Posts Tagged ‘interracial families’

Love Makes a Family written and illustrated by Sophie Beer

Board Book about Family Diversity published by Dial Books for Young Readers

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Maya Angelou

There are so many wonderful ways that families express their unconditional love. In Love Makes a Family, we see adults helping, cheering, consoling, entertaining, snuggling, playing, protecting, cherishing and more.

Ms. Beer shows us happy, loving and racially diverse families of all kinds. She chooses bold colors for the illustrations that will captivate young children. Whether searching for a child’s missing shoe or enjoying a fun tea party in a treehouse, the family activities and expressions of affection that she has illustrated are delightful. The author’s enthusiasm for imaginative play, being out of doors and bedtime stories is contagious and inspirational. From morning ’til night, family members are depicted expressing a beautiful rainbow of love for each other.

We reviewed a large, sturdy board book copy of Love Makes a Family that is well-suited to a group setting. Tracking the bold text and watching for the word, “LOVE” would be a great way to extend learning with preschoolers. A great choice for Valentine’s Day and/or a Circle Time about families, the book is also available for Kindle.

Love Makes a Family at Amazon.com

Love Makes a Family at Amazon.ca

More by Sophie Beer

Storytime Standouts shares Spork, a picture book about diversity and individuality written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Picture book about family diversity published by Kids Can Press

“Spork was neither spoon nor fork…but a bit of both.” Offering a refreshing and original celebration of individuality, Spork is a thoughtful yet fun look at a youngster who doesn’t look quite like mum or dad. In Spork’s kitchen abode, there are forks, knives and spoons – they each know their places and ‘mixing’ is quite rare. Sparkling illustrations and clever writing encourage the reader to feel empathy for a different sort of kitchen utensil who aspires to be spoonish or forkish but can’t quite manage either.

When The Messy One is plunked in a nearby highchair one day, needing something a little different, there is no better tool for the task at hand.

Very good fun, will be enjoyed by utensils of every colour, size and shape, aged four and up.

Spork is one of Kirkus Reviews’ 2010 Best Children’s Books

Spork at Amazon.com

Spork at Amazon.ca

You may also be interested in our page titled “Diversity.” We highlight picture books and chapter books that celebrate and inform readers about human diversity including learning disabilities, physical disabilities, allergies, single parent families, interracial families, same sex parents, aging, death and more.

Don’t miss our page of quotes about diversity.