Christmas Day is fast approaching, and you don’t know what gift to give the little ones for this festive season. Well, look no further. Here are five books about family that you can give to kids.
Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer
This follows the story of a little girl named Stella. Stella’s teacher is planning to throw a Mother’s Day party where all moms are invited. However, Stella is worried. Everyone has a mom, and one classmate even has two moms. She only has two dads and no one to invite to the Mother’s Day party. The other kids were concerned too. They have too many questions. With the urging of her friends, this little girl decided to invite her entire family. Her Daddy and Papa agreed that it’s a great idea, but Stella is still worried about the party all the way up the day. All her worries turn out to be for nothing because she and her dads had so much fun meeting everyone else’s family. Stella Brings the Family tells a story of a diverse modern family to children.
Prediction Stories by Jacquelyn Hester Colleton-Akins, Ph.D.
Published in 2016, Prediction Stories shares the personal experiences of Colleton-Akins when she was a mere child growing in a close-knit family. Storytelling is close to her heart because of the stories her father tells. Every Friday at 2:00 p.m., the television is turned off, they eat dinner, and afterward, listen to the astounding stories from her father. Jacquelyn, along with her siblings Ann and Henry, would gather around to listen to stories that are categorized into four: childhood stories, dead-people stories, family life stories, and prediction stories. This storytelling session became a bonding activity for her family. His story is not only for entertainment but will inspire you, keep you thinking, and take you on an adventure to explore the wonders of life. Prediction Stories puts emphasis on family, which the author truly treasures in her heart.
Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer
Published in 2018, Sophie Beer brings a wonderful story of every kind and type of family. This board book will celebrate the many ways families take care of and love one another. Plenty of different families are presented doing happy activities such as early morning wake-up kisses. Whether a child has two mothers, two fathers, one parent, or one of each, this book will demonstrate that love is all that matters in a family, and it is something that they share. Love can be baking a special cake. Love is like lending a helping hand. Or, love is reading one more book. This story shares a sweet message about families nowadays.
Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina
Meg Medina tells an endearing story of a little girl whose far-away grandmother came to stay. Mia’s abuela (grandmother in Spanish), who lived in a sunny house with parrots and palm trees, one day decided to live with Mia and her parents in the city. When her abuela arrived that night, Mia tries to share her favorite book before they go to sleep. She discovered that her abuela couldn’t read the words inside. Her abuela does not know how to speak English, and Mia does not know Spanish. Hence, Mia helps her abuela learn English as she learns some Spanish too. But still, it is hard for her abuela to learn English words that she needs to tell Mia all her stories. This misgiving did not stop Mia, she had come up with the perfect idea to help her and her abuela to communicate better. With the help of a parrot, having perseverance, and lots of love, the two begin to learn each other’s language and strengthening their relationship.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
This is a heartwarming story about the Vanderbeekers, a big family who have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street, Harlem. The family consists of twins Isa and Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, Laney, a dog, a cat, a bunny, and their parents. One day their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease. The five siblings have five days to do whatever it takes to stay in their home. They must convince their Mr. Beiderman just how amazing they are. Each child has a plan to make their landlord change his mind. As they say, all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home. This is a wonderful story that deals with real-world problems.