Family diversity is something that I love celebrating in my family. Not all families look the same and they certainly aren’t all created the same way. It’s really important to share these diverse families with our kids so they can become understanding and accepting human beings. A great way to introduce your kids to these ideas is through picture books. Sometimes, it can be really difficult to find books with families that reflect our own. Luckily, I have a list of books that celebrate family diversity. Here are a few that we love in our house.
Lansing Mom is here to share our tried and true favorites. This post does contain affiliate links that help support our small business but every product is something we love!
1. The Family Book by Todd Parr
If Todd Parr had a fan club, it would be run by my family. This book is a particular favorite of ours because it celebrates the ways that families are different and the ways they are the same. My toddler also loves the bright colors. Honorable mention goes to We Belong Together, another of Todd’s books.
2. And That’s Why She’s My Mama by Tiarra Nazario
This book shows all the things that make mamas who they are. They help us learn, grow, and play. They love us unconditionally. Sometimes moms and their kids look alike, but sometimes they don’t. Some kids are raised by their birth moms and some by adoptive moms. Sometimes kids are raised by an aunt or grandmother. This is great for families where mom and kiddo are different races/ethnicities, with lots of multiracial families shown.
3. Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B Schiffer and Holly Clifton-Brown
Sometimes a kiddo has a mom and a dad that they live with. Sometimes kids are raised by a single parent; sometimes they have two moms. In this story, Stella has two dads. Her teacher tells all the kids to bring a special guest to the class Mother’s Day celebration, and Stella isn’t sure what to do. When the other kids talk about the things their moms do, Stella realizes that her dads do those for her along with her aunts, uncles, and family friends. Instead of bringing one mom to the party, she brings her whole family.
4. When You Joined Our Family by Harriet Evans & Nia Tudor
I very recently found this book and I’m so glad I did. This book is about adoption and all the ways it can look. It celebrates the joy and the difficulties that come along with it. What makes it unique, though, is that it includes open adoption. We’ve struggled to find books about adoption that were inclusive of birth/first parents, but this one does. The book also shows a variety of family structures.
5. A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary
What makes a family? In this book, a teacher poses that question to her students. Each of them answers, sharing all the things that make their family unique. Regardless of family size, structure, appearance, or creation, a family is a family is a family.
