A Family is a Family is a Family, by Sara O'Leary

Sara O'Leary does it again, folks!  A Family is a Family is a Family melts my heart, purely and simply. It is one of those special stories that firmly grounds the reader in a situation we have all experienced: that unsettling feeling of needing to hide details about our family because something about it felt too different to share.  We've all had moments where we felt ashamed, embarrassed, or - even more upsetting - that things were much more "normal" in everyone else's homes. But this book tackles all of those feelings and then some. And it does it so, so well.

In the beautiful A Family is a Family is a Family, written by the brilliant O'Leary and illustrated by Qin Leng, a child is hesitant to share stories about her family at school. But once all of her classmates begin to talk about life in their own homes, the students come to realize there is no such thing as a "right" family.  Instead, each family is unique and special in its own way, and the most important component is the love they all share with one another.

I adore the way A Family is a Family is a Family handles what is perceived by many as a sensitive topic. It never feels pedantic or preachy, and it so flawlessly imparts that families come in all shapes and sizes, some with multiracial parents, others with adopted siblings, some with same sex parents and others with divorced parents, just to name a few. It is a book I am so proud to display in my school library and one that is cherished in our home collection because it stands for everything I believe in-- a family is a family is a family, and perhaps even more importantly, love is love is love. With this book, O'Leary has given us all another beautiful story to share with our children. It is the perfect tool to teach them that the beating, breathing heart of a family has no limits and no restrictions. Two joyful trunks up!!

Want the book? Get it here! A Family is a Family is a Family, by Sara O'Leary.  *This is an affiliate link.