Family diversity has always been an interesting topic for me, since I was raised in one. I was raised by my mother, grandmother, and older sister who is ten years older than me. I am extremely grateful for my diverse family, for I was able to understand certain issues this group constantly faced when they are being represented on the media. For instance, how the single mother is the only one to blame if her child goes on the wrong path, or how single fathers are classified as glorified babysitter and never the real parent of his own child. Family diversity within the LGBTQ+ communities are also at a constant struggle with the media and society, from their rights to adopt children and for them to have the opportunity to become parents, and the constant fear society pushes towards them when they teach their children the importance of equality, gender perspective and fluidity, respect towards others, and other meaningful conversations adults can have with children about the LGBT community. Therefore, In honor of the LGBTQ+ community and diverse families everywhere, let’s take a look at wonderful and diverse children’s picture books that showcase the fluidity in family diversity.
1. The Many Colored Love / El Amor de Todos Los Colores by Lucía Moreno Velo, Illustrated by Javier Termenon.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
This beautifully illustrated and bilingual (English & Spanish) picture book demonstrate the full rainbow experience, which makes reference to the LGBTQ+ flag, of the meaning of love in family diversity. The story is told by a little girl named Maite, who tells the reader that her family, which consists of two mothers and herself, “is great.” During the story, Maite is using a magnifying glass to look for the different colors that signify love in the entire picture book. While she is on her journey to find the many colored love, she is telling us her own definition of what family means to her, and how important it is to stay in the sea of the different colors that love has to offer. The “sea” that she speaks of is an aura of colors, which fills their home and neighborhood. It is wonderful to see how the neighborhood where Maite’s family lives is very open and accepting of their unity. I can’t spoil the ending, but all I can say is the picture book ends on a beautiful note on Family Diversity and unity between Maite and her two moms.
2. Best Best Colors / Los Mejores Colores by Eric Hoffman, Illustrated by Celeste Henriquez, Translated by Eida de la Vega.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
With the collaboration of Eida de la Vega as a translator, we have another bilingual picture book about Nate’s fascination towards colors, from his pink pillow to orange cat, from his mothers’ different hair and eye color, this picture book demonstrates to the reader the importance of accepting the different types of color, which serves as a metaphor for the diversity within people, and families in our society. To put it another way, it does not only talk about gender issues, it also informs parents about race, language, and the importance of family in this story as Nate is taught and shown how accepting our environment can be. What I find interesting about the picture book itself is that Nate finds meaning in every color of the rainbow as it guides him in a journey full of life lessons in a beautifully illustrated story.
3. In Our Mothers’ House by Patricia Polacco.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
New York Times best selling author and illustrator, Patricia Polacco crafts a story where “Marmee and Meema’s house is full of love. And they teach their children that different doesn’t mean wrong. And no matter how many moms or dads they have, they are everything a family is meant to be.” The story begins with a female child explains to the audience how her two mothers formed their family, along with a metaphor giving homage to the struggles LGBTQ+ couples go through in the process of adapting a child. This is a remarkable story where as long as you cultivate love in a family unit, nothing else matters, including people’s negative ideologies about same sex marriages and diverse families. The picture books moves smoothly as it demonstrates the childhood and adulthood of the three kids living their lives in their mothers’ house. As Penguin Random House describes, this picture book represents “a true Polacco story of a family, living by their own rules, and the strength they gain by the love they feel.”
4. Antonio’s Card / La Targeta de Antonio by Rigoberto Gonzalez, Illustrated by Cecilia Concepcion Alvarez.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
Have you ever heard someone say “words have power?” This popular frase is put into practice as Antonio, our child protagonist, thinks deeply about the importance of family and the courage to not be ashamed of his diverse family, as he writes a letter to his mother and her partner on mother’s day. This bilingual English and Spanish book guides its readers on the life of Antonio, as he explains that he really likes the shapes and symbols words can form because through words one can express feelings of love towards others, but these can also be used to hurt people as well. With this in mind, Antonio journeys to find the words to express his love to his mother and her partner Leslie, or express hurt by keeping silent due to fear of what his classmates might say.
5. Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
I always love when authors use cute and furry animals in their picture books, but in this case, don’t let this adorable story stray you away from the plot line. In this case, we have the uncle-niece relationship of Chloe and her uncle Bobby, where they literally do many fun activities together. What moves me from this picture book is the importance of acceptance in the family and the positive support Bobby receives from his niece. Even though Chloe did not like the idea of her uncle marrying at first, for she would lose her favorite person in the world, she quickly accepted it and helped Bobby with the wedding.
6. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, Illustrated by Henry Cole.
(Picture found in Amazon.com)
One of my all time favorite books is about the true story of two male penguins warming and raising a baby penguin named Tango, but due to the controversy it represents, it is also a picture book that is well known for being banned many times throughout the years. In fact, this book made the top 10 banned books list of 2017, ranking in number 9 because of the “anti-family” and “anti-ethnic” message the book supposedly demonstrates to its target age group. However, it is also important to take into consideration what the picture book can offer instead of having the book banned or challenged. In a previous article, I argued about the importance providing safe spaces when addressing books containing what people might categorize as “challenging topics” because “opening spaces to have conversations on these topics can help parents and children to learn about the process of censorship and challenging books. This is important because when a book is banned or challenged, the person is not only restricting access to a small group, it also affects everyone else in the same school community.” With a colorful display of an everyday journey through the zoo, this picture book moves its audience into the reality and beauty of family diversity.
With the growing number of Family Diversity, and more children having same sex parents, it is important to create representation and share these stories to the world. Children’s books, especially picture books, allows us to better represent minority groups who are otherwise marginalized in other mediums, and provides the opportunity for parents to educate their children about the diversity we have in our community. This idea becomes clear as explained by Bright Horizons, when they state that “one of the most important gifts we can give our children is to help them feel good about the uniqueness of their family and help them learn to accept, respect, and include people whom they may experience as ‘different’.” If you haven’t read any of these picture books and are interested to learn more about diverse families, which include same sex families, who are ethnically diverse, and bilingual in English and Spanish, these are a great series of picture books to start reading.