Was It the Chocolate Pudding? – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Was It the Chocolate Pudding?

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2005

76%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

A gentle picture book that tells young kids divorce isn't their fault—even if they did smear pudding on the wall.

Was It the Chocolate Pudding?

book

2005

76%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

A gentle picture book that tells young kids divorce isn't their fault—even if they did smear pudding on the wall.

4.5

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Screenwise Verdict

This isn't a book you read for fun—it's a tool for one of parenting's hardest conversations. And for that specific purpose, it does the job well.

The chocolate pudding hook is smart: young kids think concretely, so they really do wonder if spilling juice or fighting with a sibling caused their parents to split. This book gently but clearly says no, divorce is a grown-up problem, and includes definitions that help demystify scary new words like 'custody.'

The professional guidance for parents is a nice touch, and the 4.5-star rating suggests it actually helps families. But let's be real: this is a narrow-purpose book. If you're not dealing with divorce, you won't pick it up. And even if you are, it's one conversation in what will be many.

Solid resource for the right family at the right time, but not exactly a keeper for the general bookshelf.

Age Fit

Best for ages 3-7, when kids are concrete thinkers who might genuinely believe their misbehavior caused a divorce. Older kids typically understand causality better and may need different resources.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Directly addresses a difficult family transition with empathy and reassurance. The core message—that divorce is never the child's fault—is emotionally healthy and age-appropriate. Models understanding and validation of children's feelings during parental separation.

Imaginative

This is a therapeutic picture book with a specific educational purpose rather than an imaginative story. The chocolate pudding incident provides a concrete, relatable hook for young kids, but the book is primarily explanatory rather than creative or exploratory. It serves its purpose but doesn't invite much imaginative play or wonder.

Safe

Handles a sensitive topic (divorce) in a gentle, age-appropriate way specifically designed for young children. No triggering content, violence, or inappropriate material. The book includes professional guidance for parents (written by a PsyD) to help them support their children through this transition. Almost universally safe, though the topic itself is emotionally heavy.

Enriching

Provides meaningful emotional education about divorce, joint custody, and single-parent homes. Helps children process complex feelings and dispel guilt. The afterword for parents adds practical value. Strong 4.5/5 Amazon rating suggests it genuinely helps families navigate this difficult conversation. However, it's narrowly focused on one specific life situation.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tackles the 'it's my fault' guilt that many young children feel during divorce with a concrete, relatable scenario
Written with professional psychological input (afterword by Jane Annunziata, PsyD) to help parents understand their child's experience
Provides age-appropriate definitions of custody, separation, and other divorce-related terms that confuse little kids
Solid 4.5/5 rating from parents who've used it suggests it genuinely helps families through tough conversations

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What to Watch For

This is a therapeutic tool, not a fun bedtime story—it's for families actively dealing with separation or divorce
The topic itself is emotionally heavy, even when handled gently; expect questions and feelings
Best used as a conversation starter with follow-up discussion, not as a one-and-done read

Conversation Starters

"Do you ever worry that things are your fault when grown-ups have problems?"
"What do you think the boy in the story was feeling when his parents told him about the divorce?"
"Is there anything you've been wondering about our family that you want to ask me?"
"What helps you feel better when you're worried or sad about something?"

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