Families

by Shelley Rotner, Sheila M. Kelly

Overview

Big or small, similar or different-looking, there are all kinds of families.

Celebrate diversity with this picture book for very young children about the many faces of contemporary families. Bright photographs by National Geographic photographer Shelley Rotner capture families having fun together, enjoying all the ways they are similar and different. 

Some families have one parent, and some have two; some have aunts and uncles and grandparents living with them. Some have adopted children, some have children born to them. Whether they live all together or far apart, families love and care for each other.

Designed to showcase the wide variety of modern families and spur discussions about young readers' own family history, this beautiful picture book is a must-have for children beginning to learn about the world and the people around them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823435708
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	01/30/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	505,000
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Shelley Rotner is the award-winning author and photo-illustrator of more than thirty books. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Sheila M. Kelly is a clinical psychologist who practiced for thirty years in western Massachusetts. A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, she currently lives in Austin, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

"Families is truly a celebration of diversity. . . . [It] should find a place in day-care centers, preschools, libraries, and homes, as it provides adults with a vehicle to address the beauty of difference before youngsters begin to think it is a problem."—Booklist
 
"Vibrant photographs—especially action shots—will capture children's attention, build language skills, and, one hopes, start conversations."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"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. . . . A great way to introduce the concept of diversity among families."—School Library Journal
 
"This book emphasizes the importance of a strong family narrative formed through conversations between family members across generational lines. Illustrating the book with Rotner's always-amiable color photographs of families . . . strengthens this emphasis and showcases the diversity of experiences in contemporary family structures."—The Horn Book Guide

From the Publisher

03/01/2015
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. VERDICT A great way to introduce the concept of diversity among families.—Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Greenwich, CT

School Library Journal

2015-02-03
"We hope this book…will lead children and their parents to engage in conversation about their families."So begins this good-sized book, which is packed with photographs of families of many different sizes, shapes, ages and colors (although most wear casual clothing familiar to most American children). Bold, colorful type announces: "There are all kinds of families." Engaging photographs throughout complement a simple text that informs readers about differences—such as big vs. small; genders and generations of parents; adoption vs. birth children. Positive similarities follow, as families get together for celebrations and family members help one another out and enjoy activities together. Only childless families are excluded, but that can be forgiven by the book's noble, stated goal. Kelly adds an endnote to further encourage parents: "Recently, research psychologists have found that children who developed a strong family narrative from speaking with their parents about family history and hearing family stories, both good and bad, exhibited greater self-esteem…." As the photographs' emotional spectrum covers the tiny range from cheerful to exuberant, it's an open question whether this will encourage or inhibit truthful family-history revelations. However, the emphatic ending will certainly start a dialogue: "There are many different kinds of families. What about yours?" Vibrant photographs—especially action shots—will capture children's attention, build language skills and, one hopes, start conversations. (Picture book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews