A Brand New Day: A Banana Split Story, written by A.S. Chung and illustrated by Paula Bossio, addresses the lives of children of separation and divorce as they spend some days with their mothers and other days with their fathers. The main character of this story is a girl who is loved by her mother and father. She loves her days with each of them as she spends some days with her mum and some with her dad because they have separate homes. The girl shares what she enjoys doing with her parents. With her father, she enjoys cooking and camping, and on days with her mother she enjoys gardening, playing with her step-brother and having tea parties. The girl knows that she is loved by both her mother and father, and she loves them both and enjoys spending time with both.

A.S. Chung shares a story of a girl who has two homes in A Brand New Day: A Banana Split Story. This story is great as it will help children of separation and divorce learn that they are not alone in their family situation and also it can be reassuring for children to know that it is okay to enjoy both homes and not feel as if they have to pick a favorite home and/or parent. This book would be an excellent resource to use in a counseling group for elementary students in similar situations.

Times have changed and more resources have become available since I went through my transition from 2 parent, 2 income household to divorced, single parent. Back then I felt like there was no help and that I just had to find my way in the dark, on my own. If there were books, support groups, movies, etc available, I didn’t know anything about them. Today with an overload of information readily available at our fingertips via our ever-present smartphones, tablets, and even smart TVs, I’m more aware and always coming across various helpful blogs, periodicals, podcasts, books, etc that are beneficial to the successful navigation of this major life change.

As a result of a connection we’ve made via this outlet, we were introduced to a children’s book by A.S. Chung called A Brand New Day. This book is written from a child’s viewpoint as she deals with her every day life with her parents after their divorce. In the book the child talks about what she likes on the days she is with her dad and what she likes on the days she is with her mom. She expresses how much she loves her parents and the love that she feels from both her parents, even though they are apart. The book even addresses children dealing with a possible new family, as the character had a little step-brother.

My heart was warmed as I went through this picture book. Though simple, it was so REAL! It was a great depiction of how arrangements can be when a divorced couple share custody of a child. The story was parallel to some of my own experiences as my son went back and forth between us when he was younger. I’m confident that my son felt the love from his father and I, but it would have been great to have a book like this handy! I highly recommend this book if you have children and are divorced/separated and share custody. It could possibly help them to better understand the love that you all have for them and let them know that they are not alone and that other children are having the same experience.

Very nice story for a child going through a divorce. I really like the positive messages in the book and highly recommend it.

A Brand New Day by A.S. Chung offers a child a positive way to view his/her parents' divorce. We all know it's bad and we all know it's hard, but the circumstances cannot be changed. What can change is how the child feels about moving back and forth between two families. A Brand New Day, through sweet and simple rhyme, shifts the focus to all the wonderful things the little girl in the story gets to do with the people in her life whom she loves.

The illustrations by Paula Bossio drive the story. The sheer joy conveyed in every picture is infectious. Truly, it makes me very happy to just look at them. They would make fabulous greeting cards (hint, hint...) This is a child having a great time cooking and camping with Dad, gardening with Mom, and playing outside with her stepbrother.

I highly recommend this book. Obviously, for young children of divorced parents. But, also for other children to gain understanding of what children of divorce may be experiencing.

Loved the illustrations! It was such a cute story and great message to help kids get used to divorced parenting.

This book deals with the bright side of divorce, following the fun times that a little girl has between her separated parents. I enjoy the tone of the book, as it doesn't fall into a depression trap. However, it's the well stylized illustrations and the single color pallette that make the book stand out for me. Each page has intricate and whimsical depictions that impressed an artist such as myself. Highly recommended!

In summary a young girl has to split her time between her mom and dad. This story communicates valuable messages through the positive interactions that the girl experiences with her parents separately. Most importantly the young girl knows that she is loved and that they will always be there for her.

A.S. Chung has really developed an engaging story for a difficult topic of divorce or separation through her use of rhyming words. The illustrations are just as charming and they help to emphasize the books messages.

A Brand New Day: A Banana Split Story is a well written and illustrated children's book, which I would recommend especially to families that are living through divorce or separation.

Rating: 5 Stars
Illustrations: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Crystal via Book Explosions

A brand new day is a very sweet children's book for kids who are going through a divorce. It puts a positive light on having to live between two households and shows that no matter what there is always someone there who loves them. The pictures are absolutely adorable, and I would definitely recommend this book for parents to read to their kids and help them understand that divorce doesn't have to be a bad thing.
 

A Brand New Day by A.S. Chung is a beautifully simple, light and fun story which illustrates the proverbial 'cherry on top' of being a part of a family split up by divorce or separation -- or in other words: A Banana Split Story that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Our hero skips, hops, laughs, plays and smiles through the days of the week spent at either her mother's house or her father's house. With her mother she gets to help in the garden, and play with her step brother, while at her father's house she spends her time helping dad to cook, and engages in imaginative activities like painting and reading picture books!

The illustrations are lovely, and clever. The absence of colour beyond pale pink accents throughout the pictures is thought provoking, subtly representing the main character's rosey disposition and positive outlook on life. What I liked best about the character is how she never presents herself as a victim and never seems to demonstrate self-pity the way some might assume the reaction of a child "suffering" the throes of divorce or separation to look like. Our hero does not succumb to such drama. She doesn't see herself as going through something rotten and terrible. Instead, she makes the best out of family life as it is. She is happy and grateful to have both parents present, even though they aren't together.

An e-book by A.S. Chung “A Brand New Day” is a sweet tale about a little girl who shares the fun activities and daily events when she visits her separated parents during the week, weekends and on holiday time.

The message throughout the book is one of positivity. Each parent takes turns parenting the little girl during various outings or tasks around the house. There is no direct reference to divorce or separation nor is either parent the “the bad guy” which is sometimes the case with divorce situations. The book focuses on the parent-child relationships and how both parents can be successful maintaining separate homes & connections within the family unit.

The book’s gorgeous illustrations by Paula Bossio, are set in only 2-3 colours and I thought that the author & illustrator were a perfect match as they both brought the character to life for me as a reader.

I enjoyed “A Brand New Day” and loved the whole concept of a positive and gentle outlook on divorce for kids.

Such a joyful book! A little girl's hugely upbeat and positive take on living in two homes after mum and dad's separation. Beautifully illustrated in simple, just gorgeous, drawings. Without saying it outright, this book shows how, from the child's point of view, love and attention given from both parents can heal any rifts caused in a kid's post-divorce/separation life - and how they can give the child the security and reassurance needed. A great book for both kids and parents.

The book’s written and illustrated in such a cheerful way, it takes out all the ugliness of divorce and puts a positive spin on it, turning it into an sweet, innocent children’s book. Very lovely.

A great story for any child, but especially for kids who get to have two homes due to their parents' divorce. Told in first person (which makes it more relatable) this is a little girl who spends her weekdays and holidays between her mom and dad's new homes. Cheerful and charming, this little book is a must in the library of any family who is going through a separation. The illustrations are insanely adorable and make this book even more enjoyable. I highly recommend it!

This was such a sweet story with a big message! Here we have a little girl who has divorced parents, and a step family. But she isn't sad, in fact far from it! She loves both of her parent’s very much, even her little step brother whom she calls cute. She treasure the time she has with both of parents. The vacations she spends with each of them, the things they do together. She doesn’t dwell on the fact that they are apart from each other, in fact she knows and understand this. But to her, they are always together, and will always be family of three.

Truly a beautiful story by A.S. Chung that can really help children, who might be struggling with this situation. This touching story is accompanied by tender illustrations. The illustrations in themselves, tell a story. Overall this is a wonderful gem for kids to read. Whether they are new to reading, or have been reading for years, this book is a wonderful read. Not mention it rhymes! What child doesn’t enjoy reading a story that rhymes?!

A Brand New Day: A Banana Split Story by A.S. Chung is a great book. Pick it up today, and you won’t be sorry.

A Brand New Day by A.S. Chung is a wonderful book that emphasizes the positive things of being with one parent at a time. This can be a very difficult time for a child, and I love the way the author handled this subject. The rhyming is cute and something that will definitely hold a child's attention. Job well done!!

A wonderful book about a little girl who has to divide her time between her mom's house and her dad's house.
It is well written and has a very positive outlook! The rhyming flows nicely and the illustrations are fabulous!
Loved it!

Cover: 5 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars
Storyline: 4.5 stars

Summary: A little girl enjoys time with both her Dad and her Mom, even though they are divorced and live in different houses. Most importantly, she knows they love her! A cozy, warm picture book.

Illustrations: The illustrations are so adorable, I want to squeeze them. Definitely 5 stars.
Storyline; With all the children in divorced families, it is a good theme to have them focus on the positive, like the girl in this story, and remember that their parents love them even though they live in different homes. Short text perfect for young children. 4.5 stars
Total: 5 stars

~Valerie Harmon, The Kindle Book Review
 

This is a very sweet story about all the good things that can happen when days are split up between Mum's house and Dad's house. Dad likes to cook, Mum likes to garden. The young narrator in this story gets to do both! Follow her through the seasons as she enjoys times with both of her parents, even though they are apart. This is a joyful story, filled with lovely, whimsical illustrations. It's a story that will help children to see that good things can happen even when your parents are no longer together.