepsake fast.

Same beloved style as Big Brother but tailored for sisters. It answers the usual questions with kindness and shows how important big sisters are to a new baby’s day. The art is cheerful and the text is short enough for a quick bedtime read on repeat. Expect smiles and lots of I can help moments.

Clear friendly and honest. Comic style panels break down big topics into small easy steps. What divorce means. Why it happens. What might change and what will stay the same. Kids like that the characters are silly dinosaurs which takes the scare out of a tough subject. Grown ups like that the book gives them good words to borrow when the conversation sticks.

If you want something that names things without being heavy this is the tool you want on the shelf.

Warm classic comfort for a big change. The Bears pack say goodbye and learn what to expect in a new place. Kids see the worry and the excitement side by side which is exactly how a move feels. The familiar Bear family voice helps everything feel normal again.

Read it the week you start packing and again the first night in the new house. It helps kids settle in and look for the fun parts of tomorrow.