About the Holiday

This United Nations sponsored observance was initiated in 1993 to reflect the importance of families worldwide. The day provides an opportunity to promote issues affecting families, including social, economic, educational and demographic topics. This year’s theme is Families, Healthy Lives and Sustainable Futures and focuses on ending poverty, promoting shared economic prosperity, social development, and health while protecting the environment. The holiday is marked with workshops, educational opportunities, publications, and special community events.

Families, Families, Families

Written by Suzanne Lang | Illustrated by Max Lang

Families—haven’t they always come in all shapes and sizes? With all different customs and traditions? Families, Families, Families delves into this most enduring—and endearing—structure of life in a way that makes sense to kids in a funny and honest way. “Some children have lots of siblings. Some children have none” the book starts. “Some children have two dads. Some have one mom. Some children live with their grandparents…and some live with an aunt.”

Lang does an excellent job of presenting all types of familial arrangements within the pages of the book. Nearly every child will happily find themselves here. Interspersed among the varieties of households, humorous comparisons and rhymes (“some children have many pets…and some just have a plant!”) elevate this book to a tribute to understanding, acceptance, and inclusion. After all…“if you love each other, then you are a family.”

Max Lang hit on an inspired way—during this era of selfies, snapchat, and the like—to illustrate the concepts of family. More than 17 animal families pose for portraits in which comic drawings of smiling moms, dads, kids, and relatives are superimposed onto photographed backgrounds. The portraits are framed with another touch of humor: A chicken family photo sits in a frame made of hay, an octopus and her four children smile from a frame made of seashells, and the Tigers are displayed in a frame of bones. The photos hang on wallpapered, barn, and underwater cave walls; sit on fireplace mantels; are pinned to bulletin boards; and fill scrapbook pages.

Families, Families, Families brilliantly demonstrates how every child takes pride in his or her family—just as the readers take pride in theirs.

Ages 3 – 7

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2015 | ISBN 978-0553499384

International Day of Families Activity

Make Your Own Recipe Box

One of the best ways to spend time together is to bake up a favorite recipe and enjoy the results! World Baking Day is celebrated this week, so for the next few days, I’ll be offering baking-related activities for you to have fun with! With a small box you can make your own recipe organizer to keep tasty recipes close at hand!

Supplies

• A small box with a hinged lid or separate lid, at least 5 inches by 3 1/3 inches (fits a small index card). A Twinings Tea Box works well as does a small wooden box available from craft stores
• Washi tape or paint
• Paint brush

Directions

1. Cover your box with washi tape or paint your box
2. Decorate your box with your unique style

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