FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD

This simple but inclusive informational picture book surveys many types of families.

Based on real people that Ruurs met, there are 14 families represented, including Chinese immigrants in Canada, a Texas ranch family, a Mayan village family in Mexico, several European families, and a kibbutz family in Israel. Families in Saudi Arabia, Kenya (a Maasai village), Pakistan, South Korea and Mongolia are also introduced. Each two-page spread highlights daily life and includes a greeting in the family’s language and the words for family members. Sometimes a favorite food is mentioned, like kimbap in South Korea, and defined in the glossary. Foster children are not included, and neither are blended families, but the author strives for diversity, particularly in the European families. The English family is biracial, the French family is headed by a single dad, and Sanne, from the Netherlands, has two moms. Zofia lives in a Polish town and pushes her brother in his wheelchair to church. Collages incorporate acrylic paint, paper, pencil crayon and ink. Detailed and colorful, the variety of vignettes and larger images in each spread complement the text well, although the map is very confusing. A note for parents and teachers includes simple activities but no resources.

Limiting African representation to one rural group (the Maasai) is an unfortunate misstep, but this quick global trip can serve as a first look at the larger world.