Family Unit Books

Title: Mommy, Mama, and Me

Author: Leslea Newman
Illustrator: Carol Thompson
Publisher: Tricycle Press
Copyright Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-58246-263-9

Description:
A story that shows a toddler spending his day with their two mothers. Various activities are
played between the toddler and the mothers. Such activities are hide-and-seek, dress-up, and
then they do the bathtime routine, followed with a kiss goodnight. Story shows that there is no
limit to what a family can do together when they love each other.

Criteria

Yes

Is the book bilingual or multilingual?

Are there various racial characters depicted in the
book?
White
Black/African Americans
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

No

N/A

Comments

X
X

White,
same-sex
parents

Does this book show any tokenism? (Are the

characters alike, for example: in height, weight,
shape, facial structure, etc)

Are female characters in active roles?

Are male characters in passive roles?

Does the book prevent gender stereotypes?

Female (Do the females have clean jobs? Are
they nurses or homemakers?)
Male (Are the males outdoorsy? Are they
categorized as strong?)

Does the book avoid racial stereotypes?

White
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

Are various family units shown?

Do the stereotypes depict a certain time period?

Female
parents are
active and
helping the
child

Same-sex
parents

Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

Does the book reflect a variety of settings?

Does the book reflect groups in different periods?

Does the story include a lesson to be learned?

Does the book use racial and gender sensitive

terminologies?
Is the author/illustrator qualified to publish this
book?

X
X

Yes, I would use this book. I would use this book because it explains that children can be raised
by parents of the same-sex. This book teaches about the various events that go on in a childs
life and that the child is loved by their parents no matter what.

Title: Brown Like Me

Author/Illustrator: Noelle Lamperti
Publisher: New Victoria Publishers
Copyright Date: 2000
ISBN: N/A

Description:
A story about an African American girl that is adopted into a white family. Her adoptive family
encourages her to bring out her beauty of being brown-skinned. This story teaches children to
celebrate themselves and the diversity that is around them.

Criteria

Yes

Is the book bilingual or multilingual?

Are there various racial characters depicted
in the book?
White
Black/African Americans
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities
Does this book show any tokenism? (Are the
characters alike, for example: in height,

No

N/A

Comments

X
X

African
American
child with
white
adoptive
parents

weight, shape, facial structure, etc)

Are female characters in active roles?
Are male characters in passive roles?

Female
parents are
active and
helping the
child

Does the book prevent gender stereotypes?

Female (Do the females have clean jobs?
Are they nurses or homemakers?)
Male (Are the males outdoorsy? Are they
categorized as strong?)

Does the book avoid racial stereotypes?

White
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

Are various family units shown?

Black child in
a white
family

Do the stereotypes depict a certain time

period?

Present day

Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

Does the book reflect a variety of settings?

Does the book reflect groups in different

periods?
Does the story include a lesson to be
learned?

X
X

Does the book use racial and gender

sensitive terminologies?
Is the author/illustrator qualified to publish
this book?

X
X

The author
based the
book off of
herself

Yes, I would use this book. I would use this book because it talks about what it is like to be an
African American child that is adopted into an all-white family. It is important for children to see

that it is possible to live their life after they have been adopted into a new family and still keep
their cultures and traditions that they are used to.

Title: Knock Knock: My Dads Dream for Me

Author: Daniel Beaty
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: 2013
ISBN: 9780316209175

Description:
A story that discusses about how a young child loves and adores his father and then one day
the father leaves. This story that describes what it is like to have separation from a parent
whether it is the parent leaving due to divorce, death or some other reason.

Criteria
Is the book bilingual or multilingual?

Yes

No
X

N/A

Comments

Are there various racial characters depicted

in the book?
White
Black/African Americans
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

African
American
father and
son

Does this book show any tokenism? (Are the

characters alike, for example: in height,
weight, shape, facial structure, etc)

Are female characters in active roles?

Are male characters in passive roles?

Does the book prevent gender stereotypes?

Female (Do the females have clean jobs?
Are they nurses or homemakers?)
Male (Are the males outdoorsy? Are they
categorized as strong?)

Does the book avoid racial stereotypes?

White
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

Are various family units shown?

Do the stereotypes depict a certain time

period?

Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

One parent
family

Does the book reflect a variety of settings?

Does the book reflect groups in different

periods?

Does the story include a lesson to be

learned?

Going
through life
with a
missing

parent
Does the book use racial and gender
sensitive terminologies?

Is the author/illustrator qualified to publish

this book?

Yes, I would use this book. I would use this book because it depicts a single family home, with a
father and a son. This book also explains what it is like to have a parent leave a child and how
that child goes about living their life without a parent to become their role model and lead them
through life. This book shows children that it is important to grow up and follow your dreams.

Title: Uncle Bobbys Wedding

Author/Illustrator: Sarah S. Brannen
Publisher: G.P. Putnams Sons Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: 2008
ISBN: 0399247122

Description:
A story about a childs uncle getting married. The child worries that her uncle will not think she is
as special. The story focuses on the fact that Uncle Bobby is marrying his boyfriend and that
this type of relationship is just as strong as when a man marries a woman.

Criteria
Is the book bilingual or multilingual?

Yes

No
X

N/A

Comments

Are there various racial characters depicted

in the book?
White
Black/African Americans
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

Does this book show any tokenism? (Are the

characters alike, for example: in height,
weight, shape, facial structure, etc)

Are female characters in active roles?

Are male characters in passive roles?

Does the book prevent gender stereotypes?

Female (Do the females have clean jobs?
Are they nurses or homemakers?)
Male (Are the males outdoorsy? Are they
categorized as strong?)

Does the book avoid racial stereotypes?

White
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
Native Americans/American Indian
Asian American
Women
Men
Physical Disabilities

Are various family units shown?

Do the stereotypes depict a certain time

period?

Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

Does the book reflect a variety of settings?

Does the book reflect groups in different

periods?
Does the story include a lesson to be
learned?
Does the book use racial and gender
sensitive terminologies?

X
X
X

Is the author/illustrator qualified to publish

this book?

No, I would not use this book. I would not use this book because although it talks about samesex marriage and how things will be similar to how they used to be before the marriage; this
book is not based around the theme of family units as much as some other books. This book
also includes the characters as animals which does not allow for proper illustration of diversity.