Friends & Family

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

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.

Choco is a little yellow bird who lives all alone. When Choco decides that he wants a mother, he has trouble finding one who looks just like him. Finally, just as he has given up hope, he meets Mrs. Bear. Not only does Mrs. Bear hug him and kiss him, she takes him home to her family. A delightful story about finding family in wonderful (and unexpected) places. Also available in Spanish.

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 2006 Caldecott Medal-winning book.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

From the opening lines to its satisfying conclusion, readers are introduced to babies from many cultures. Though each child is different, each has some things in common — “ten little fingers & ten little toes.” The rhyming text and repeated phrase make this a wonderful book to share with children of many ages.

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.

Young Jay Jay helps his loving and much loved grandmother prepare for a big family dinner. Warm, welcoming illustrations spice up this rhythmical ode to the joys of family and food.

In this celebration of dads, heartwarming illustrations of baby animals and their fathers remind us of the many reasons why dads are so special.

Becca loved spending time with her grandmother, watching her do everything from dancing in the garden to painting a canvas to attending a powwow. Becca wanted to be just like her grandma — and basketball-playing grandma wanted to be just like Becca! The warm relationship between grandmother and granddaughter is set in an indigenous context but is universally appealing.

When Esperanza and her family are forced to leave Cuba, they work hard to make a home for themselves and others who also had to flee to the U.S. The artist’s signature illustrations further enliven the warm family saga.