Families

These books underscore that love makes a family.

The Titles

The illustrated cover of Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle. Two moms, one with purple hair and the other with a red beret kiss each cheek of a small girl with an afro.

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Nina LaCour

LaCour, N. (2022). Mama and mommy and me in the middle (K. Juanita, Illus.). Candlewick Press.

Things are not easy when mommy goes away on a work trip. Unfolding over the course of a week, Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle shows how tricky it can be for children to navigate loss and difference, even when it is only temporary. Mama tries to make things fun while mommy is away, visiting the café and watching movies at night, but it is hard to find the perfect spot at the table when your usual spot is the middle, and when you must get a telephone hug instead of a real one. When mommy returns from her trip, all the built-up moments of sadness from the week rush back, and the little girl resists a hug. Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle is the perfect book for anyone who has missed someone. Targeted to ages 3 to 7, this book normalizes LGBTQ families while exploring a universal experience.

Activity Idea

This is a great pick for a storytime featuring big emotions. Pair it with books such as Brannen’s Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, Dewdney’s Llama, llama, mad at mama, or Ruby Finds a Worry.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Representation of LGBTQ Families: McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, Mama, and Me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Big Emotions: Brannen, S. (2020). Uncle Bobby’s wedding (L. Soto, Illus.). Little Bee Books. / Dewdney, A. (2007). Llama, llama, mad at mama. Penguin Young Readers Group. / LaCour, N. (2023). My friend, Loonie (A. Lindsay, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Percival, T. (2018). Ruby finds a worry. Bloomsbury USA. / Silverman, E. (2018). Jack (not Jackie) (H. Hatam, Illus.). Little Bee Books.

The illustrated cover of Plenty of Hugs. Two moms, one with short hair and a purple shirt, and the other with long hair with bangs, cradle their small child. Everyone is smiling.

Plenty of Hugs by Fran Manushkin

Manushkin, F. (2020). Plenty of hugs (K. Alizadeh, Illus.). Dial Books for Young Readers.

This rhyming book is a love letter from a parent to a child. It shows two mothers taking their child on a bike ride through nature, reminding their baby that there is plenty of everything for everyone. Enough colors for things, food for animals, sun for nature. There is also something for everything – the ocean for boats, beds for sleeping, sparkles for stars. And lips are made for saying “I love you”. Targeted for children ages 2 to 5, Plenty of Hugs shows a loving same-sex couple.

Activity Idea

Plenty of Hugs is a diverse story that would fit into a love or a nature themed storytime. Pair this with a nature walk or scavenger hunt!

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The illustrated cover of Our Subway Baby. Two men, one in a yellow hat and the other in a blue baseball cap, exit a subway station in a snowstorm. The man with the blue hat holds a baby swaddled in a white blanket.

Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio

Mercurio, P. (2020). Our subway baby (L. Espinosa, Illus.). Dial Books for Young Readers.

This is a sweet true story of adoption, and the families we build. At the beginning, a man finds the baby in the subway and calls the police. The baby gets placed in a foster home, but the judge overseeing the case sees the man and his partner talking about the baby on television. She thinks they would be a good match and asks them if they want to adopt him. Their whole family comes together to get the baby everything he needs. At the end, they ride the subway once again, and bring their new baby home. This book is targeted for children ages 4 to 8. This book is fitting for the Rainbow Connection because it tells a true story about a same-sex couple adopting a child.

Activity Idea

This is a wonderful pick for a story to be shared between caregiver and child about the many ways a family can come to be.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

The illustrated cover of Heather has Two Mommies. Two moms hold either hand of a little girl with a yellow and red striped shirt, a pink tutu, and purple cowboy boots. A black dog and an orange cat walk with them. Everyone is smiling.

Heather has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman

Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press.

This book is about a child named Heather who has two moms, Mama Kate and Mama Jane. They do fun things together like play in the park and bake cookies. One day, they tell Heather she is going to start school. On her first day of school, all of the kids draw pictures of their families. Some kids draw their mom and dad, some draw just their mom or their dad, some draw two moms or two dads, some draw step-parents or grandparents, and some have siblings and pets. The teacher says that every family looks different but they are all special, and what matters is that they love each other. At the end of Heather’s first day of school, she shows her moms her drawing and they give her a kiss and walk home together. Heather Has Two Mommies includes a diverse range of families, and underscores that love is what matters most.

Activity Idea

Pair with a book like Federico and All his Families for a fun family themed storytime that shows there are many ways to have a family.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The illustrated cover of Mommy, Mama, and Me. Two moms cradle a child in a red jacket. The child hugs a teddy bear. Everyone is smiling.

Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman

Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press.

This board book follows a same-sex couple and their child. It shows what Mommy and Mama do for their baby, and the differences in their days. No matter what happens, they end each day with a goodnight kiss for baby. This book is for young children from 1 to 3 years old.

Activity Idea

This book can be used in a baby or toddler storytime about families or daily activities like getting ready.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The illustrated cover of Adventures with My Daddies. Two men, one in a yellow shirt and the other in an orange shirt, lay on the grass next to a child with brown pigtails. They are all touching an open book. A dragon flies across the sun in the background.

Adventures with My Daddies by Gareth Peter

Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree.

This book is about the adventure stories two fathers tell their child. Together, they fight dragons and find treasure, hunt for dinosaurs, travel to the moon, and go to secret places. One of the stories they tell mentions the child’s adoption. Another story mentions different familial compositions. Targeted to ages 4 to 10, Adventures with My Daddies shows that loving fun lies at the heart of family.

Activity Idea

Read this celebration of family bonds at bedtime, or during a family themed storytime. Adventures with My Daddies can be paired with a costume activity – what will you wear on your next adventure?

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The illustrated cover of My Maddy. A child in a rainbow shirt squeezes their non-binary parent in a tight hug. Their parent has blond hair and big blue glasses. Everyone is smiling.

My Maddy by Gayle Pitman

Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press.

Included on ALA’s 2021 Rainbow Book List Top Ten Title for Young Readers, My Maddy explores the loving relationship between a child and their non-binary parent. Told from the perspective of the child, the vibrant picture book demonstrates the many in-between spaces in our world. For example, Maddy prefers to eat with a spork, their hair is neither blonde nor brown, and they drive a motorcycle. Each of these things can be described as a mix of other things, but is also entirely its own, just like Maddy. Magination Press is a publishing imprint of the American Psychological Association and includes a useful a note to readers that is best shared with a caring adult, providing an overview of terms and tips for supporting children. For ages 4-8.

Activity Idea

This story is a terrific educational tool for a caregiver or educator to use when exploring the diverse forms of loving family structures.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The cover of We are Little Feminists: Families. A 8 frame spread of photographs of diverse families. Everyone is smiling. A Stonewall Book Award medal is next to the title.

We are Little Feminists: Families by Arsha Shrivastav

Shrivastav, A. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC.

This board book shows many different types of families. It includes images of families doing different activities together, such as laughing, getting ready for the day, laying in the bed, and sharing ice cream. There is a short description under each image that says what they are doing. This book is for young children from babies up to 3 years old and includes representation of same-sex couples and transgender parents in the book.

Activity Idea

This is a great pick for a toddler storytime on families. Pair it with songs and rhymes about families like The I Love You Song or Baby Shark.

Learning resources found on the Publisher page. Additional resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles

Diverse Representations of Families: Beer, S. (2018). Love makes a family. Dial Books, / Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.