Diverse Books About Family
Families come in all varieties, and no two are quite alike. The beautiful picture books below let children know that whatever their family looks like, it is full of love. These diverse books about family feature multicultural, queer, interracial, adoptive, and blended families, all filled with hopes and dreams for the little ones they cherish.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I received complimentary copies of some of the books below for review purposes; however, all opinions are my own.
Diverse Books About Family
Enjoy these diverse books about family!
This lovely book shares a heartfelt wish from parent to child, that they will always know how much they are loved. With rhyming text and vibrant illustrations of diverse families (including non-traditional family structures), the book pulses with warmth and love, making sure young readers know how much they are cherished. A wonderful book for families to cuddle up and read together.
Buy More Than You Imagine on Amazon or Bookshop
This gentle, rhyming book explores what happens after parents divorce. When Lily-May’s parents tell her that Dad is moving out, she is devastated. Yet with time she learns that, while something has been lost, even more has been gained. Now she has more special time with her mom and more special time with her dad. In fact, her family has expanded to include her mother’s partner Peter and his family. Rather than feeling unmoored, Lily-May realizes she has even more homes and places she belongs, with her big fantastic family. A reassuring book for children of blended or non-traditional families.
Buy My Big Fantastic Family on Amazon or Bookshop
This sweet animal book reassures children that no matter what their family looks like, it is just right for them. Chick is worried when he realizes that no other families look like his. There are all sorts of combinations, but no other family has two moms like his does. Although Bear offers to lend Chick his older brother (“No, thanks!”), Little Tiger tells him not to worry about what other people think. In the end, Chick’s moms explain that every family is different, but they are all made of love.
Buy Family Is Family on Amazon or Bookshop
This lively book is a celebration of family and how it connects us to culture, faith, and the land. Olu, her mother, and siblings go on a road trip from Lagos to visit their extended family in the Nigerian countryside. It is a hot, sticky drive, but soon they arrive in Ijebu, to a special greeting from Olu’s grandfathers. Aunts, uncles, and cousins are waiting to celebrate Eid with them. This joyous story captures the loving chaos of family gatherings, with their special foods, cousin mischief, and support for each other, shown in so many small and large ways. While many children can relate to this story of a boisterous family gathering, the book also showcases the special foods and traditions of Nigeria. Includes notes about Nigeria at the back, along with a recipe. [Interview??]
Buy I’ll See You in Ijebu on Amazon or Bookshop
This sweet book examines whether a large, boisterous family can ever be…too much. A young boy loves his family but also finds it easy to get lost among all the cousins, aunts, and uncles. He is excited about getting a part in the school play, but, as his news gets swallowed up in the hustle and bustle of family activities, he wonders whether it might be better to have *less* family time. On the night of the play, however, he sees how much he relies on his family’s support and realizes that there can never be too much love. An ode to large families and especially to large extended Native families, which have been doggedly maintained despite all of the obstacles against them. The author places this loving Native family squarely in the center of modern life. While she uses some nature metaphors, she also uses imagery that evokes race cars and space travel (the latter being the subject of the school play). Be sure to watch my interview with the author.
Buy Too Much: My Great Big Native Family on Amazon or Bookshop
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