Building Stepfamilies That Work©	

Great Books on the Stepfamily  

© Dr Bill Nodrick April 2007

	Bray, James and Kelly, John
Stepfamilies: Love, Marriage, and Parenting in the First Decade.
Broadway/Doubleday Dell Publishing, 1998 

This study found that different types of stepfamilies emerge over time that relate importantly to the choices a couple makes about the four basic tasks of stepfamily life: parenting, managing change, separating a second marriage from a first, and dealing with the nonresidential parent. 		
			
	Church, Elizabeth
Understanding Stepmothers: Women Share their Struggles, Successes and Insights. 
HarperCollins Canada, 2004 

"Moving beyond prescriptive, cookie-cutter how-to books, Understanding Stepmothers is like an empathetic and informative session with a hundred women friends —- all stepmothers —but with diverse expectations and experiences."		
			
	Keenan, Barbara Mullen
When You Marry a Man with Children.
Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster: New York, 1992 

A necessary read for women in the most challenging of all stepfamilies roles.		
			
	Lofas, Jeanette
Family Rules: For Stepfamilies and Single Parents.
Kensington, 1998 

Straightforward, no-nonsense house rules that make meals, bedtime, after school, activities, and even the busiest mornings orderly, predictable, and manageable. Designed for moms and dads, custodial and visiting parents, stepfamilies, and single parents. It incorporates essential lessons for making the house rules work.		
			
	Lofas, Jeanette
Stepparenting.
Kensington, 1995 

Techniques and tools Lofas has developed since 1975. Some of the issues are: how the stepfamily works and does not work, building couple strength, discipline, roles, rules, responsibilities, the prior spouse, time, money and manners. "The 'how to' on the stepfamily".		
			
	Lofas, Jeanette & Roosevelt
Living in Step.
McGraw-Hill, 1977 

Describes the issues from the points of view of all members of the stepfamily. This historic book was the first to state that step relationships have their own specific dynamics requiring specific stepfamily knowledge and solutions.		
			
	Norwood, Perdita with Wingender, Teri
The Enlightened Stepmother: Revolutionizing the Role.
Avon Books, New York, Avon Books, New York, 1999.  

A guide for stepmothers.		
			
	Ross, Julie A. and Corcoran, Judy
Joint Custody With a Jerk: Raising a Child With an Uncooperative Ex.
New York, St. Martin's Press, 1996 

A hands-on, practical guide to coping with custody issues that arise with an uncooperative ex-spouse.		
			
	Visher, Emily B. and Visher, John
How to Win as a Stepfamily, (2nd ed.)
Bristol, PA: Brunner/Mazel, 1991 
 
This revised edition offers more in-depth discussions of all the vital questions that arise during the adjustment process - from premarriage to remarriage.		
			
	Visher, Emily B. and Visher, John
Step-Families: Myths and Realities.
First Carol Publishing Group, 1990 

An overview of the stepfamily that explains the importance of understanding the special nature of the stepfamily and its differences from the nuclear family. A guide for anyone working with stepfamilies as well as anyone who lives in a stepfamily.		

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