‘Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis
(All Ages)
This cumulative tale, told in the style of “The House the Jack Built”, takes you through the process of how a family, or ‘ohana, farms taro for poi to prepare for a traditional luau celebration. Find it at the Library
The More You Give by Marcy Campbell
(Preschool)
For those who maybe didn’t like the book The Giving Tree quite as much as others, this book is for you. This story shows a family’s legacy of love and nurturing over many generations, helping us see that many of the gifts that we pass on to our children are not something we can tough, but instead things like knowledge, traditions, and faith. Find it at the Library
We Are Family by Patricia Hegarty
(Toddler, Preschool)
Short, rhyming couplets highlight the many ways that families can be different and can be the same, no matter where you come from. The illustrations allow children to compare and contrast between 10 different families as they go through their daily routines. Find it at the Library
A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary
(Preschool)
After a school assignment requires children to think about what makes their family special, each child in the classroom shares their thoughts. Answers vary from having a large family with lots of children, moms with terrible singing voices, and shared parenting time in different homes. One child, living with her foster family, isn’t sure what to answer until she remembers a trip to the park. Find it at the Library
This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson
(Preschool, School Age)
Based on the author’s own family history, this is a story of how one piece of rope served as a symbol for the many changes that occurred during the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural south to northern cities in the 1900s. One girl tells the story of her grandmother’s move to New York City as a child, using a rope from their farm to tie their belongings to the top of the car. Over several years, the rope is using again and again: to dry flowers, play jump rope, and even tie on more belongings to a car for a new generation.Find it at the Library
Around the Table that Granddad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill.
(Toddler, Preschool)
In this cumulative tale (yes, there are two this time), a multiracial family sets the table for their harvest meal. With flowers picked by the cousins, the napkins sewn by mom, and the food made by different members of the family, this story highlights how each part of the meal honors traditions and people in the family. Find it at the Library
These resources were recommended by Samantha Blanquart, Early Literacy Outreach Librarian with the Anchorage Public Library. Visit APL’s website for more info about early literacy or to check out one of their reading kits for young children.
