Synopses & Reviews
What is a family? Once, it was said to be a father, mother, boy, girl, cat and dog living in a house with a garden. But as times have changed, families have changed too, and now there are almost as many kinds of families as colours of the rainbow - 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, from families with a disabled member to those with a mum or dad in prison. Mary Hoffman takes a look through children's eyes at the wide varieties of family life: from homes, food, ways of celebrating, schools and holidays to getting around, jobs and housework, from extended families, languages and hobbies to pets and family trees - and she concludes that, for most people, their own family is the best one of all! With Ros Asquith's delightful pictures, this book takes a fresh, optimistic look at families of today.
Review
starred reviews in School Library Journal, Kirkus, Booklist; "Thoughtful and joyful" - LoveReading; "a truly multicultural exploration" - School Librarian; 'A charming book that helps children understand and recognise many different types of family units. This book manages to challenge preconceptions while reassuring children of all ages and backgrounds' - Book Nook, Independent on Sunday
About the Author
Mary Hoffman has written over 90 books for children, that range from picture books to novels. Amazing Grace, first published in 1991, was commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal and has since become a modern classic. Mary lives in Oxfordshire.
Ros Asquith contributes Doris, a regular cartoon feature, to the Guardian. She is the author of the Teenage Worrier books which explore the many anxious moments facing teenagers, suggesting how to solve them with humour and self-reliance. Ros lives in north London.