Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends!

The summer is winding down. School has already started for some kids. And I’m thrilled to feature a picture book today that belongs in every preschool and early elementary classroom.

When I grew up, most kids I knew came from two parent families…a mom and a dad…and often, it was the dad who went out to earn money while the mom stayed home and took care of the children. But these days, there has been a tremendous shift in that cookie-cutter type family. We desperately need more books that portray the various family units that exist. Thanks to author Sara O’Leary and illustrator Qin Leng, we have the perfect one!

A FAMILY IS A FAMILY IS A FAMILY

Written by Sara O’Leary

Illustrated by Qin Leng

Published by Groundwood Books (2016)

Themes: families, diversity

Opening Lines: 

“We were talking about families at school. The teacher asked us what we thought made our family special. I went last because I wasn’t sure what to say. My family is not like everybody else’s.”

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways — but the same in the one way that matters most of all.

One child is worried that her family is just too different to explain, but listens as her classmates talk about what makes their families special. One is raised by a grandmother, and another has two dads. One is full of stepsiblings, and another has a new baby.

As one by one, her classmates describe who they live with and who loves them — family of every shape, size and every kind of relation — the child realizes that as long as her family is full of caring people, her family is special.

Why I like this book:

• Talk about diversity. Not only do we find a varied array of family units…we also find characters of all sizes, shapes, and colors!
• Very simple text will appeal to young listeners and early readers!
• The illustrations are fabulous!

Related Activities:

Popsicle Stick Puppets

Photo courtesy: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com

What a super bunch of Popsicle crafts for kids here! Take your pick of several that highlight the family. Why not help your child make a puppet for each member of the family and role play various situations. Let the fun begin!

You will need: Popsicle sticks, markets, scissors,  glue, photos of family members or construction paper to draw your own pictures.

For detailed instructions: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/58976/childrens-crafts-with-popsicle-sticks

Dear readers, thanks to author Sara and her publisher, Groundwood Books, we will have a giveaway of a copy of A FAMILY IS A FAMILY IS A FAMILY. (U.S. or Canadian addresses only). Please make sure you leave a comment to be entered. If you get to read the book, remember that reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads are the best gift you can give to an author. I just posted my review of the book on Amazon.

And hurry back tomorrow for a super Will Write for Cookies Q&A with author Sara O’Leary who is sharing awesome insights and an AMAZING Ginger Shortbread recipe with us…and oh, how I LOVE ginger!

Have a safe and happy weekend!