5 Children’s Books About All Kinds of Families
We all want to feel included, accepted and have our voices heard. Whether you were the child who could never find your name on personalised pencil cases or mugs, never had a role model who looked the way you did, or maybe you have never read a story that represents the way your family looks. We want everyone to feel represented, so here are five gorgeous, lively, interactive children’s books about all kinds of families!
‘Every Family Is Different’ by Maureen Eppen
Every Family is Different explores many shapes and sizes of family units in addition to the traditional nuclear family (mum, dad and two children). With single parent, same-sex parent, stepparent and foster families, this story also explores living with grandparents and extended family, step siblings, half siblings, pets, plants, and adult families with no children!
This story also reminds us of the many alternative settings that we might find our family – in a small home, in big homes, in the city, in the country or amongst the suburbs. Every Family is Different encourages us to remember that every family situation is different, but we are lucky that no matter where we are or who is in our family, we are surrounded by love.
‘Love Makes a Family’ by Sophie Beer
This vibrant, colourful book shares all the things we that we do for the people that we love. Through the lively illustrations, Sophie Beer depicts many different family units doing normal daily tasks for the people that they love. From skin tone, to age, and sexual orientation, this story shares relatable, real-world experiences of every family who all share one thing in common – love.
‘Better Together: A Book of Family’ by Barbara Joosse and Anneke Lisberg
Better Together: A Book of Family is a fun children’s story that shares a glimpse into the lives of many different animal families. Both informative and interactive, children can learn a little bit about a ‘dazzle of zebras’, a ‘meerkat clan’, and many more fun animals. This is done while conveying an important underlying message – you are never alone, in fact, with your family, you are all better together.
Explore your marvellous, unique family tree with our free printable resource!
Disclaimer: This resource asks children to explore their own family tree. This may be triggering for some children depending on their past experiences. Please participate in this activity only with the permission of your child’s carer.
‘Families, Families, Families’ by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang
Families, Families, Families is a sweet story made fun with humorous illustrations of silly animals posing for their family portraits. Demonstrating all kinds of non-traditional families, this story celebrates love for family in many different combinations. These are shown as just adults, divorced parents, same-sex parents, parents with lots of children or one child, step-children – even, families with no pets or lots of pets as well as families living with extended relatives and grandparents.
The beautiful key message of Families, Families, Families really shines through: if you love each other, you are a family.
‘We belong together’ by Todd Park
We Belong Together is about sharing your home and sharing your heart to make a family that belongs together. In a child-friendly expression, this story explores many ways that people can choose to come together to make a family by showing this child’s adoption experience.
“We belong together because you wanted to learn… and we had lots to teach”
