Miriam+Amaya


 * Children’s Fiction **

Coste, Marion, (2006). **Finding Joy**. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills Press. 26 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary: ** This book is about a girl name Shu-li who was sent away to an orphanage by her family in China. In North America, there was an American family that wanted to adopt. The mother flew to the orphanage and adopted Shu-li. The mother and Shu-li flew back to North America to her new home and renamed her Joy.
 * Integration: ** The book, //Finding Joy//, can be used to develop awareness about a child’s family history. The girl Shu-li is adopted, and children who are adopted or know someone who is adopted can make the connection and share a personal experience. Also, children can study about China and learn about the population, language, tradition, and customs.

Fisher, Valorie (2002). **My Big Brother.** New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 30 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary: ** This book has simple text with real photographs about a big brother. The story is being told from his baby sibling’s point of view. The baby sibling is describing things about what his/her big brother does and things that they do together.
 * Integration: ** The book, //Big Brother//, can be used for children to be able to identify their family members and each of their roles and responsibilities they each have at home. Children will be able to discuss if they have an older brother or sister and share a personal experience. If the children are the older siblings they can discuss some of the things that they do around the house that their baby sibling is not allowed to do and how it feels to be the older sibling.

Hutchins, Pat (2003). **There’s only one of me!** [New York]: Greenwillow Books. 24 pages. Yucca Library.
 * Summary: ** This book addresses how different family members can be a part of your family. In this story, it is the girl’s birthday and she is listing all of her family members that are coming over for her birthday party. She has her mom, sister, half-brother, step-father, cousin, uncle, niece, grandparents and her great-grandmother. Even though she has a lot of members in her family it is a relief to know that there is only one of her and she is the birthday girl.
 * Integration: ** In the book, //There is Only One of Me!//**,** incorporates all kinds of relatives.There is not only one way to have a family. In this book, the step father, step brother, cousins and grandmothers are all gathering for a celebration. Children can identify their family members or their relatives that have spent a birthday with them or relatives who have visited them. Also, children can discuss or describe their own family’s traditions or celebrations.

Krensky, Stephen, (2004). **My Dad Can Do Anything.** New York: Random House. 23 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary:** This book is about a child’s dad that is strong and brave and can do anything. Each page has a different description about what their dad can do. Each father has many special talents but the best thing that a father can do is spend time with their children.
 * Integration:** The book, //My Dad Can Do Anything//, could be used when discussing about a dad who is single, a married dad, or step-fathers. Children can discuss some of the responsibilities their dad has in the house or some special talents that their dad has.

Perl, Erica S (2006). **Ninety-Three In My Family.** New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers. 28 pages. Burton Barr Central Library.
 * Summary: ** In school, the topic on the board was “Our Families.” The young boy gets asked by his teacher, “How many live with you?” The young boy answers with ninety-three. The teacher could not believe it and the young boy started to list his family. The boy starts to list his parents, sisters, and twenty seven owls, ten cats, eleven dogs, a hippo, and eight frogs.He describes how hectic it gets when they eat, when they get in the car and go for rides, when they take a bath and when it is time for bedtime.
 * Integration: ** The book, //Ninety-Three//, is a fun and silly story. Children can identify who is a part of their family and they can learn that families come in different sizes and can have different people. Another area of integration would be Math. Children can make a list of their family members and can count to see how many people are in their family. Then, they can make a graph and compare the results with the rest of their classmates. Children will be able to see that all of their classmates have families of different sizes.

Sitomer, Alan Lawrence (2012). **Daddies Do It Different.** New York: Disney/Hyperion Books. 31 pages. Yucca Library.
 * Summary: ** A child is comparing her mother and father’s parenting styles. She starts off by stating the way her mother usually does things and then compares how her dad does it different. Even though daddies do things differently, he does one thing the exact same way. When it is time for bed he tucks her in, gives her a kiss, and tells her how much he loves her just like her mom does.
 * Integration: ** The book, //Daddies Do It Differently,// is a great way for children to compare their parents parenting styles. Each parent has their own unique way to handle different situations and get things done. Children can make a chart or a Venn diagram listing things that they do differently and then listing things that they do the same. Also, children can understand family by being aware of their family roles and responsibilities.

Steinkellner, Elisabeth (2012). **My New Granny.** New York: Sky Pony Press. 24 pages. Yucca Library.
 * Summary: ** Fini has a granny that would always comment on Fini’s strange hair and would travel all over the world. Then, one day granny had to go to the hospital. After that day, granny changed her ways and was a completely different person. Granny moved in with Fini and her family because she needed to be watched. Granny could not be left alone anymore. She needed help getting dressed, getting her hair combed, and being cared for so a woman named Agatha was hired to take care of Fini’s granny.
 * Integration: ** The book, //My New Granny,// can be used for children to learn that grandparents or sometimes other family members need to be cared for due to illnesses. They can learn about how with time people change due to age and sometimes situations like this might happen. Also, children can demonstrate an understanding of time in the past, present, and future and be aware of what is now and what is later.



Wild, Margaret, (1994). **Our Granny**. New York: Ticknor & Fields. 29 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary:** This story is describing the differences in grannies based on their lifestyle. It describes the characteristics of a granny, where they live, what they look like, their hobbies and the different jobs that they can have. It also describes how each granny shows affection differently to their grandchildren.
 * Integration:** The book, //Our Granny,// can be used to identify some similarities or differences in each child’s grandmother or grandfather. Children can learn that their grandmothers or grandfathers are all different and they like to do different things. Children can discuss or make a list of some characteristics of their grandmother or grandfather. Also, children can do this same activity about themselves. As a whole class, we can make a graph of each child’s characteristics such as colored eyes, colored hair, and activities that they like to do and compare them with their classmates.

Yum, Hyewton (2011)**. The Twins’ Blanket.** New York, N.Y: Farrar Straus Giroux. 32 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary: ** This book is told from the perspective of two five year old twins. These twins have always shared everything since they were born, until they started to grow. As they were getting older, the blanket starts to become too small for both of them and the mother decides to get them two separate beds. Even though the girls have their own separate beds, they still have each other’s hands to hold at night.
 * Integration: ** The book, //The Twins Blanket,// canbe used to discuss another type of family. Children can learn about twins and learn about if they are fraternal or identical. Also, children can share a personal experience they have had with their sibling. They can discuss of a time when they got upset with their sibling or discuss things that they enjoy doing together as siblings.



Zolotow, Charlotte (2003). ** Hold my hand; Five Stories of Love and Family. ** New York: Hyperion Books For Children, 60 pages. Civic Center Library.
 * Summary:** This book has five stories about love and family. The first story //But Not Billy//, is about a baby uttering his first words. The second story, //Hold My Hand//, is a poem about a young girl taking a night walk with her dad. The third story, //Timothy Too!//, is about an older brother who has a baby brother that tags along with him everywhere he goes. The fourth story, //Big Brother//, is about a little girl who has an older brother and teases her all the time. The last story, //The Summer Night//, is about a little girl who is having a hard time sleeping and her and her father do fun activities together until she falls asleep.
 * Integration:** The book, //Hold My Hand//, could be used for children to understand about family. They can develop an awareness that all families are different and there are different people in each family. Children can identify their family members in their home or they can share some experiences that they have had with their family.

** Children’s Non Fiction **

Hammersmith, Craig (2003). **What Is a Family?** Minneapolis, Minn.: Compass Point Books. 24 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call #306.85.
 * Summary:** This book provides a basic description about what a family can be. It addresses how families can be different. Some families may be small or large, may have sisters and brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, stepfamilies, and/or friends.
 * Integration:** The book, //What is a family//, can be used to discuss that each family is different. Children can view themselves as a part of a family and they can identify their family members. As an activity, children can make a family tree and they can list all of their members in their family.

Higgins, Melissa (2012). **We All Have Different Families.** North Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press. 24 pages. Yucca Library, Call Number 306.85.
 * Summary:** This book has simple text and brightly colored photographs of a variety of families. Many different families include family with foster children, a family with a single parent, a family with two dads and a family that’s going through a divorce.
 * Integration:** The book,//We All Have Different Families,//explains that there is not only one way of having a family. There are a variety of unique, different, and special families. Children can identify some similarities or differences in a family. Children are also exposed to a new understanding of families or they are able to learn much more information about different families. Also, children can describe or discuss their own family’s cultural or family traditions.

Higgins, Melissa. (2012). **Weekends With Dad; What to Expect When Your Parents Divorce**. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books. 24 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.89.
 * Summary:** This story is about a fox family whose mom and dad get a divorce. The story explains the process of separating and how a child may feel throughout this difficult time. Also, the story provides different ways that a child can cope with this challenge and even though the parents do not get back together the parents still love their children.
 * Integration:** The book, //Weekends With Dad//, can be addressed with children whose parents are going through a divorce, or with children whose parents have experienced this situation. Children may blame themselves for the separation of their parents but this book will explain and give advice for children to deal with this experience. Children will learn that they are not the only family who are going through this situation. There are other people who are or may be going through the same experience and they are not alone. Also, children can demonstrate an understanding of time in their daily experiences about what happened in the past and what it is like now.

Hoffman, Mary (2011). **The Great Big Book of Families.** New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. 32 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.85.
 * Summary:** This book celebrates all sorts of families. It describes how there is more than one kind of family. You can have one mom or one dad, two mothers or two fathers, grandparents or adoptive parents. It then addresses family sizes, different home environments, school, parents work, holidays, food, clothes, pets and hobbies.
 * Integration:** The book, //The Great Big Book of Families//, can be used for children to identify family members in their family. They can describe or connect to their family’s culture or their family traditions.Also**,** children can recognize that people live in different places, have different cultures, and speak different languages.



Kennedy, Pamela. (2008). **Two Homes for Tyler; A Story About Understanding Divorce**. Nashville, Tenn.: GPKids. 30 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.89.
 * Summary:** This story is about a child named Tyler whose parents get divorced. The story tells the life of Tyler about how it was before his parents got divorced and what it was like after they got divorced. While things are different for Tyler, he knows that his parents still love him very much.
 * Integration:** The book, //Two Homes for Tyler**,**//can be addressed with children whose parents are going through a divorce or have already been through this situation. Children can develop an awareness of their own personal experiences and make a connection to Tyler’s life experience. Also, children can demonstrate an understanding about the past, present and future events in their lives.

Ommer, Uwe. (2003)**. Families; Around the World, One Kid at a Time.** New York: Rizzoli. 112 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.85.
 * Summary:** This book addresses family and children around the world. Each page has a family portrait, a map of the country, and a description about their country told from the perspective of one of the children. There is insight to myths, schools, customs, languages and religious practices.
 * Integration:** The book, //Families//, addresses different families all around the world. Children can take a look at different cultures and family traditions. They can identify similarities and differences with one another. Children can be aware that people from different cultures speak different languages. Also, children can focus on geography. Children can focus on one country and look at maps and globes and locate the country.

Rubel, Nicole. (2004). **Twice As Nice; What It’s Like to Be a Twin.** New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2004. 32 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.875.
 * Summary:** This book is an informative picture book on a tour of twinship. There are 32 colorful pages explaining where twins come from and the differences between fraternal and identical twins. It also has retelling of a story, twin riddles and advice to twins, parents and friends of twins.
 * Integration:** The book, //Twice As Nice//, can be addressed with children who have a twin, know someone who is a twin or simply to learn more about twins. The book has a lot of information about twins that children can benefit from. Children can learn about a fraternal or identical twin and some similarities and differences with twins.

Sheldon, Annette (2009). **Big Brother Now; A Story About Me and Our New Baby.** Washington, DC: Magination Press. 31 pages. Yucca Library, Call Number 306.875.
 * Summary: ** This story is about a big brother that experiences confusion and mixed emotions with his baby sister. He feels that he is left out and forgotten by his parents ever since his baby sister arrived home. This story demonstrates the normal feelings and common frustrations with children who may experience this with an arrival of a new sibling.
 * Integration: ** The book, //Big Brother Now,// can be addressed when there is going to be a baby sibling arriving soon or if children already have a baby sibling at home. Children may feel the common frustrations of a new sibling at home. Children can learn that their parents have not forgotten about them and they still love them very much. Children can identify and list some similarities and differences with the arrival of a new sibling. There are certain things that an older sibling is able to do that a baby sibling cannot do. Also, children can develop an understanding of time with past, present, and future.



Simons, Rae (2010). **Grandparents Raising Kids.** Mason Crest Publishers.64 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.874.
 * Summary:** This book addresses grandparents raising children. Each family is different, a child may be raised by one grandmother or one grandfather or they may be raised by two grandmothers. Also, it explains the challenges grandparents face when raising their grandchildren.
 * Integration:** The book, //Grandparents Raising Kids//, can be addressed with children who are being raised by their grandparents. Children can learn that sometimes there are grandparents who provide care and love and raise their grandchildren due to circumstances, Children can develop an understanding of families and be aware of other types of families in the world.

Thomas, Pat. (2012). **This Is My Family**. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2012. 29 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.874.
 * Summary:** This book introduces children to families that have parents of the same sex. In a family there could be two moms, two dads, or a mom and a dad and either way parents will live, care and support their children. Also, throughout the book, there are questions that you can ask children as you are reading.
 * Integration:** The book, //This is my family,// can be used to show children that there are different people in a family that makes up a family. Children can learn that families come in different sizes and that there are many different people that are considered family to a child. Children can make a list and identify each of their family members. Also, children can make a family book and talk about each of their family members.

** Teacher Resources **

Whitney, Brooks (1999). **Oh, brother… Oh, sister!** Middleton, Wis. : American Girl, 1999. 64 pages. Yucca Library. This sister guide book provides a variety of advice on getting along with siblings. It has many different scenarios and with each scenario it provides tips on how to get along with your sibling. The book also has a bunch of fun quizzes that children can use.



Ommer, Uwe. (2003)**. Families; Around the World, One Kid at a Time.** New York : Rizzoli. 112 pages. Burton Barr Central Library. This book has valuable information about over 130 countries with each country’s legends, myths, language, traditions, and customs. It is a great way to learn and explore the countries around the world.

Thomas, Pat. (2012). **This Is My Family**. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2012. 29 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.874. The last page of this book has a whole page of tips on ways to use this book. It provides advice for what parents can do when reading this book to their child. Also, it has advice on how teachers can use this book in their classroom and ways to start discussions with their students.



Winchester, Kent (2001). **What in the World Do you Do When Your Parents Divorce?** Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub. 115 pages. Burton Barr Central Library, Call Number 306.89. This book is a guide for children whose parents are going through a divorce. Children may feel confused and may not know what to do. This book has tips and ideas about what children can do when their parents’ divorce. It answers many common questions that children ask themselves when their parents are divorcing.

Hollyer, Belinda (2003). **Family Poems**. New York: Kingfisher. 223 pages. Burton Barr Library, Call Number 821.008. This book has over 100 poems that explore almost about every family situation. The poems describe family’s celebrations, sad moments, grandmothers, a new baby sister, youngest of the family, only child, an adopted child