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Family Varieties

Every family is special and vibrant in its own way

Family Varieties

This beloved classic celebrating all kinds of families is a perfect entry into the world of Todd Parr, and is now available as a board book! Some families have two moms or two dads. Some families have one parent instead of two. Some families live in a house by themselves. Some families share a house with other families. All families can help each other be strong! The Family Book celebrates families and all the different varieties they come in. Whether they're big or small, look alike or different, have a single parent or two, Todd Parr assures readers that every family is special in its own unique way.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 3179 votes, reviews

Todd Parr

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Being Yourself, Family Varieties

In the tradition of Uni the Unicorn and Gaston, this heartwarming and adorable debut picture book tells the story of a young unicorn who was born under the sea to a family of narwhals. Growing up in the ocean, Kelp has always assumed that he was a narwhal like the rest of his family. Sure, he’s always been a little bit different—his tusk isn’t as long, he’s not as good of a swimmer, and he really doesn’t enjoy the cuisine. Then one night, an extra strong current sweeps Kelp to the surface, where he spots a mysterious creature that looks just like him! Kelp discovers that he and the creature are actually unicorns. The revelation leaves him torn: is he a land narwhal or a sea unicorn? But perhaps, if Kelp is clever, he may find a way to have the best of both worlds. Told with heartwarming illustrations and spare, sweet text, Jessie Sima’s debut picture book is about fitting in, standing out, and the all-encompassing love of family.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 1831 votes, reviews

Jessie Sima

Family Varieties, Diversity

This fun and fascinating treasury features all kinds of families and their lives together. Each spread showcases one aspect of home life-from houses and holidays, to schools and pets, to feelings and family trees. Ros Asquith's humorous illustrations perfectly complement a charming text from the acclaimed Mary Hoffman; kids will love poring over these pages again and again. A celebration of the diverse fabric of kith and kin the world over, The Great Big Book of Families is a great big treat for every family to share.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 1040 votes, reviews

Mary Hoffman

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Ros Asquith

Family Varieties, Community

Influential artist Carson Ellis makes her solo picture-book debut with a whimsical tribute to the many possibilities of home. Home might be a house in the country, an apartment in the city, or even a shoe. Home may be on the road or the sea, in the realm of myth, or in the artist’s own studio. A meditation on the concept of home and a visual treat that invites many return visits, this loving look at the places where people live marks the picture-book debut of Carson Ellis, acclaimed illustrator of the Wildwood series and artist for the indie band the Decemberists.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 982 votes, reviews

Carson Ellis

Family Varieties

A rhyming, light-hearted celebration of the wonderful differences that make each family unique. A family can be Any kind of number Maybe there's one parent Strong like thunder This charmingly heartfelt board book is for families: families who cook together and families who sing together, families with lots of members and families with a special few, families who live together and families who live separately--for all families. Celebrate the differences that make each family unique and the similarities and love that connect us all together.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 353 votes, reviews

Dan Saks

Brooke Smart

Family Varieties

This engaging picture book celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of families—and no matter how different they may seem, the love that is shared is all the same. Every family is unique and special. Some families are made up of many people, and some are much smaller. Sometimes family members look like each other, and sometimes they don’t! From busy mornings before school to special times spent together, families engage in many similar activities. This engaging picture book celebrates the diversity of families around the world and explores the ways that family members support each other through good times and bad. Families may look different, but the love that is shared is all the same.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 307 votes, reviews

Patricia Hegarty

Ryan Wheatcroft

Family Varieties

Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson has written a poignant picture book about a little girl who waits hopefully for her father's release from prison. Only on visiting day is there chicken frying in the kitchen at 6 a.m. And Grandma in her Sunday dress, humming soft and low,... As the little girl and her grandmother get ready for visiting day, her father, who adores her, is getting ready, too. The community of families who take the long bus ride upstate to visit loved ones share hope and give comfort to each other. Love knows no boundaries. Here is a story of strong families who understand the meaning of unconditional love.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 99 votes, reviews

Jacqueline Woodson

James Ransome

Family Varieties, Foster Care

Calvin is in foster care, and he wants to trust someone, anyone, but is afraid to open his heart. He has lived in a lot of houses, but he still hasn’t found his home. When he moves in with Maggie, she shows him respect, offers him kindness, and makes him see things in himself that he’s never noticed before. Maybe this isn’t just another house, maybe this is a place Calvin can call home, for a while.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 90 votes, reviews

Lauren Kerstein

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Natalia Moore

Family Varieties, Grandparents

A celebration of all types of families and the bond that holds each one together: Love! This book includes a mirror so YOUR unique family will be reflected in the story. Work together to fill in the bonus family tree with the names of everyone you love. Families can be big, small, silly, adventurous, loud, or messy, but they all have love in common. I Love Us! is all about the little ways families show they care: breakfasts made, play times shared, hurts soothed, and good times celebrated. With a mirror surprise and fill-in family tree, this special book makes a wonderful gift for children and the people who love them on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day—every day!
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 67 votes, reviews

Luisa Uribe

Lovey Dovey, Diversity, Family Varieties

A lyrical story of parental love that celebrates and takes pride in the many shades of brown skin. Perfect for fans of I Am Enough, Hey Black Child, Hair Love, and Our Skin. When you ask me why your skin is brown, I will tell you that you are my favorite color. I will say that your skin was decided long, long ago. Time was just waiting for you. So begins a mother’s celebration of her children's brown skin, told through warm and vivid poetry. With sweeping descriptions of what brown skin means—it is the brawny bear whose paws know the ground of its home, the sequoia tree that reaches up and touches the sun, the glossy shell of roasted chestnuts—this is a book that empowers as it embraces, and that reminds young readers that they have shades of color that only they can discover and express. With beautiful, lyrical text by powerhouse poet Gillian Sze and vibrant, engaging art by illustrator Nina Mata, the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of LeBron James's I Promise, this is more than a story of love—it is a song that rings out for brown kids everywhere.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 5 votes, reviews

Gillian Sze

Nina Mata

Family Varieties

meaningful additions

Children learn and hear more than we think.  Books provide context for new and potentially confusing topics, and give caregivers a way to approach complex topics.

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