Children’s Books About Families of All Kinds

Families come in all varieties, including stepfamilies and chosen families. Sometimes they are spread across continents, and sometimes they are formed after loss. Below are wonderful new children’s books about families of all kinds, helping children appreciate that no matter what their family looks like, it is just right for them.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. I received complimentary copies of some of the books below for review purposes: however, all opinions are my own.

New Children’s Books About Families of All Kinds

Enjoy these wonderful new children’s books about families of all kinds, both those we are born into and those we choose!

7 Best Things About Family is a sweet book for very young children, showcasing the wonderful things about family, from taking vacations to playing together and eating chocolate chip pancakes. An adorable celebration of family for little readers.

Buy 7 Best Things About Family on Amazon or Bookshop

When I Talk to God, I Talk About You is a gorgeous new book from actor Chrissy Metz and her partner Bradley Collins. Animal parents share their hopes and dreams for their adorable children, from making friends to being kind and brave. Bears and otters and bunnies describe all the things they pray for, and remind their children that they can talk to God to. A wonderful keepsake present for children of all ages.

Buy When I Talk to God, I Talk About You on Amazon or Bookshop

We know parents aren’t perfect! Sometimes we are a bit wild, growling at everyone, snoring loudly, or stealing the last bit of honey. But My Dad Is a Grizzly Bear reminds children (and us) that what really matters is the love we show our children. I love the diversity in skin tones of the characters and the love they show each other despite their quirks and flaws. Recognize that artwork? It’s from the wonderful Dapo Adeola of Rocket Says Look Up!, another favorite in our house.

Buy My Dad Is A Grizzly Bear on Amazon or Bookshop

My Mom Is a Lioness is the follow up from Adeola and author Swapna Haddow. When it comes to caring for their cubs, moms are loud! They growl louder than anyone at the school performance, and no cub can escape their loving pounce when it’s time for a bath. I love all of the creative ways that a mom’s typical actions are reimagined as somewhat sinister by the little boy in the book. Bathtime? Just preparing you for their next meal – cleaned, oiled, and served in a wrap (a towel)! My favorite is the mom’s “pride” of other moms, who tend to “hunt” together (take their children for walks in the park). All done with a smile, of course! A playful book children will love.

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Squabble Sisters is a book I know a lot of kids will be able to relate to! Olive just wants to do something nice for her sister Hazel, but all of her attempts end in disaster. Can these two very different sisters learn to get along? When Olive accidentally breaks Hazel’s lamp and Hazel takes the blame, Olive discovers just how much her sister loves her, even if she doesn’t always show it. A sweet book about appreciating your siblings, even if they do sometimes drive you crazy!

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Stepmoms in children’s literature are often made out to be the villain, so She Loves Me All the Same is a breath of fresh air. Zoey knows her family is different, but they love her all the same. Her mom and her stepmom are different, but they both have a place in her heart. A beautiful book about blended families and any family that doesn’t look like others. I love that it also mentions that Zoey sometimes feels guilty for enjoying time with her stepmom, because she doesn’t want her mom to feel left out, but she also understands that they will both always have a special place in her life.

Buy She Loves Me All the Same on Amazon or Bookshop

Rainbow Letters is a tribute to rainbow babies, those born after loss. It captures all the joy and excitement of a new arrival and the ways that rainbow babies help soothe and mend broken hearts. Includes tips at the back for self-care for parents, as well as how to share the story of the loss with the rainbow babies.

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Panik is a term of endearment in Inuktut (Inuit) that often translates as “daughter.” To My Panik: To My Daughter is a beautiful new book from Inuit author and educator Nadia Sammurtok. As a mother and daughter move about the landscape of the far north, the mother tells her little one all the wonderful things she loves about her, from the fire in her eyes to the kindness in how she listens to others, just like a mother bear listening to her cubs. A gorgeous book sure to be treasured by young readers.

Buy To My Panik: To My Daughter on Amazon or Bookshop

When a young animal wants to share their love, they describe extravagant ways they would demonstrate it, like wrestling a crocodile or building a robot. Yet when they are frustrated that all the ideas they have invented are actually quite difficult to do, they discover that a simple hug will do the trick!

Buy I Really, Really Love You So on Amazon or Bookshop

Nana, Nenek, & Nina is a wonderful book for multicultural families, whose children are equally at home in different cultures. Nina loves visiting both her grandmothers – one in England and one in Malaysia. Although so much about her visits to each is different, from the clothes she wears to the food she eats, the love comes through clearly in both. I love how the illustrations show the parallel visits with the two grandmothers. In one, for example, we see Nina playing noughts-and-crosses with one grandmother and congkak with the other. A lovely book from an author who understands what it is like to move between cultures.

Buy Nana, Nenek, & Nina on Amazon or Bookshop

Mama’s Home is a loving tribute to community and chosen family. When her mama has to work, one little girl is cared for by the Big Mamas in her community – a different one each day of the week. One cooks pancakes, another fufu and pumpkin stew. One takes her to the library, another takes her fishing. But each showers her with love, nurturing her vision of herself and her future in a loving community.

Buy Mama’s Home on Amazon or Bookshop

Connie loves her foster mom, but she has a burning curiosity about the father who abandoned her years earlier. When she discovers an old letter that he wrote to her years after he left, she sets off on a journey to discover the truth about the relationship that has always haunted her. A terrific chapter book for older kids that examines loss, forgiveness, and the true meaning of family.

Buy Chameleon Dad on Amazon or Bookshop

What are your favorite children’s books about families?

Multicultural Children’s Books About Fathers

New Children’s Books About Dads and Daughters