The Great Big Book of Families

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On each page it shows several different kinds of families—how some live in houses, some live in apartments, and some don't have anywhere to live; some wear jeans all the time, some like to dress up, and some wear whatever they want (this shows a boy wearing a tutu and a kid in pajamas, I think); some kids have a mom and a dad, some have only one or the other, some are raised by their grandparents, and some have two moms or two dads. A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon. It's a good book for debunking the traditional storybook myth that happy families usually consist of mother, father and two children. The illustrations are detailed and very colorful, which keeps the young reader captivated and compliments the text.

Topics such as these are characterized as very touchy for kids, but this story takes on a creative, fascinating easy going way of bringing up the topics to be addressed. This fun book for children illustrates the fact that «in real life, families come in all sorts of shapes and sizes». By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Hoffman breaks it down with two-page spreads covering various topics: Who's in Your Family, Homes, School, Jobs, Holidays, Food ("Some moms and dads are great cooks.It’s a book packed with detail, humour and interest, reminding us that there is no such thing as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’– we are all equal. It goes on to discuss the different places the families live, and then goes on to discuss what unites the families as being the same. From a mum and dad or single parent to two mums or two dads, from a mixed-race family to children with different mums and dads, to families with a disabled member. While text never directs the art to depict diverse individuals and family constellations, Gomez does just this in her illustrations.

MARY HOFFMAN is the internationally acclaimed author of over 100 books for children, ranging from picture books to teenage fiction. Some ideas for classroom use might be class discussions about the use of literature to explore family diversity and increase the sense of inclusiveness in the classroom.And, by the way, the Mary Hoffman who wrote THE GREAT BIG BOOK OF FAMILIES is also responsible for the racist AMAZING GRACE series. Shannon’s text is delivered in spare, rhythmic, lilting verse that begins with one and counts up to 10 as it presents different groupings of things and people in individual families, always emphasizing the unitary nature of each combination. Example: Instead of "Debbie Reese, a Native American," say "Debbie Reese, a Nambe Pueblo Indian woman. Children are encouraged to talk about their likes and dislikes, alongside some amusing alternatives. It shows traditional mother/father families alongside blended/unconventional ones (such as two-father or two-mother households).

Many Hamilton units come with interactive Grammar Presentations integrated into the overall teaching and textual context. All in all, The Great Big Book of Families is a wonderful children's book defining and depicting the meaning of family. It gave them an opportunity to ask questions, and it was easy to relate to families we know, so they could understand the concepts better.En osannut kirjaa lukiessani edes ajatella että pari lausetta voisi olla joillekin noin iso ongelma. I liked how the book started – about how families used to be portrayed in the past – white heterosexual couple with two children, pets, white picket fence house. Asquith's art is simply wonderful and brought to life the different types of family depicted in this book.