A Tale of Two Mommies


Vanita Oelschlager - 2011
    One boy asks another boy about having two mommies. A young girl listening in asks some questions too. True to a child’s curiosity, practical questions follow. “Which mom is there when you want to go fishing? / Which mom helps out when Kitty goes missing?” To which he answers: “Mommy helps when I want to go fishing. / Both Mommies help when Kitty goes missing.” A Tale of Two Mommies is intended for 4-8 year olds. This book lets us look inside one non-traditional family, a same sex couple and their son. As the children talk, it’s clear this boy lives in a nurturing environment where the biggest issues are the everyday challenges of growing up.

In Our Mothers' House


Patricia Polacco - 2009
    In their beautiful house, they cook dinner together, they laugh together, and they dance together. But some of the other families don't accept them. They say they are different. How can a family have two moms and no dad? But Marmee and Meema's house is full of love. And they teach their children that different doesn't mean wrong. And no matter how many moms or dads they have, they are everything a family is meant to be. Here is a true Polacco story of a family, living by their own rules, and the strength they gain by the love they feel.

A Family Is a Family Is a Family


Sara O'Leary - 2016
    One is raised by a grandmother, and another has two dads. One is full of stepsiblings, and another has a new baby.As one by one, her classmates describe who they live with and who loves them — family of every shape, size and every kind of relation — the child realizes that as long as her family is full of caring people, her family is special.A warm and whimsical look at many types of families written by award-winning author Sara O’Leary, A Family is a Family is a Family springs to life with quirky and sweet illustrations by Qin Leng.

Heather Has Two Mommies


Lesléa Newman - 1989
    The simple and straightforward story of a little girl named Heather and her two lesbian mothers was created by Newman and illustrator Diana Souza because children's books that reflected a nontraditional family did not exist, but a firestorm of controversy soon ensued. Attacked by the religious right, lambasted by Jesse Helms from the floor of the U.S. Senate, and stolen from library shelves, it was an uphill battle for Heather. Thanks to the overwhelming support of booksellers, librarians, parents, and children, however, Heather Has Two Mommies has sold over 35,000 copies, launched a minor industry in providing books for the children of gay and lesbian parents and, as attested to by a recent New Yorker cartoon, become part of the cultural lexicon. In response to teacher and librarian concerns, the often controversial artificial insemination section has been removed for the tenth anniversary edition, making Heather more accessible to younger children, while maintaining the central message of love and acceptance that has endeared the book to countless readers. After all, as Molly, Heather's beloved teacher points out, "The most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other".

Visiting Day


Jacqueline Woodson - 2001
    And Grandma in her Sunday dress, humming soft and low... As the little girl and her grandmother get ready for visiting day, her father, who adores her, is getting ready, too. The community of families who take the long bus ride upstate to visit loved ones share hope and give comfort to each other. Love knows no boundaries. Here is a story of strong families who understand the meaning of unconditional love.

Jacob's New Dress


Sarah Hoffman - 2014
    Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don't identify with traditional gender roles.

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born


Jamie Lee Curtis - 1996
    Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born is a special celebration of the love and joy an adopted child creates for a family.In asking her parents to tell her again about the night of her birth, a young girl relives a cherished tale she knows by heart. Focusing on the significance of family and love, this a unique and beautiful story about adoption and the importance of a loving family.A beautiful adoption story, Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born also speaks to the universal childhood desire to know more about the excitement, awe, love, and sleeplessness that a new baby brings to a family.Tell me again about the night I was born.Tell me again how you would adopt me and be my parents.Tell me again about the first time you held me in your arms.

The Family Book


Todd Parr - 2003
    Full color.

Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale


Karen Katz - 1997
    Come quickly and get her."This is a magical, reassuring story of one adoptive family's beginnings, told in words and pictures that are just right for the youngest child--an ideal story to share with families everywhere.A long-awaited baby is born, and the adoptive parents who have been dreaming of her fly far, far away to bring her home.

Stella Brings the Family


Miriam B. Schiffer - 2015
    Stella has her Papa and Daddy who take care of her, and a whole gaggle of other loved ones who make her feel special and supported every day. She just doesn't have a mom to invite to the party. Fortunately, Stella finds a unique solution to her party problem in this sweet story about love, acceptance, and the true meaning of family.

Daddy's Roommate


Michael Willhoite - 1990
    The new arrival is male. This new concept is explained to the child as "just one more kind of love". The text is suitably straightforward, and the format--single lines of copy beneath full-page illustrations--easily accessible to the intended audience.

Max and the Tag-Along Moon


Floyd Cooper - 2013
    And on that swervy-curvy car ride back home Max smiles as the moon tags along, thinking of Grandpa. But when the sky darkens and the moon disappears behind clouds, Max worries that it did not follow him home after all. Yet when the clouds part and light streams through his window, he realizes that Grandpa was right—the moon was with him all along.Floyd Cooper received the Coretta Scott King Award for The Blacker the Berry, two Coretta Scott King Honors for Honey in Broomwheat Tea and I Have Heard of a Land, and an NAACP image award. His books have also been named to numerous best books list and been given many Parents Choice Awards.  In Max and the Tag-Along Moon, his lush paintings perfectly capture the wonder of the moon, the love between grandfather and grandson, and that feeling of magic every child experiences when the moon follows him home.

Julián Is a Mermaid


Jessica Love - 2018
    Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a periwinkle curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes—and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love's author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.

Two Homes


Claire Masurel - 2001
    . . . Simple, yet profoundly satisfying. - BOOKLIST (starred review)At Mommy’s house, Alex has a soft chair. At Daddy’s house, Alex has a rocking chair. In each home, Alex also has a special bedroom and lots of friends to play with. But whether Alex is with Mommy or with Daddy, one thing always stays the same - Alex is loved. The gently reassuring text focuses on what is gained rather than what is lost when parents divorce, while the sensitive illustrations, depicting two unique homes in all their small details, firmly establish Alex’s place in both of them. TWO HOMES will help children - and parents - embrace even the most difficult of changes with an open and optimistic heart.

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners


Joanna Ho - 2021
    They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self love and empowerment.