Families are Different by: Nina Pellegrini

Ages: 4-8

Nina lives in a large town with her family. She has a father, a mother, a big sister, and a dog. Nina and her sister were both adopted from Korea. Nina looks a lot like her sister, but not like her dad or mom. Nina feels strange that she does not look like her parents because her friends look like their parents. Nina’s mom tells her that there are many different types of families. Will this help Nina not feel strange anymore? Find out in Families are Different.

Families are Different is a simple book about the many types of families. The text and the illustrations are simple, yet go together great. The illustrator does a great job of showing many types of families in the illustrations. The illustrations show that even though families may be different, they still have a lot of love. I like that this book explored the issue of adoption, as well as the fact that many families are not “traditional.” This book exhibits a positive perspective towards multi-ethnic families. It can help children feel more confident about themselves if they are from a non-typical family. The message in this book conveys the need for accepting family differences, and that a family is a strong bond created more by love than by biological relationships. Families are Different is a great book for anyone wishing to read about or discuss the issue of the many types of families.