The Great Big Book of Families
by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Ros Asquith. 2010. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged. (9780803735163)
Author Website: www.maryhoffman.co.uk/
Illustrator Website: www.rosasquith.co.uk/
Media: pen and watercolor
Awards and Honors: none
Audience: Preschoolers
Annotation:
A sweet little book that celebrates the diversity among (and within) families.
Personal Reaction:
Families come in all shapes, sizes and forms. Mary Hoffman's book provides a sweet introduction to families and all their iterations for pre-school to second grade children. Hoffman describes all types of families in a gentle, non-judgmental way. She takes pains to be inclusive, but the book steers clear of preaching. It's a nice way to start a conversation with children about all the different ways to be a family. Ros Asquith's busy and colorful cartoon-like illustrations will grab children's attention and allow the book to stand up to repeated readings as kids seek out new details on each page.
