• Story book

• Choose a story from the following suggestions:
  • The Family Book by Todd Parr, 2010. The Family Book celebrates the love we feel for our families and all the different varieties they come in. Whether you have two moms or two dads, a big family or a small family, a clean family or a messy one, Todd Parr assures readers that every family is special in its own unique way.
  • Who’s In My Family? by Robie Harris, 2012. This colorful, large-format picture book looks at all kinds of diverse families. Families live in different places, eat different foods, and enjoy doing different things together. They have different numbers of children, who might be adopted, and different combinations of mothers and fathers, who might get divorced and possibly remarry. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, foster parents, and pets are family, too.
  • Grandfather Counts by Andrea Cheng, 2003. When Helen’s grandfather comes from China to live with her family, he’s shocked to find that none of his grandchildren speak Chinese. How will he communicate with them?
  • And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnall, 2005. In the zoo, there are all kinds of animal families-but Tango’s family is not like any of the others. A true story about two male penguins who raised a baby penguin.
• Review How to Read a Story Book, under Resources in the Introduction.
• Ascertain if the group includes any foster children, adoptees, or children in mixed-race, LGBTQ, or other diverse families for whom you would like to provide some extra support and reassurance that their family is recognized by the congregation as a loving family, too. You may wish to alert families ahead of time to the topic of diverse families, so that they are able to prepare their children and so that you can discuss any issues that might arise during this activity and determine how best to affirm the child.

Hold up the book and say, in these words or your own,

Here’s how I am going to read the story. Does anyone need to move so that they can see and hear?

This will help children move if they need to and then get settled before the story is started, so they don’t interrupt the reading. It also serves as a reminder that if they stand or sit right in front of the pages, no one else can see. Invite them to find a place to settle so that everyone can see. When all are ready, read the story. .When you finish reading, ask if anyone has thoughts about the story that they would like to share.

Seat a child with hearing or sight difficulties near the reader.