Talking about families is pretty standard in most early childhood classrooms, especially this time of year. While I love The Family Book by Todd Parr I wanted to encourage you and myself to break from the familiar and read and use other family books in our classrooms. I decided to compile this huge list of 50 family books for PreK. I have divided this big booklist about families into five sections; books about parents and children, books about families with and expecting new babies, books about grandparents, books about siblings, and general books about families. I hope this family booklist is helpful for you as you lesson plan. If you need more ideas about family activities, check out more here and of course, my Families Mini-Thematic Unit too.
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Books About Parents & Children
Dad and Pop: An Ode to Fathers and Stepfathers by Kelly Bennett is a simple but powerful book about a little girl with two dads. One is her biological father and the other is her stepfather. She compares and contrasts them, but in the end, the fact remains they both love her. This book doesn’t go into custody agreements, how old the little girl was when she met her now stepfather, or why her parents divorced because that’s not what this book is about. This book is about bonds between a child and the men who love her. If your child isn’t familiar with families that include step-parents, this is a good book to explain them.
My Father’s Shop by Satomi Ichikawa is a funny story about Mustafa, who is supposed to be learning new languages with his father so he can learn how to sell rugs to tourists at his father’s shop in Morroco. Only Mustafa is off on his own adventure. Wearing an old rug with a hole in it, he goes through the market and attracts the attention of a rooster and a whole gaggle of tourists. In the end, Mustafa learns some new words but not the ones his dad was planning on teaching him. This is a funny book your kids will love.
Papa, Daddy, and Riley by Seamus Kirst is an important book not so much because it has two dads, but because it tackles how mean children can be especially when they have a narrow view of the way things work. Riley goes to school and is confronted by a classmate who says only one of her dads can be her REAL dad. In the end, Riely’s dad helps her understand that families are all different in so many ways not just if they have two dads. No family is more valid than the other because what makes a family is love, not some arbitrary definition. The beautiful illustrations by Devon Holzwarth bring this multi-racial family, to life page after page.
My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck is more my kind of monster book for kids. Imaginative illustrations by Mark Buehner kept my little man pointing out spiders, bats, and owls and he loved counting the extra eyes and arms on the monsters. The story is really sweet too. It’s all the things a mama monster does throughout the day with her little monster. It’s got a good message about how love can be an action as well as a feeling!
Mama’s Saris by Pooja Makhijani is a simple yet rich story about a little girl and her desire to dress in her mama’s clothes. I think I would be hard-pressed to find a woman who doesn’t remember watching in awe as her mom got dressed for a special event and wanted to dress just like mama. The narrator is Hindu, and her mama wears a sari for special occasions. She is stubbornly trying to get her mom to let her wear one for her 7th birthday. The illustrations are beautiful, especially the jewel tones of the various saris. This book would be a great one to read before playing dress-up or pretend play. The story is touching, and although it’s too long for toddlers, it’s a great book for preschoolers.
I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt is a wonderful mushy book that will appeal to kids that aren’t so into mush. A little boy in his PJs asks his mom if she will still love him even if he was a series of terrible monsters. It reminds me of “The Runaway Bunny” but is less saccharine and creepy. Sorry if I have just called your favorite book creepy, but I’ve never been a fan of “The Runaway Bunny.” Back to this book and why I like it, I love that the little boy in the book keeps trying to find ways to make him unlovable, and the mom keeps finding ways to love unconditionally. There is a deeper meaning here, and moms will see past the fun illustrations to the real heart of this book, which is no matter what we love our children. When I found this in a thrift store and read it quickly, I couldn’t look at my son in his stroller throwing puffs on the floor without tearing up.
Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn is one of my daughter’s absolute favorite books ever. She named her first baby doll after the title character, that is how much she loves her. In this book, Lola goes to the library with her dad and all week long, reads and acts out the stories she found on Saturday. I love that the author has Lola going with her dad alone. So often in books, you don’t see this, it’s either Mom alone or the whole family. I also love how books are portrayed as a launchpad for pretend play.
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman was widely banned when it was first released and is still challenged today, along with many of the other books on this list. It is probably the best-known picture book about a family with same-sex parents because it is one of the very first. When you read it, the first thing you will probably think is that it doesn’t live up to the banning. I always imagine banned books being horribly offensive or graphic, and this book is about a family with a doctor, a carpenter, and their daughter. Heather is starting a new school, and she is nervous and exploring all the possibilities of what a family looks like, just as her classmates are. She recognizes that her family is different but not less than. The new edition has wonderfully colorful illustrations as is a significant improvement on the black and white ones from the previous versions.
Hike by Pete Oswald is everything a book should be. It tells a story with just the right amount of words. Few words are needed because as the father and child hike together; you get the idea that they are listening and exploring nature without speaking too much. Readers get to tag along with the pair as they wake up, prepare for their hike, drive, hike, plant trees, rock climb, and soak in the awesomeness of the outdoors before returning home. I love this book, I am so happy it’s part of my collection. It not only celebrates the outdoors it celebrates fatherhood too. Three cheers to a job well done, I can’t find anything I don’t like about this book.
My Maddy by Gayle E. Pittman is another great book from an important author. This book is about a child and their Maddy, a parent who is non-binary, though in the author’s notes it goes on to explain that the parent is more specifically intersex. The story itself is magical in that it finds situation after situation in every day child/parent interactions and life where things aren’t all one thing or all the other. This is of course to present how life really isn’t as binary as we make it out to be, and neither are people. Great book to learn more about what non-binary means for people and life in general.
Stella Brings The Family by Miriam B. Schiffer is a charming book that my daughter immediately wanted to read again once we finished. In the book, we meet Stella, who has two dads and no mom to bring to the Mother’s Day party at her school. She frets about it and then decides to bring all the people who fill that role in her life. What I love about this book is that it doesn’t ignore that there are always bumps along the way for families that don’t fit the rigid norms that we so often uphold. This book does a great job of talking about it, recognizing Stella’s feelings, and finding a solution.
Gift for Amma; Market Day in India by Meera Sriram is the last color book on this list, but like the others, it’s wonderful. A little girl goes to the market to find a gift for her Amma. She explores all kinds of things while noting their rich colors. I like that the words used for the colors aren’t just basic like red or brown but rather vermillion and terracotta, for example. This is a book about colors for older children and is perfect for Prek-Kindergarten. Many group lessons could be created after reading this book, from pretend play markets to beading to color vocabulary lessons. I love it when good books spark lessons like this one can!
Papi’s Gift by Karen Stanton is about a little girl who is sad that her Papi will not be able to come home to Mexico for her birthday. He has been forced from their home country by drought and is a migrant worker in the United States, earning money to send back home. This book not only opens up the discussion about parents being away for the good of the whole family but also about migrant workers and why many flee their home country.
A Chair for My Mother 25th Anniversary Edition (Reading Rainbow Books) by Vera B. Williams is another classic mom book, and it deserves to be called that. A sweet story that includes three generations of women who are all working hard to save money to replace furniture lost in a fire. The comfy chair they are planning to buy really represents the comfort and safety they are trying to rebuild in their new home after such tragedy. I love the sense of collective good in this family, in our “Me me me!” world I like seeing books like this.
Books About Families with and expecting New Babies
Supersister by Beth Cedena wasn’t full of x-ray vision or superpowers either but my son adored it. Kids are unpredictable. This story though is sweet and also has a little bit of mystery to it, which upon reflection could be one reason why my son liked it so much. Supersister is a little girl who is brave and helpful demonstrated by how she lovingly ties her mom’s shoes for her before zooming off to school. Okay so I preach about pre-reading books, but rarely do it, and reading this I was so worried the mom was going to be in a hospital bed and that’s why she needs her daughter to tie her shoes. I lean towards the dramatic so I doubt you’d even be thinking that and my son didn’t either. Nothing tragic has happened to mom, she is just very very pregnant. Supersister is practicing her role as a caregiver and older sister! My son loved that since he takes his still fairly new role of big brother very seriously. Cute book for new siblings especially!
Julius, the Baby of the World is such a funny book that I actually called my mom the day I bought it to read it to her over the phone. The book is about Lily who is adjusting to her new role as a big sister. The thing is Lily isn’t adjusting well, and it’s hilarious because it’s so true! So often books depict older siblings happily welcoming babies into their lives and that just isn’t always the case. Lily is not happy. She, unlike her parents, do not think this baby is special and she is openly hostile to Julius.
I laugh out loud every time I read this book. I particularly love when Lily tells a passing pregnant mouse that she will regret being pregnant. This book opens the floor for a real talk about feelings when a new baby comes. It’s important to remember just because the big people are excited doesn’t mean the little ones are too!
Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio is one family’s auto-biography, and that family has two dads and a son who came into their lives in a very unusual way. I don’t want to spoil the story but when a baby is found abandoned in a New York City subway station, the man who found him and his partner ache to be part of this baby’s life. Ultimately a family is formed and thrives despite some obstacles along the way. It’s a story about love that will make you tear up reading.
What I like about this book is it gives adults a chance to talk to children about how hard it was and in many places, still is for gay couples and other LGBTQ+ adoptee parents to go through this process. While it wasn’t as hard as Peter or Danny expected it to be, in this story, that is very much centered as an anomaly. I feel like so many attitudes are regional. I know my own kids found it amazing that two dads or two moms would have any trouble adopting since we live in a place where same-sex parents aren’t as openly discriminated against. This is why no matter what the climate is, books like this help to open dialogs about systemic oppression and the need for continued advocacy so all families can thrive.
Back into Mommy’s Tummy by Thierry Robberecht made both my son and I laugh hysterically, mostly because it was incredibly relevant to us. When we first read this book, I was very pregnant with my now 3-year-old daughter. In the book, a little girl asks to go back into her mommy’s belly for her 5th birthday. She wants to stay close to her mom. Never have to go to school. Stay up as late as mom does and even tells her mom if she wants to see her she can go get an ultrasound and she’ll wave hello.
The absurdity is awesome, and the sentiment is bang on. Later in the book, we discover that mom is expecting. She asks if her daughter is worried about her loving the new baby more. I love how the author and illustrator Phillippe Goossens use humor to get to the heart of it all. My son was incredibly attached to me at the time of reviewing this book. It really opened up a great dialogue about having to share my snuggles and love.
Baby on the Way by William Sears MD, Martha Sears RN, and Christie Watts Kelly was the best baby book we found many years ago when I was expecting my second child. It explains much of pregnancy from nausea, to aching feet and even nesting. It also describes labor in a really kid-friendly and nonintimidating way. I love that it explains that in Mommy’s belly is a baby holder called a uterus. Explaining contractions, that others will likely be taking care of them for a little while and what Mommy is doing when she is not with you is all really useful. It also goes on to explain what babies will do. Such as nursing, crying, and what that funny crinkled thing is on its belly! The book also offers many resources for expectant parents.
Family Books About Grandparents
Grandmas’s Tiny House; A Counting Story by JaNay Brown Wood is the most adorable story turned into a rhyming counting book. The story is about Grandma’s little house where friends and a growing family all come, with food in hand, to be together. Will the household everyone? The text is JUST the right length for preschool circle time. Plus, the rhyming makes it a fun read for one or many listening kids. The illustrations by Pricilla Burris make me one part hungry, and the other part all happy inside as the love this Grandma has for her family jumps off every page.
Sometimes It’s Grandmas and Grandpas: Not Mommies and Daddies by Gayle Byrne is a wonderful book about grandparents who are raising their granddaughter. There is no long drawn out explanation about where her parents are, or what led to her grandparents having custody and I don’t think there needs to be. They are her parents, love her, snuggle her, read with her, and love her just like any parents. She does wonder about her parents and shows signs of feeling different but the security and love her grandparents provide overcome those insecurities. The author’s note at the back of the book explains that she herself is raising her grandchild and offers more resources for grandparents who are primary caregivers as well.
A Day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell is a sweet book about children spending the day searching for edible plants with their grandmother, Yayah, and other elders. As they search and learn about the plants they find, they are also learning more about their Nlaka’pamux language. Many words are dispersed throughout the text. There is a guide at the back of the book for proper pronunciation. The story is all about learning how to be respectful to the land paying attention to what they are gathering, and what they don’t want to gather.
I love how this book focuses on the transmission of knowledge of Nlaka’pamux as well as the plants from grandmother to children. Something that was stolen from generations of Indigenous people in Canada and the United States through residential schools and the 60s scoop. The illustrations by Julie Flett could all be framed, each and every one, they are masterpieces. The text is quite long, but save this title for your students or children when they are capable of sitting a little longer, you don’t want to miss it.
Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman is one of those books that you read and think oh I love it, but will kids? I am here to tell you yes! They love this old Yiddish folktale about a little boy, his very special blanket, and his grandfather who made it for him. Over the years Joseph’s blanket transforms into a jacket, a vest, a tie, and handkerchief, and finally a button. The story is beautiful, and kids love not only the repetitive text when the grandfather is sewing but also the continuing storyline of the mice that live under the floorboards who use the scraps of material for all sorts of things. There are no goofy gimmicks, no lights or sounds just a great story and beautiful illustrations in this gem! A fantastic book about family and growing up.
Bindu’s Bindis by Supriya Kelkar is a sweet story about a little girl named Bindu and her Nani. Nani lives far away in India and sends her granddaughter beautiful bindis to wear. They come in all kinds of shapes and colors. Bindu wears them proudly, and when her Nani comes for a visit, they even match them! That’s not all there is to this story though, and it’s more than just a book about shapes and grandmothers. It touches on xenophobia and cultural pride as well in very organic and sensitive ways. Bindu and Nani each have times when they need the other’s strength to get through hard situations.
Drawn Together by Minh Lê is perfection. The story starts about the generational and cultural disconnect, but like in real life, all you need to make a good connection is one shared passion. Soon this grandfather and grandson discover that they don’t have to eat the same food, watch the same TV shows or even speak the same language to bond. All they need is to draw! Illustrations by Dan Santat weave this touching story together perfectly.
Julian Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love is a world I want to live in where women and children and even chihuahuas can be mermaids if they please, they just need the costume. In this story, a little boy who LOVES mermaids is on the metro with his Abuela and sees women dressed as mermaids, and his imagination runs wild. When he gets home, he transforms himself into a mermaid while his Abuela is busy. When his Abuela interrupts, she thinks he may be in trouble, heck we all believe he may be in trouble, but the end is far from it. While this book doesn’t overtly address the LGBTQ community the experience of showing a loved one who you are and worrying that they may reject that speaks to the topic as does the fact that Julian is going against gender stereotypes as he dresses like a mermaid. This book is easily one of the best books I have read that celebrates a child’s true self, and I read a lot of picture books! GO, buy it now!
Grandpa Grumps by Katrina Moore is an absolutely adorable book about a little girl, Daisy, and Yeh-Yeh ( Grandpa). He’s visiting from China and trying to get to know each other. Only he’s kinda grumpy. It takes time but eventually, they connect, and he even laughs! I don’t want to give away too much of this wonderful story, about a little girl and her grandfather, just trust me, it’s delicious!
Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena is an award-winning book that deserves every award it gets. The story is simple. A little boy and his Nana take the bus after church to a shelter. There they help serve food to people living there. The inclusiveness comes in how Nana speaks to CJ her grandson about all the different people they encounter on their journey. She models how to be part of a diverse community that not only accepts but celebrates everyone.
The Falling Flowers by Jennifer B. Reed. The story is very sweet; it’s about a grandmother taking her young granddaughter on a surprise outing in Tokyo. It turns out that she is taking her to see the cherry trees in full bloom, just as her grandmother had done with her. It’s a nice look at the softer side of Tokyo, a city I know I always imagine as only steel, cement, and neon lights!
Pop Pop and Me and a Recipe by Irene Smalls is a sweet little book about the bond between a boy and his grandfather and their love of baking, especially Lemon Bar Cake. This is a fun book to read for circle time because the text is not only written in rhyme, but the words are action words that keep young kids engaged. After reading this book it’s the perfect time to bake and practice the patience that the grandfather made look so easy in the story.
A Plan For Pops by Heather Smith is a great example of a book that includes an inter-racial gay couple but is about other issues entirely. In this story, a little boy spends his Saturdays with his grandparents, Grandad and Pops, and when Pops falls and needs to use a wheelchair from now on, things change. The sorry is really about change and watching our loved ones get older. It just happens to have two grandfathers in it. I cried reading this, maybe quarantine was getting to me, or maybe it’s refreshing to see affection between a man and his grandson as they navigate change to their family. This is a really lovely book. The reason books like this are important is because every book that includes LGBTQ+ characters shouldn’t be about LGBTQ+ issues. Just the same way every book with a Black protagonist shouldn’t be about race. It’s important to have both and show that everyone, no matter their identity, is complex and has so many parts to their identities.
A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts is all about an intergenerational family immigrating from Korea to West Virginia and the struggles that come with immigration. It particularly tells the story of how a grandmother goes from being a confident and respected teacher to staying at home and struggling with those changes. Throughout, you can see the love through the struggles, and the illustrations by Hyewon Yum make sure of that. In time though, they all find their way, learn to communicate, and find confidence again.
Gabby and Grandma Go Green by Monica Wellington is another wonderful book from one of our favorite authors. In the book, Gabby and her Grandma spend a day together dedicated to going green. First making a great reusable bag and then they use it all around town. When they go to the library, it is portrayed as the way to go green as well as a place to learn more about environmental efforts. Also showing ways to make a difference at the grocery store is perfect for young kids who are often tagging along with parents on these errands. I can’t end the review without also mentioning the baby sibling who is sleeping in a sling at the end of the book. I love seeing babywearing in books! This is a great environment-themed book that works all year round not just for Earth Day.
Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate I love this book, I love this book for transporting me back to childhood roaming in my Grandpa’s garden, looking at his treasures from traveling in the basement, staring at his camper knowing unlike the girl in this story I was not allowed to go in it. This book is so special the author/illustrator has an amazing talent for pinpointing the emotions we feel as we remember those we love who are no longer with us. The love celebrated in this book is something special. It just happens to be two men’s love story being told to their granddaughter. Go get this book. You won’t regret it.
Preschool Books About Family Focused On Siblings
Stellaluna by Janell Canon has long been a favorite when teaching about bats. I will warn you it’s a little long for fidgety toddlers but they will still enjoy it even if you skip a few pages. The story follows a little bat who loses her mother and is adopted into a family of birds. Now she has a bunch of siblings. Unfortunately, Stellaluna never really feels like she belongs even though she likes her bird family. That’s not the end though, there is a surprise reunion and Stellaluna saves the day before the end of this book.
I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed (Charlie and Lola)by Lauren Child is a story about Lola who will not go to bed easily. Charlie her older brother has been asked to help his parents and get her to bed and Lola makes him work for it. She is full of imaginative ways to stall the inevitable and Charlie plays along all the while trying to stay one step ahead of his little sister. Kids love Charlie and Lola because they are absurd and funny and if you can read it to them in a British accent it’s even funnier.
Shelia Rae, The Brave by Kevin Henkes In this story, Sheila is a brave little mouse. He even taunts her little sister Louise calling her names when she isn’t as brave as her. However, soon the tables are turned. When Shelia gets lost, it’s her very own scaredy-cat sister who shows bravery. I think a lot of younger siblings can relate to this story, I know I can. Having an older sister who, very much like Shelia, is the natural leader among the two of us. It’s nice to see the little sister saving the day for once.
That Summer by Tony Johnson. I read this at the library alone, knowing that my then 3-year-old wasn’t ready for a book about death quite yet. I didn’t even try to conceal my tears. Not even crying, I was sobbing. The book is about the summer when one little boy watches his brother Joey get sick and die from cancer. The author does a masterful job at relating grief and the sadness of watching someone you love and don’t expect to die, get weak, and leave you. As Joey’s condition worsens, he learns to quilt and ultimately, it’s his brother who finishes his quilt.
I can’t rave about this book enough. It simply makes the reader get it, as much as you can, without ever living this particular nightmare. The line that haunted me was: “I learned a lot that summer – how to grin when your heart is in shreds…”. That was the line that forced me into the “ugly cry”.
Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan is a wonderful story about how many first-generation immigrant children often have to follow the rules that their parents set out for them, even if they don’t fit the cultural norms of their new country. In this, Rubina is invited to a birthday party, and her mother doesn’t understand that only she is invited and forces her to take her little sister. Things do not go well, but in the end, the family adjusts to how birthday parties are celebrated in their new country, but not without some bumps.
Sam Is My Sister by Ashley Rhodes-Courtier is a fantastic book. As soon as I read my copy, I had to tweet a thank you to the author. This story is such an honest portrayal of a loving family navigating changes brought on by a child who is discovering how to express their true self. I love the relationships in this book, the brothers who are adjusting while also standing up for Sam, the mom who is supportive all along, and Sam, who gently but assuredly knows she is a girl. The illustrations by Mackenzie Haley are cheery and help to make this story stand out. I love this book and think it’s one of the best books about a trans child out there!
Sumo Joe by Mia Wenjen is adorable. In full disclosure, Mia is an acquaintance, but in fuller disclosure, I wouldn’t promote this book if I didn’t think it was awesome. I am also pretty sure she sent it to me free… disclosures aside, it’s a really sweet book. The rhymes are fun, though a little choppy at times, the story is spot on. Three friends are practicing Sumo wrestling at home when Joe’s little sister barges in with Aikido! I especially appreciate the glossary at the end to help readers learn more about Sumo wrestling and Aikido after the story.
Books About All Kinds of Families
Love Makes A Family by Sophie Beer is a sweet and simple board book that is perfect for any toddler and preschool class. The book has a simple sentence on every page about what love is like chasing away monsters, baking a cake, reading together with all different family structures represented including same-sex and interracial couples. The important part of this book is that every family is shown as a loving norm. There is no long explanation, or any for that matter, or pointing out that this family might be different from yours, just a bunch of families doing their thing. Great for any classroom!
ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs is a great alphabet book that doesn’t aim to explain same-sex families; it just includes them. There is no mention of specifics because the families in this book are just families. We never explain heterosexual couples and families, so this is a powerful way to normalize all different family structures. The book goes through all the different things families do together, and there is a big mix of same-sex parents, single parents, and bi-racial families all doing their thing… being families together!
Deep in The Sahara by Kelly Cunnane is a beautiful story of a little girl who so wants to wear a malafa, the colorful cloth that her aunt, cousin, grandmother, and mother wear in public. She notes its beauty, how it moves in the wind, how she wishes to be a lady in one soon, but in the end, it is when she tells her mother that she wishes to wear it to pray like her mother that her mother wraps her in one and they pray together. This is a beautiful book. The illustrations by Hoda Hadadi are stunning. And the intergenerational story of a loving family in West Africa will resonate with you no matter what faith you may or may not practice.
Feast for 10 by Catherine Falwell is one of my new favorite books. It is a counting book that also tells a wonderful story. It follows a family as they prepare a big family meal. They shop, prepare, cook, eat and clean it all up together. As I prepare many lessons about family traditions and special celebrations I will absolutely be using this book in my PreK class.
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard celebrates baking together and learning more about where and why fry bread exists. Food is such an integral part of every culture and this book shines a light on that while introducing readers to all the things that it can represent. It’s not just bread. I grew up in Canada calling Fry Bread by another name; Bannock Bread. I learned about it by making it during school units about Indigenous history and culture. I wish I had had this book as a small child to have a much fuller view and understanding of what my teachers were trying to teach. Do not miss the author’s notes because there is so much more to the story, try to read this first before exploring the book with young children so you can better explain each part of the story.
A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary is a fantastic all about me book because families are part of who we are! This book starts with a child nervous to talk about their family because it’s not like everyone else. Soon as all the students share things that make their families unique, the child sees all families are different, but they are all families. I love that what the children share about their families isn’t the label most adults would put on the family in the illustration, which is a great gut check for our own biases. It labels the same-sex family as “Both my moms are terrible singers.” instead of “I have two moms.” This is a much more inclusive way to present families, not to mention more natural. It includes many different family structures from same-sex parents, to single parents, big families, families with a new baby, interracial families, families with divorced parents, families with foster children, and more.
Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis Root is hilarious especially if you start the night in the bed alone or with your partner and wake up with the whole family in your bed. The family in the book goes to sleep all in their own beds. As the night wears on, each child comes into their parents’ bed. When the dog does, the bed simply can’t hold. When we read this many years ago my kids liked this book but I loved it. It spoke to me. Especially the bit about the dad sleeping through each child waking up and the mom welcoming them with open arms. That was our family exactly. for many many years. You will all giggle at the funny sleeping positions too.
Room for Rabbit by Roni Schooter is a really beautiful book about divorce a little while after the initial breakup. In it, Kara’s dad has remarried and now new anxieties and feelings of not having a place in this new marriage have cropped up. This book is a lovely and in-depth look at feelings that accompany a parent’s remarriage after a divorce. The target is preschool but the text is pretty lengthy for kids under 5. If you need to, read ahead and edit for length. The illustrations and the story are great, even if the text is a little long for the intended audience.
We Are Family by Ryan Wheatcroft is an excellent book about a whole bunch of different families. The text is merely talking about all the things that make up a family, all the things that families do, how they help each other, stick together when things are tough, and play together too! It talks about how different families can be and how one family may be very different from another. The magic of this book is really in the illustrations which show a diverse group of families page after page doing completely mundane family things. There is a family with two dads and one with two moms as well as a handful of other types of families. I love this book because family is a topic that all children can relate to and learning that families are diverse is a great way to learn that the world is.
This is Our House by Hyewon Yum is a book I use often in my preschool class. The story is a simple and familiar one about the generations of a family that have lived in a house, but it is perfect for getting preschoolers to talk about their families. Who lives in your house? How has your house changed as you have grown? Do you still sleep in a crib? Does Grandma live with you? Etc… it’s become an essential tool for my teaching.
Do you have a favorite family book that I didn’t include? Tell me all about it in comments!
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