Families

Big or small, similar or different-looking, there are all kinds of families.

Celebrate diversity with this picture book for very young children about the many faces of contemporary families. Bright photographs by National Geographic photographer Shelley Rotner capture families having fun together, enjoying all the ways they are similar and different.

Some families have one parent, and some have two; some have aunts and uncles and grandparents living with them. Some have adopted children, some have children born to them. Whether they live all together or far apart, families love and care for each other.

Designed to showcase the wide variety of modern families and spur discussions about young readers’ own family history, this beautiful picture book is a must-have for children beginning to learn about the world and the people around them.

textures, and mementos she used to create this book.

Shelley Rotner is the award-winning author and photo-illustrator of more than thirty books. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Sheila M. Kelly is a clinical psychologist who practiced for thirty years in western Massachusetts. A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, she currently lives in Austin, Texas.

“Families is truly a celebration of diversity. . . . [It] should find a place in day-care centers, preschools, libraries, and homes, as it provides adults with a vehicle to address the beauty of difference before youngsters begin to think it is a problem.”—Booklist

“Vibrant photographs—especially action shots—will capture children’s attention, build language skills, and, one hopes, start conversations.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Winsome, clear photographs are accompanied by brief, large-font text. This celebration of differences is further enhanced by the inclusion of women in head scarves, a dad in a wheelchair, and multigenerational groupings. . . . A great way to introduce the concept of diversity among families.”—School Library Journal

“This book emphasizes the importance of a strong family narrative formed through conversations between family members across generational lines. Illustrating the book with Rotner’s always-amiable color photographs of families . . . strengthens this emphasis and showcases the diversity of experiences in contemporary family structures.”—The Horn Book Guide