FAMILY IS FAMILY

A baby chick wonders why he’s the only animal with two moms.

Before leaving for his first day of school, Chick receives a note from his teacher (mysteriously bypassing his parents) suggesting that he ask his mom, his dad, or an older brother or sister to walk him to school. But Chick has two moms (though no siblings), and he doesn’t want to choose between them, so he decides to walk to school alone. Along the way, he encounters a variety of families: some headed by single parents, others with multiple siblings, and even one with an older sister as a guardian (but none with grandparents or unrelated adults as guardians, who would presumably be in an even bigger pickle than Chick). Seeing these relatively diverse families may be reassuring for readers but does not soothe Chick’s anxiety, and when another classmate asks Chick why he came alone, he responds, “The note said ‘mom or dad, big brother or sister.’ What could I do?” The premise quickly falls apart, as it isn’t clear why Chick believes he couldn’t invite one or both of his mothers. When he finally asks his parents why he has two moms, he’s given a loving non-answer: “Every family is different.” With a strained plot and nothing new to say, there’s little to recommend this title instead of another picture book about gay parents. Still, the art is appealing, full of both bright and subtle color, and the baby animals are adorable.

Cute but forgettable.