Families are Different

Title: Families are Different
Author/Illustrator: Nina Pellegrini
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade Level: PK - 2

Nico and her big sister, Angel, were adopted as babies from Korea. They live with their dog, Buster, and their parents who look nothing like them. Nico felt too different from the children that looked like their parents. Her mom told her that there are many different types of families and they are all connected through love. Nico started to notice the different types of families such as ones where the child only looks like one of the parents, single-parent families, large families that look alike, medium-sized families who all looked different, and divorced families. Others lived with their grandparents or had a stepparent and half-siblings. She realized that she was like everyone else because she was different. So even though she was adopted, her family was glued together because there was so much love. The story is a good reminder that everyone comes from a different background and their families are different. While the book does not show every possible family type, it does show that families are not limited to blood-relations but are bonded through love. Used in the social studies or ELA unit, students can make a family tree, share about their family connection, and learn about others. 


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