The Great Big Book of Families

£4.995
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The Great Big Book of Families

The Great Big Book of Families

RRP: £9.99
Price: £4.995
£4.995 FREE Shipping

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Description

Walking Brain Cells (blog, UK): “a warm, welcoming book where all children will see parts of themselves represented”

Clearly, the children are meant to be in costumes, playing dress up. As you see, one child is dressed up in what we're meant to see as an "Indian" or "Native American." The problems in that choice are many. First, it is a stereotypical illustration. Second, even if it were accurate, it ought not be shown as an option in an array of dress-up costumes.

This is a fresh, optimistic look through children's eyes at today's wide variety of family life: from homes, food, ways of celebrating, schools and holidays to getting around, jobs and housework, from extended families, languages and hobbies to pets and family trees. From a mum and dad or single parent to two mums or two dads, from a mixed-race family to children with different mums and dads, to families with a disabled member. This book covers all of that as well as economic status, housing situations, transport options, even pets. The illustrations are colourful and funny and completely engage any child, or adult who's reading this. Mary Hoffman is a bestselling British author and reviewer, born in 1945. She is a true enthusiast of Italy and spends a lot of her time there, which shows in her Stravaganza novels: a series currently in publication. In total, she has written over 80 books, including the aforementioned Stravaganza series and the bestselling picture book, Amazing Grace. Mary is also the editor of a review magazine Armadillo for kids. This clever book is taking a truly 21st Century look at family life... In spite of managing to reflect the reality of life for all families, the book refrains from making value judgements. No family is depicted as better or worse than any other – just different."

The Great Big Book of Families is a children's picture book written by Marry Hoffman and illustrated by Ros Asquith which focus on the definition of family, what constitutes a family, where family live, and what families do. This book explores a myriad of families and each being valid in every meaning of the definition. Subjects explored include disability, adoption, working parents, holidays, pets, emotions, celebrations, poverty and racial diversity.

The Great Big Book of Families introduces children to the fact that not all families look the same. During December we will be sharing the lesson plans published by Highland Council’s Equalities Improvement Group and LGBTI+ sub-group to support the development of Equality and Diversity across the curriculum. 18 picture books have been selected; for each picture book there have been lessons created for Early – Fourth Levels (Curriculum for Excellence) driven by the Literacy and English and Health and Wellbeing Experiences and Outcomes. Today’s Lesson: ‘The Great Big Book of Families’– Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith Update (1): Shortly after I published this post, a reader wrote to say that their copy says "Costume Party" instead of "Fancy Dress." They have a 2010 copy with a "reprint" year of 2011. I wonder when and why that change was made? I assume the original said "Costume Party" and that someone objected right away, and so those words were changed to "Fancy Dress." It doesn't make a difference. We know what they're doing. What it is called doesn't matter. Shannon’s text is delivered in spare, rhythmic, lilting verse that begins with one and counts up to 10 as it presents different groupings of things and people in individual families, always emphasizing the unitary nature of each combination. “One is six. One line of laundry. One butterfly’s legs. One family.” Gomez’s richly colored pictures clarify and expand on all that the text lists: For “six,” a picture showing six members of a multigenerational family of color includes a line of laundry with six items hanging from it outside of their windows, as well as the painting of a six-legged butterfly that a child in the family is creating. While text never directs the art to depict diverse individuals and family constellations, Gomez does just this in her illustrations. Interracial families are included, as are depictions of men with their arms around each other, and a Sikh man wearing a turban. This inclusive spirit supports the text’s culminating assertion that “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.”



  • Fruugo ID: 258392218-563234582
  • EAN: 764486781913
  • Sold by: Fruugo

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