My Family and Other Families
Richard and Lewis Edwards-Middleton, illustrated by Andy Passchier
DK

In this story we follow Liam and his family on their visit to the funfair. Leo is super-excited at the prospect of riding on the big wheel, but with his ticket tucked into his pocket, we wonder if he’ll ever get to the wheel on time. There are so many other families there who all want to stop and chat – families that don’t necessarily look like his own but who all show loving care to their children just like his own. Suddenly Liam realises that his ticket is no longer in his pocket and he frantically retraces his steps asking the other visitors if they’ve seen it. 

Nobody has but everybody offers to join in the ticket search and eventually Liam has a ticket clasped tightly in his hand and he heads over to where a man is making that last call for riders to board the wheel. Now there’s one final opportunity for kindness so that all the children are able to have a ride.
The final sentence in the book, ‘A family is people who care about you’ sums up the authors’ crucial message of diversity and nicely rounds off the story.

Shown inside the front cover and hiding in plain sight in vibrant illustrations are thirteen hidden surprises that young children can search for during the telling. A book to add to collections in early years settings.

Some Daddies
Carol Gordon Ekster and Javiera Mac-lean Álvarez
Beaming Books

“Every daddy is different!” So goes the repeat refrain in this celebration of fathers of all kinds and their styles of parenting. Some are early risers, while others take a while to get going in the morning. Some drink coffee, some drink tea, some prefer a smoothie or water. Some wear suits, some don uniforms, and some work from home in their pyjamas! Some daddies are arty, some like growing things, some love to read. 

Daddies might be good cooks or they might rely on take-aways; some will bid you goodnight with a song, others with a bedtime story. Some are yours from the moment of your birth, others are not a biological relation and choose you later on, some share you with a mum, others with another dad. Yes there are many, many different ways that daddies can look, eat, work, play, and be; however there’s one thing all daddies have in common: daddies are special people who love their little ones.

Brightly coloured, slightly quirky illustrations support the upbeat text with its key message about similarities and differences.