Todd Parr’s The Family Book is one of the books that my husband and I purchased while we were waiting for our travel date to head to Viet Nam and adopt Ella. I was instantly drawn to the bright colors, happy drawings and most importantly, the message that’s conveyed through the words and pictures.

The people and animals in this book are all different colors, shapes and sizes to emphasize that we are all different, and those differences are to be celebrated. Many different kinds of families are represented (one parent, same sex parents, families that have members who look different from each other, families formed by adoption.) The book’s main message is that although families may look different from the outside, all families share similarities. All families are based on love and share a strong bond that keeps them strong and connected to each other.

Parr makes it clear that all families are important, and all have the same basic desires: to be happy, loved and safe. His lighthearted, fun and simple text and illustrations get right to the point and help children understand more about all types of families. This is the kind of book that may encourage pride in a child that may have been feeling sad that his family is different from the rest of the neighborhood. The Family Book is a wonderful teaching tool to help kids see and understand that we’re all different, and that is what makes us special!

If you’re looking for a new book to introduce diversity to your family, I would highly recommend The Family Book. Ella, at fifteen months, loves to point to the different people in the tree on the cover of the book. She’s definitely attracted to the colors and smiling faces, and before long I’ll bet that she recognizes some of our friends and our own family in the different kinds of families represented in this book.

Keep a look out for Parr’s next book, We Belong Together – A Book About Adoption and Families, which should be released this fall.


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