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Friends & Family
Each family has a unique history and cast of characters — a combination of personalities, colors, shapes, and sizes. A collection of favorite books is a bit like like a family: each book has its own "voice" and personality that you enjoy spending time with again and again. In this collection of stories old and new, families of all kinds celebrate special days, ordinary days, and each other.

This section contains 11 articles.

A Mother for Choco

By: Keiko Kaszo

Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Mrs. Bear helps Choco, a pudgy-cheeked yellow bird, remember what a mother does, then lovingly brings Choco into her own very diverse family.

Black Is Brown Is Tan

By: Arnold Adoff
Illustrated by: Emily Arnold McCully

Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Rhythmic language and luminous paintings show the joy of this warm and loving family as they rejoice in their differences.

Daddy and Me

By: Karen Katz

Age Level: 0-3
Reading Level: Pre-Reader

The young narrator helps Daddy by finding the tools and materials for a special project. Sturdy pages with flaps encourage participation and make a game of sharing the book.

Families

By: Ann Morris

Age Level: 0-3
Reading Level: Pre-Reader

Regardless of where they live or what they look like, all families have much in common. They all cook, eat, play, and celebrate together as seen in engaging photographs and described through crisp text.

Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia

By: Carmen Garza

Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

The artist recalls growing up in south Texas in this celebration of family and cultural traditions presented in vivid paintings and short prose in Spanish and English. Garza's pride in her Mexican-American heritage is evident and celebrated in this handsome book.

Here We Go Round

By: Alice McGill
Illustrated by: Shane Evans

Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Independent Reader

Seven-year old Roberta is sent to her grandparents' home in North Carolina when her pregnant mother is put on bed rest. This sensitive story captures an earlier time and the honest emotion of a childhood fears and joys.

Owl Babies

By: Martin Waddell
Illustrated by: Patrick Benson

Age Level: 0-3
Reading Level: Pre-Reader

When they find their mother gone from the nest, three owlets worry that their mother won't return, but of course she does. Stunning illustrations combine with repeating text for a reassuring story.

Rattletrap Car

By: Phyllis Root
Illustrated by: Jill Barton

Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Poppa worries that the family's old car won't make it, but the children convince him otherwise and so begins the summer outing — a real celebration of family and fun and even the old family car!

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

By: Mem Fox
Illustrated by: Helen Oxenbury

Age Level: 0-3
Reading Level: Pre-Reader

Rhythmic language and joy-filled illustrations celebrate babies and encourages play with a diverse group of round little babies and their piggy-toes and chubby fingers.

The Hello, Goodbye Window

By: Norton Juster
Illustrated by: Chris Raschka

Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Independent Reader

The window at Nanna and Poppy's house looks like a regular window, but it's really a doorway to the child's world and a celebration of the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Celebrate family with this Caldecott Medal-winning book.

When I Am Old with You

By: Angela Johnson
Illustrated by: David Soman

Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

A young child imagines the day when he will be as old as his grandfather and share what his grandfather enjoys now. The tender relationship clearly reflects a young child’s viewpoint.