A Family Just Like Mine

The era of the nuclear family, with a working dad and stay-at-home mom is fast disappearing. There is no longer any such thing as a Typical Family, but rather, a whole grab bag of family arrangements. Families are now more ethnically, racially, religiously and stylistically diverse than a decade ago. Postmodernists argue that the increase in diversity of family household structures reflects that we now live in a tolerant society. The family unit is thriving and continues to play a central role in shaping the health and wellbeing of family members. In A Family Just Like Mine, Gemma, an inquisitive, adopted child, travels the world looking for a family like her own. Her journey begins in London, from there she meets giants in Bolivia, rides an elephant in India, slides down dunes in Egypt and skis in Switzerland. Children will love jumping, high-fiving and stomping along with Gemma on her amazing adventure.

Celebrate feelings in all their shapes and sizes in this New York Times bestselling picture book from the Growing Hearts series! Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. With whimsical illustrations and an irresistible die-cut heart that extends through each spread, this gorgeously packaged and unique feelings book is sure to become a storytime favorite.

Families have always been complicated. A Family Like Mine explores the surprising variety of family stories and relationships reflected in the Bible, emphasizing God's grace, reconciliation, and renewal. The book tells the family stories of our spiritual ancestors in ways that resonate with our own family stories. Author Rosalind Hughes weaves accounts of familiar and less well-known biblical characters with stories of family formation, estrangement, adoption, and more. She imaginatively retells biblical stories, inviting the reader to dig deeper into the motivations, disappointments, faith, and fulfillment we hold in common with our biblical ancestors. Story-based and biblically informed, A Family Like Mine combines spiritual autobiography with Bible study to provide a gentle but probing look at the many mansions of God's household, where Jesus has prepared a place for all of God's children.

"Beautifully paced . . . heartbreaking and hilarious."—USA Today Augusten Burroughs meets Mary Karr: a deeply funny and wickedly entertaining family memoir. The youngest of four daughters in an old, celebrated St. Louis family-- of prominent journalists and politicians on one side, debutantes and equestrians on the other-- Jeanne Darst grew up hearing stories of past grandeur. And the message she internalized as a young girl was clear: While things might be a bit tight for us right now, it’s only temporary. Soon her father would sell the Great American Novel and reclaim the family’s former glory. The Darsts move from St. Louis to New York, and Jeanne’s father writes one novel, then another, which don’t find publishers. This, combined with her mother’s burgeoning alcoholism, lead to financial disaster and divorce. And as Jeanne becomes an adult, she is horrified to discover that she is not only a drinker like her mother, but a writer like her father. At first, and for years, she embraces both activities— and until she can stop putting drinking and writing ahead of everything else, it’s a questionable choice. Ultimately, Darst sets out to discover whether a person can have the writing without the ruin, whether it’s possible to be both sober and creative, ambitious and happy, a professional author and a parent. Filled with brilliantly flawed, idiosyncratic characters and punctuated by Darst’s irreverent eye for absurdity, Fiction Ruined My Family is a lovingly told, wickedly funny portrait of an unconventional life.

Understanding divorce--a healing drawing and activity book for kids Unlike other divorce books for kids, My Family is Changing helps your child (age 5-7) process what's happening through sympathetic stories that feature a diverse collection of children. Each story also serves as a starting point for a host of activities and drawing pages that provide a safe space for them to explore and express their feelings. My Family is Changing goes beyond other divorce books for kids, with: Understanding divorce--Help your child deal with some of the new challenges they might face--like separate houses, different weekend activities, and changing traditions--in a supportive way. 7 Insightful stories--Your child will discover that they aren't alone thanks to comforting stories about other children whose parents are also divorcing. Emotional discovery--Activities like drawing their changing family to making a calendar of things they want to do make this a standout among divorce books for kids. Divorce books for kids should provide tools for kids to not just learn, but also share their feelings--and this book delivers results.

Are there children in your life who are experiencing the pain of their parents' divorce? This book will help give advice and information in a gentle and sensitive way. It will help children face their fears, worries and questions when the family is going through a break-up. Parents, teachers, and gift givers will find: language that is simple, direct, and easier for younger children to understand information about a divorce in my family a helpful book written by a psychotherapist and counselor a whole series of books for children to explore emotional issues The A First Look At series promotes positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers, and encourage kids to ask questions and confront social and emotional questions that sometimes present problems. Books feature appealing full-color illustrations on every page plus a page of advice to parents and teachers.

Billy's family is not what you'd call ordinary. His mums won't listen to NORMAL music. They love to sing sea shanties and dance jigs in the lounge. Their clothes are highly unusual, they have a rude parrot for a pet, and their taste in house design is, well . . . FISHY. Billy wishes his family could be more like everyone else's. Until a swashbuckling adventure changes everything!

Provides a touching story about an interracial adoption as a young girl tells of her journey aboard an airplane to meet her adoptive relatives where, despite their different appearances, she is embraced by her new surroundings and finds a perfect fit