The Divorced Kids Club is an unfortunate title for this collection, implying a high level of angst that is thankfully not delivered. Very few of the characters in these stories are the children of divorce. In fact, for Kathleen, protagonist of the title story, her parents’ separation is temporary. However, some of these kids do get into trouble. The unnamed protagonist of “The Sand Sifter” has to do community service after his best friend openly shoplifts. In “Bush Boy,” Jamie is chased by an angry, machete-toting marijuana grower after being duped by a friend. In “Mrs. Galoshers,” Jeremy’s family is downsized to a small farming community far from the city they love.

But in these stories, redemption often comes through work. The boy in “The Sand Sifter” learns to appreciate the skill of the taciturn stonemason he’s forced to work with. In “Mrs. Galoshers,” Jeremy, his mother, and their grumpy elderly neighbour all benefit from the different talents each has. In “The Entertainer and the Entrepreneur,” Tracy finds that different can be okay. “Cabin Fever” is a haunting story, both for the ghostly stranger that comes to claim Annie Lee when a spring flood strands her alone in a cabin, and for the depth of Valgardson’s portrayal of Annie Lee’s struggle for sanity and contentment.

Valgardson is an established writer of literary fiction who authored the picture book Sarah and the People of Sand River. A few such writers will dabble in children’s literature, but it is extremely rare for one to cross over and make a serious contribution. But, with this thoughtful, well-crafted collection, Valgardson has shown himself to be one of that rare breed.