Children's Books about Diverse Families

          In this feature in Language Arts, Grace Enriquez and Erika Thulin Dawes (Lesley University), Katie Egan Cunningham (Manhattanville College/Purchase), Gilberto Lara (University of Texas/San Antonio), and Laura Jiménez (Boston University) recommend novels, picture books, and graphic novels about families that don’t fit conventional stereotypes. Images of each book’s cover and capsule reviews are available at the article link below.

-   Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christina Robinson (Putnam’s Sons, 2018)

-   A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui (Capstone, 2017)

-   A Gift from Abuela by Cecilia Ruiz (Candlewick, 2018)

-   A Most Unusual Day by Sydra Mallery, illustrated by E.B. Goodale (Greenwillow, 2018)

-   Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Alfred Knopf, 2018)

-   Night Job by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Brian Karas (Candlewick, 2018)

-   My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun, translated by Edward Gauvin (Graphic Universe, 2018)

-   Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle by Hilda Eunice Burgos (TU/Lee & Low, 2018)

-   My Father’s Words by Patricia MacLachlan (Katherine Tegen/Harper Collins, 2018)

-   The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, illustrated by Ryan Andrews (Candlewick, 2018)

-   Love Like Sky by Leslie Youngblood (Disney/Hyperion, 2018)

-   Running on Empty by S.E. Durant (Holiday House, 2018)

-   Ashes to Asheville by Sarah Dooley (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2017)

-   Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka (Graphix/Scholastic, 2018)

“Family Stories and Diverse Children’s Literature” by Grace Enriquez, Katie Egan Cunningham, Erika Thulin Dawes, Gilberto Lara, and Laura Jiménez in Language Arts, September 2019 (Vol 97, #1, pp. 42-50), https://bit.ly/2nHQHtX

(Please Note: The summary above is reprinted with permission from issue #805 of 
The Marshall Memo, an excellent resource for educators.)