The Family Book – October 1, 2003

The Family Book Hardcover – October 1, 2003
Author: Visit ‘s Todd Parr Page ID: 0316738964

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-As he did in The Mommy Book and The Daddy Book (both Little, Brown, 2002), Parr introduces children to an array of families. Whimsical illustrations featuring neon colors and figures outlined in black show big ones and small ones, and families that look alike and relatives who look just like their pets. The art features both human and animal figures; thus, pigs depict both a family that likes to be clean, and one that likes to be messy. Some families include stepmoms, stepdads, stepsisters, or stepbrothers; some adopt children. Other families have two moms or two dads, while some children have only one parent. Interspersed with the differences among families are the ways they are alike: all like to hug each other, are sad when they lose someone they love, enjoy celebrating special days together, and can help each other to be strong. This concept book celebrating the diversity of family groups is distinguished by its sense of fun.
Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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From the Back Cover

There are lots of different ways to be a family. Your family is special no matter what kind it is. Love, Todd

See all Editorial Reviews

Age Range: 3 – 6 yearsGrade Level: Preschool – 1Hardcover: 32 pagesPublisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (October 1, 2003)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0316738964ISBN-13: 978-0316738965 Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 0.8 x 10.5 inches Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Best Sellers Rank: #15,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #100 in Books > Children’s Books > Growing Up & Facts of Life > Family Life > Values #1078 in Books > Children’s Books > Humor #2502 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting
This book was a gift to my daughter and I from my stepsister, as much as a testament to her acceptance of me as her sister, as her acceptance of my daughter, who was adopted, as her niece. She couldn’t have given us a better gift.

But I have to be completely honest and say that, had I come across this book in the store, I would not have bought it. In fact the first time I read it to my daughter, I wanted to skim past the "some families have two moms or two dads" page.

I know my saying that might be hurtful for some, and I am truly, truly sorry.

Well, I didn’t skim past that page. I read it to my daughter. Again, and again, and again because guess what: this is her favorite book. And though she’s 18 mos old, she understands what is going on. She loves to wipe her hand across the "Some families like to be clean" page and she turns to hug me on the "All families like to hug" page. She places her finger to her mouth to shush when I say, "Some families like to be quiet." I didn’t teach her to do these things as we read along; this book just really engages her. Some day she’ll look at me quizzically and ask how it is that some people have two moms or two dads, and I’m going to tell her why: they just do. Like the other reviewer, I will admit that I had no intention of introducing my daughter to homosexuality at such a young age. Because, I was thinking about the sexuality part, not the love part. And the more I read this book to to her over and over and over, I am learning that when she has friends who have same gender parents, that is what I want her to focus on, the love part, because that’s what she thinks about when she sees her own mommy and daddy, nothing else. We became a family without any of that.
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