Families

PreS-Gr 2—In this cheerful exploration of different families. Rotner and Kelly describe all kinds of familial units: those with only one parent or one child, those in which the parents and children resemble one another, those with members of different races, those with same and opposite sex parents, and those with adopted children. Winsome, clear photographs are accompanied by brief, large-font text. This celebration of differences is further enhanced by the inclusion of women in head scarves, a dad in a wheelchair, and multigenerational groupings. The individuals portrayed take part in a variety of activities—making music, building things, playing outdoors, and gardening—and an upbeat theme of unity runs through the entire book. Only one page presents a difficult aspect of family life, with a subtle reference to divorce: two photos of the same group of children sitting on different porches with each parent are accompanied by text that reads, "The people in a family may not all live in the same place." The book invites conversation with the closing question "What about yours?" Extend the discussion with Mary Hoffman's The Great Big Book of Families (Dial, 2011), which includes homeless families and information on family religious practices and customs.