Book Category: Family Diversity

Books that honor the many different kinds of fathers, including gay fathers, transracial fathers, and fathers with disabilities.

How Do You Make a Baby Smile?

by Philemon Sturges
Illustrated by Bridget Strevens-Marzo

You make a baby smile by grinning like Papa Crocodile, or by acting like any of the other playful animal Papas and Mamas in this book for young children.  The animal fathers in this book share equal time with animal mothers, and are shown happily care giving and playing with their children.  The illustrations are bright and joyous, and this is an especially appropriate book for bedtime for little ones.

Excerpt:

So how do you make a baby grin?
Tickle the baby under its chin!
When baby yawns and nods its head,
Tuck the baby snug in bed.”

Read Other Reviews:

• Readkiddoread.com
• My Children’s Book Reviews
• Booking for a Look

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060760729
• ISBN-13: 978-0060760724

Michael Tolliver Lives

by Armistead Maupin

It’s been nearly twenty years since the last installment in Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City series, about the intertwined lives of Michael “Mouse” Tolliver and his friends and lovers in San Francisco.  Tales begins with the arrival of Mouse, a fresh-faced young gay man from Orlando, at the apartment building run by the colorful and eccentric Anna Madrigal in the mid-1970s.  In the ensuing six books Maupin chronicles Mouse’s life through the decades that follow, incorporating current events such as the Jim Jones massacre and the rise of AIDS. Although part of the Tales series, Maupin’s latest book is a standalone novel, with enough background given for each character that new readers won’t feel lost.

Lives takes place in the present day, and like the previous books shows how the wider culture that we live in affects our own lives, and how the political really is personal.  Michael, HIV-positive and not expected to survive long at the end of the previous novel Sure of You, is now 55 and still alive thanks to new antiretroviral drugs and now facing the reality of growing old despite the virus.  He’s found love again, this time with a man fully 25 years his junior, and was even married at San Francisco City Hall.  Through Michael we learn the fate of all the characters in the previous Tales books, and learn that life does go on for all of us.

Michael’s father never appears in this novel – he has passed away from prostate cancer – yet his influence still pervades Michael’s life.  It overshadows Michael’s relationship with his dying mother and his straight Christian brother, and pervades everything from Michael’s feelings towards his sissy nephew to his marriage to a much younger man.  Though not apparent on the surface, part of the story of Lives is about how a father’s influence can last our whole lives – for good or ill – and what it takes for us to step out from under it.  Lives also tells the story of Michael’s old friend Brian, now a single father and still an aging hippie who’s raised a bleeding-edge postmodern daughter now taking her first steps to independence.  This is not only a book about growing older, but also a meditation on the roles that fathers play in our lives and how critical they are in shaping who we become.

(Please be aware that this book does contain scenes of sexuality that, while not excessively graphic, may not be appropriate for all readers)

Read Other Reviews:

• Blogcritics Magazine
• book-ridden
• PopMatters
• NY Times Sunday Book Review

Product Details:

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060761369
• ISBN-13: 978-0060761363

Grandpa’s Town

by Takaaki Nomura

In this book, translated from the original Japanese edition, little Yuuta and his mother go to visit Grandpa in his town.  He has been living there alone since Grandma died, and they are worried that he is lonely there and want him to come live with them.  But Grandpa’s not very interested in the idea, and soon announces he’s off to the public bath and takes Yuuta with him.  Along the way and at the bath, Yuuta meets many of Grandpa’s local friends and realizes that his Grandpa isn’t really alone after all.

The illustrations in Grandpa’s Town are in a colorful style reminiscent of wood-block printing and depict daily life in a small Japanese town, a culture that will be largely unfamiliar to Western children.  The idea of a public bath in particular is sure to strike children as novel.  But the greatest strength of this book is in the relationship between Yuuta and his Grandpa, which is not overly expressive although Yuuta loves his Grandpa and his Grandpa is proud of him.  Rather, in the way of many men’s relationships, more is conveyed by the time spent together rather than by the words that are spoken.  “Quality time” is important but “Quantity time” is too, especially for boys and their male relatives, and Grandpa’s Town reminds us of this with great eloquence.

Excerpt:

Grandpa and I decided to take the long way home.  Trudging along slowly, slowly, I pushed Grandpa from behind.  “You aren’t alone after all, are you, Grandpa?” I said.  Grandpa looked back over his shoulder at me.  “Hmm hmm…” he agreed happily.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers (October 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916291367
• ISBN-13: 978-0916291365

We Belong Together

by Todd Parr

Todd Parr lends his distinctive picture book style to adoption in his latest book.  Every two or three pages, Parr writes “We belong together because …” and then fills in the blank in different heartfelt – and sometimes whimsical – ways.  The pictures show families of all different kinds (including same-gender and different color), and in a rare Author’s Note at the beginning, Parr encourages parents to change the pronouns in the text to fit their family.

This book doesn’t discuss the facts of adoption or even use the word “adoption”, but instead deals with the feelings behind adoption and wanting to be a family.  In this way, it deals with the essential truth of adoption better than any book that focuses on the facts of the matter.  This also makes it a good book for reading to very young adopted children who may not yet know the details of their adoption, and speaking as an adoptive father I was unable to read this book to my son without getting all choked up.

Excerpt:

We belong together because, you needed a home and I had one to share.

Read other Reviews:

• Teens Read Too

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; Library Binding edition (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316016683
• ISBN-13: 978-0316016681

Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding

by Lenore Look

Jenny’s uncle Peter is getting married in a big, traditional Chinese wedding and her entire family is happy about it, except for Jenny herself.  Peter is her favorite uncle, and she doesn’t want to lose him to his new bride Stella or to the pageantry of the wedding.  All through what should be a joyous celebration, Jenny is unhappy – like “an umbrella turned inside out” -  until she receives an unexpected gift that lets her know she’ll be an important part of Uncle Peter’s new life.

Like Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, this book is the story of a young girl’s worry about losing her favorite uncle to marriage.  But it’s also about the mixed joy and sadness that we all feel as our families grow and change.  Uncle Peter is at its most eloquent, almost poetic, when describing Jenny’s unhappiness in terms that even young children can understand.  And woven in between the story of Jenny’s feelings, we also get a glimpse of Chinese culture and how traditions can change over time.  That’s an awful lot to be packed into a little story, and this book is one that both adults and children may find more affecting than they first expect.

Read other reviews:

• Paper Tigers

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689844581
• ISBN-13: 978-0689844584

A Penguin Pup for Pinkerton

by Steven Kellogg

When Emily learns all about devoted Emperor penguin fathers at school, her Great Dane Pinkerton is inspired to begin caring for an egg himself.  Unfortunately, since a penguin egg isn’t available, the confused Pinkerton tries to hatch a football instead.  Hijinks and pandemonium ensue as Pinkerton attempts to care for his “egg” against all odds.  This is a “mom only” book, since Emily’s dad does not appear in the story (even at bedtime), and it is her Mom and Granny that Emily phones for help when the whole town begins chasing Pinkerton. On the other hand, Pinkerton is certainly a committed animal father, and an example of cross-species adoption as well.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803725361
• ISBN-13: 978-0803725362

Gay Dads - A Celebration of Fatherhood

by David Strah and Susanna Margolis

This book is a collection of twenty-four personal stories of gay men who have become fathers, primarily through adoption and foster-adoption, but also through surrogacy and co-parenting.  Told without embellishment and often in the words of the fathers themselves, the stories in this book will both warm your heart and break it.  The men profiled here are both partnered and single, and come from a range of backgrounds.  For all of them the road to fatherhood was beset with challenges large and small, and sometimes tragedy as well.  Yet all have faced not only the obstacles to becoming a gay father, but also the hard work of fathering once the children arrive. The candid photographs add a further dimension to these stories, and an extra sense of connection to these dads and their children.  Stunning in its honesty, Gay Dads is an inspirational book for gay fathers or anyone who believes in the power of fatherhood.

Read other reviews:

• Families Joined by Love

Product Details:

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (May 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585422312
• ISBN-13: 978-1585422319

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

by Lauren Thompson

This twist on “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly…” features a Papa who bakes an apple pie for his daughter, and all the things that went into baking it.  Simple and sentimental, this book helps teach an appreciation for the natural world and where our food comes from. Many of the pages contain only pictures, encouraging pre-reading children to participate in telling the story as well.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416912401
• ISBN-13: 978-1416912408

Families Like Mine

by Abigail Garner

All parents hope that they’re doing a good job of raising their children, but the truth is that they won’t know how well they’ve done until the children are grown.  This is what makes Families Like Mine such an invaluable resource.  This book surveys and candidly discusses the actual experiences of children raised by GLBT parents who have now become young adults.  Gay parenthood is an issue about which many people have opinions or theories – on both sides of the issues – yet no one knows what it’s like to grow up in a GLBT family except the children themselves. As Garner says in her Introduction “Questions [that people commonly asked about my family] … made me realize that the reality of my family and the common assumptions about families like mine were vastly different.”

This book deals with many of the topics that might be expected: “coming out” as the child of a GLBT family, homophobia, schooling, the impacts of divorce/separation and HIV/AIDS, and so on.  If these were the only topics covered this book would still be a valuable resource.  Yet Garner also discusses other issues that are not immediately obvious, such as the differing experiences of growing up gay (“Second Generation”) or straight (“Culturally Queer, Erotically Straight’) in a GLBT family, and what that means once you’ve become an adult.  If you grew up going to Gay Pride parades with your fathers, what happens when you grow up to be a straight man but still want to go to Gay Pride?  Along the way, Garner shows that understanding these issues also requires that we reexamine the meaning of ideas such as “culture” and “family”.

Families Like Mine is a useful book for those who want to better understand the reality of GLBT families.  But it’s an even more useful book for gay dads or other GLBT parents who want to know that their children’s lives will really be like, and what they can do to best help prepare them for the future.

Read other reviews:

• MetroWeekly
• mnartists.org
• The Rainbow Babies

Product Details:

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (April 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060527587
• ISBN-13: 978-0060527587

Gay Fathers

by Robert E. Barret and Bryan E. Robinson

First published in 1990, for many years Gay Fathers was the only book available on the topic of gay fatherhood.  In keeping with the times in which it was published, i.e., before the Gayby Boom, its primary focus is on gay men who become fathers through heterosexual marriages.  While it was slightly revised in 2000 with additional material to reflect the rise of adoption and other means of fatherhood, much of the material addressed by this book seems dated and irrelevant in these days of Out, Loud and Proud gay fatherhood.  Paradoxically, with gay men with children from previous heterosexual relationships now in the minority among gay fathers, this book has become a valuable resource for this relatively underserved group. With extensive material on issues such as disclosure, custody, separation and divorce, and dealing with wives and other family members, Gay Fathers has come full circle into relevance once again.

Product Details:

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; Rev Sub edition (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787950750
• ISBN-13: 978-0787950750

The Martian Child

by David Gerrold

When David decides to adopt a boy from foster care as a single father he’s prepared to deal with the boy’s ADHD, reactive attachment disorder and history of abuse … but he’s not expecting to hear that little Dennis also thinks that he’s actually a Martian. Fortunately for both of them, this David is David Gerrold, an accomplished science fiction writer best known for writing the Star Trek episode The Trouble with Tribbles, so a  boy with a fantasy of being a Martian isn’t going to be a problem. But as the pressures and demands of fatherhood mount, soon David begins to wonder … maybe it isn’t just a fantasy after all.

This is a true story about adopting from the foster care system and the process of trying to become a good father.  Gerrold is wholly honest without being brutal, depicting not only the realities of foster care and adoption but also the emotional challenges that are an everyday part of fatherhood.  Every father, regardless of how he is parenting, will recognize himself in the story of Gerrold’s journey.

Read other reviews:

• SF Signal
• Genre Go Round Reviews

Product Details:

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (June 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765306026
• ISBN-13: 978-0765306029

LIFE with Father

by the Editors of Life Magazine

This coffee table book presents photos of fathers (and grandfathers) sharing intimate moments together with their children.  While some of these pictures are exceptional because of their artistic composition, many more of them are striking because they show the deep emotion between fathers and children that sometimes only reveals itself in unguarded moments.  The photos are in both black and white and color, and their dates range from 1939 to 1994, emphasizing the timelessness of the father-child bond.  Fathers and children of all races are shown, and the brief captions describe both ordinary events and times of deep historical significance.  Many of the fathers shown are famous and widely-known, but the most evocative photos in this book are of the ordinary and anonymous fathers and grandfathers who stand for all of us.

Product Details:

• Hardcover: 90 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316526355
• ISBN-13: 978-0316526357

My Dad is Awesome

by Nick Butterworth

This simple book is all about an awesome dad who can do so many things, from running like a cheetah to telling the funniest joke in the world.  Two of the pages show dad with a mixed-race group of children, who could be seen either as his own family or just kids having fun with such an awesome dad.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (May 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564020339
• ISBN-13: 978-1564020338

I Love My Pirate Papa

by Laura Leuck

A little boy tells all about his wonderful pirate Papa in this whimsical rhyming book about their fun and exciting life together aboard a pirate ship.  The unusual illustrations will hold any child’s interest, and this book is sure to be a hit with any boy who loves pirates (and his Papa!).

Read other reviews:

• BookLoons Reviews
• Pirates and Privateers

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152056645
• ISBN-13: 978-0152056643

Hush, Little Alien

by Daniel Kirk

This book for young children is a parody of the song “Hush, little baby”, in which a Papa alien tells his child all the things he will get for them, from a shooting star to a real live astronaut! A fun and colorful book from the illustrator of Chugga-Chugga Choo Choo.

Read other reviews:

• The Inter-Galactic Playground
• shelfari
• Booklist Online

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; 1st edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805382
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805389

ABC A Family Alphabet Book

by Bobbie Combs

This alphabet book features two-dad and two-mom families, both in the illustrations and text.  The families are shown doing all of the things that families do, and children will find the humorous illustrations very amusing.

Read other reviews:

• ProudParenting.com

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Two Lives Pub (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967446813
• ISBN-13: 978-0967446813

And Tango Makes Three

by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

This is the true story of Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins living at the Central Park Zoo who not only pair-bonded, but also hatched and raised a penguin chick named Tango.  The book conveys Roy and Silo’s affection for each other as well as their desire to hatch an egg and their devoted parenting.  The Author’s Note at the end explains a few more of the details.   A touching story made stronger by the fact that it is true.

Excerpt:

In the middle of New York City is a great big park called Central Park.  Children love to play there.  It has a toy-boat pond where they can sail their boats.  It has a carousel to ride on in the summer and an ice rink to skate on in the winter.

Read other reviews:

• Out in Jersey
• Breeni Books

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (April 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689878451
• ISBN-13: 978-0689878459

123 A Family Counting Book

by Bobbie Combs

This appears to be a straightforward counting book, with one sentence for each number accompanied by wonderful artwork showing happy families in various settings.  Yet although not discussed in the text, the pictures depict all types of diverse families, including transracial and two-dad families.  A great book for showing diverse families celebrating family life just like all families, and for introducing what may be a sensitive concept to children as a subtext rather than by overt discussion.

Excerpt:

One family going for a ride.
Two houses with families inside.
Three books waiting to be read.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Two Lives Pub (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967446805
• ISBN-13: 978-0967446806

How My Family Came to Be: Daddy, Papa and Me

by Andrew R. Aldrich

The African-American child in this story tells about his family was formed when he was adopted by two Caucasian fathers.  The story is told in simple phrases and pictures, and has a very upbeat tone.  The book also mentions the many women who are involved in the child’s life.  For transracial two-dad families, this is the perfect book for talking about their family with their children in a positive and affirming way.  But it’s also useful for anyone else who wants to explain such families to their children in a straightforward and manner-of-fact manner.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: New Family Press (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974200808
• ISBN-13: 978-0974200804

Papa, Papa

by Jean Marzollo

Several different animal fathers are shown caring for their offspring in this board book for very young children.  What’s impressive is that all of the animals depicted (beavers, seahorses, etc.) are in fact exemplary animal fathers.  This type of zoological accuracy is rare for a children’s book, and provides the opportunity for discussions with older children about the many examples of exceptional fathers in the animal kingdom.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Board book: 15 pages
• Publisher: HarperFestival (September 19, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694012467
• ISBN-13: 978-0694012466

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding

by Sarah S. Brannen

Little guinea pig Chloe loves spending time with her favorite Uncle Bobby.  But when he announces that he is marrying his friend Jamie, Chloe is worried.  Will Uncle Bobby still have fun with her?  What will happen when Uncle Bobby and Jamie have their own children?  But after spending time with the two of them, Chloe decides that she’d like to have an Uncle Jamie as well, and soon she has become their flower girl and throws herself enthusiastically into preparations for the wedding.  A unique book that moves smoothly past the idea of Uncle Bobby and Jamie’s wedding, and focuses instead on Chloe’s feelings about her uncle getting married.

Read other reviews:

• Bay Windows
• Worth The Trip

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (March 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399247122
• ISBN-13: 978-0399247125

Dad, Jackie, and Me

by Myron Uhlberg

It’s 1947 and a boy and his dad are excitedly following the fortunes of the Brooklyn Dodgers and their star player Jackie Robinson, the first African-American player in major league baseball.  This book is a bit long for younger children, but it mixes the story of Jackie Robinson, a young boy’s love of baseball, life in Brooklyn in the 40’s, and the experience of growing up with a father who is deaf (and can’t play baseball besides).  The Author’s Note at the end explains the true parts of the story and explores the idea of overcoming prejudice.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree (March 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561453293
• ISBN-13: 978-1561453290

The Family Book

by Todd Parr

Books by Todd Parr (creator of the Discovery channel TV show Toddworld) are always about imparting positive messages to children, and this one is no exception.  All about the diversity of families, this book mixes the ordinary (“Some families look alike”) and the outrageous (“Some families look like their pets”) to reinforce the message that there are all kinds of families, including families which are transracial, adoptive, stepfamilies, two-dad, and single parent.  Most importantly, it stresses not only the differences between families but the similarities as well.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316738964
• ISBN-13: 978-0316738965

The Sissy Duckling

by Harvey Fierstein

By none other than the incomparable Harvey Fierstein, this book doesn’t pull any punches.  Elmer is a sissy duckling who is the target of bullying and scorn, and understood only by his Mama.  Even Elmer’s own Papa declares that “He’s no son of mine!”  But when Papa is shot by hunters and it’s up to Elmer to save him, Papa learns firsthand about his son’s true courageousness.  It’s disappointing and perhaps stereotypical that the father in this story is the intolerant parent who cannot accept his “different” son while the mother is accepting and shares a special relationship with him.  Yet it’s also sadly true that this is often exactly the case between fathers and sons, and The Sissy Duckling deals with this painful issue directly and honestly.  Not an easy read, this book nevertheless imparts an important lesson for both fathers and sons.

Excerpt:

Elmer was the happiest duckling in the whole forest.  He loved to build things and paint pictures and play make-believe.  He also enjoyed helping around the house and was especially fond of decorating cookies.  Yes, Elmer was one happy duckling doing all the things he loved to do.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (May 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416903135
• ISBN-13: 978-1416903130

One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads

by Johnny Valentine

In this short but engaging book, the imperturbable Lou answers his friend’s questions about his two dads, who both are blue. Since the story focuses on his dads’ “blue-ness” rather than their “two-ness”, it presents the idea of different families without focusing on the issue of sexual orientation. Lou’s answers about his dads are confident and matter-of-fact, and this book is a great tool for building self-esteem for kids in two-dad families. Lou’s answers

also serve to further showcase the many things that all dads can do, and the book ends with yet another surprise about dads from Lou’s friend Jean. Highly recommended.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books; Paperback edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555838480
• ISBN-13: 978-1555838485

Clifford’s Day With Dad

by Norman Bridwell

Everybody loves Clifford the Big Red Dog, and in this edition of the popular Scholastic series, Clifford goes to visit his father in the country. This is a fairly typical Clifford book, with an easily understood story and pictures, but two things make this book exceptional. The first is that it shows that Clifford and his father live apart, but that Clifford misses his dad very much and wants to be with him. The second is that it shows the differences between father and son, since Clifford’s dad is an ordinary dog of regular size who doesn’t look like him at all. There are underlying lessons here for children of divorced/separated dads or adopted dads, not to mention a starting point for a discussion with any child of growing up and leaving home. That’s quite an accomplishment for such a small book!

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cartwheel (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439410738
• ISBN-13: 978-0439410731

Why I Will Never Ever Ever Ever Have Enough Time to Read This Book

by Remy Charlip

The little schoolgirl in this story leads such a busy life that she will, never, ever, ever, ever have enough time to read her book (which is, cleverly enough, “this” book – the same book which you are reading). As she leads us through the many things she has to do during her day – from putting on mittens to calling all her friends to tell them that she is worried that she will never have enough time to read her book – her family members wander in and out of the story commenting and offering random bits of advice. Aside from her father, none of her other family members are named although they all live together in the same house.

The family is a wonderfully eclectic mix with members ranging from elders to a baby and including at least three different races, and the scenes where they sit down to a busy dinner together are a real joy to behold. This is a great book for showing the different shapes that a happy family can take – and for showing that dads can cook! – without belaboring the point.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582460183
• ISBN-13: 978-1582460185