The Terrible Thing That Happened At Our House

Author: Marge Blaine

Type or emotional/crisis issue(s) addressed: Family Relationships

Year of Publication: 1975

Publisher & Location: Scholastic, New York

ISBN-10: 0590403559

ISBN-13: 978-0590403559

Target Age Level: Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary# of Pages: 29

Quality of Illustrations: Good

Brief Summary: “My mother used to be a real mother.” Written in first person, the main character’s mother goes back to work teaching science. The girl is upset because her mother has gone back to work and they no longer do the things they used to. She used to take them to the park, they came home for lunch, and after school her mom would give them a snack and ask about their day. Now, the girl and her brother are rushed to get ready in the morning, they have to eat lunch at school, and after school her mom has a headache and doesn’t ask about their day. Her father’s role has changed as well. Instead of playing games after dinner, he cooks dinner and does the dishes. The girl is not happy about all the changes. One night at dinner she explodes. The family discusses how things have changed. They make adjustments so that they can still do some of the things they used to. It’s a little different, but they’re happier.

Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children: I think my parents got this book when my mom when back to work to be a teacher. So, it holds some sentimental value for me. It’s a great book to discuss change in a family that may disrupt the previous norms and how the family adjusted.

Activity: Read the book with the child. Discuss how things in the family changed. Discuss how the family made changes that helped them return some things back to “normal".