Families [Hardcover]

Susan Kuklin (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up

In frank, funny, touching, and often surprising interviews, children from fourteen different families talk about how they identify themselves as a family. The range of families profiled in this engaging book reflects the kaleidoscopic diversity of families in America today: there are mixed-race families and immigrant families; families of gay and lesbian couples and very religious families; families with only children, many children, adopted children, and children with special needs. This book is a celebration of all families, and provides young readers with windows into other lives, as well as mirrors in which they can see their own family relationships reflected.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 4–This book consists of interviews with the children from 15 different families, including mixed-race, immigrant, gay, lesbian, and divorced, as well as single parents and families for whom religion is a focal point. The children may be adopted, have special needs, be only children or have multiple siblings, and, of course, the characteristics frequently overlap. The interviews focus on the youngsters' feelings about being part of their family: adults do not interfere. The voices are natural, and the children come across as individuals, not just representative of a particular lifestyle or ethnic group. According to an author's note, Kuklin allowed her subjects to choose how they would be photographed, including the clothing worn and what family mementos would be shown. Working with those constraints, Kuklin has composed sharp and vibrant photos that capture the essence of each of them. This book will be both attractive to browsers and an excellent impetus for discussing relationships and diversity in America.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Combining interviews and engaging color photos, Kuklin's latest book shows the diversity of families in America. Each of the 15 double-page spreads focuses on one family, illustrated by three photographs: a family portrait, a picture of the children, and a photo from the family's own collection. The text consists of the children's wide-ranging and occasionally disjointed comments about themselves, their siblings, their parents, and aspects of their lives such as religion, divorce, Down syndrome, and growing up in a biracial family. Readers may not want to pursue all this in one sitting, but each story is interesting. Eloise, adopted at a Chinese orphanage, wonders about her birth parents. Ella, who has two fathers, tells how her family dealt with "Moms Weekend" at her sleep-away camp. Joshua and his twin sisters, Ashley and Kati, talk about twinship, hobbies, and Korean elements in their daily lives. An attractive introduction to the ever-stretching definition of family. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786808225
• ISBN-13: 978-0786808229
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars respectful, appealing and interesting, October 5, 2006

By 

Oleanna (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Families (Hardcover)

Although Kuklin claims looks were unimportant in this interesting photo
picture book on family diversity, somehow she ended up with attractive,
appealing subjects children and adults will enjoy looking at.

She set out to find a panoply of outgoing U.S. children with varied
families willing to provide young readers either a window into their own
lives or a mirror of the readers' identities through tiny glimpses of
themselves as perceived and expressed by the children-- "Gutsy" families,
notes Kuklin, in the March 2006 American Library Association Book Links
magazine.

Fifteen nurturing families representing a broad range of characteristics
obliged. They are featured in fifteen attractive page spreads. Each has
a group family picture, a cut-out shot of the children, an album photo,
and text in the children's own words, omitting questions or prompts that
must have elicited some of the comments.

Kuklin let the children's personalities and decisions guide her
collaborative project. The children, ages four to fourteen, not the
adults, were interviewed for the text, revealed whatever they chose
about their families, and directed the depiction of their family life,
including poses, props, pets, and what everyone should wear in the
photos. (Parents did consult on location for the photo shoots.)
Additionally, because many of the children showed her their family
albums during interviews, Kuklin had each family select one significant
photo from their family's history which is included and described.

She took several rolls of photographs for each shoot, had the families
select their favorites, and relied on them also to oversee and correct
transcriptions from the interviews, every draft, every word. It all
works! Somehow, it's fascinating and inviting.

Choosing an inclusive array of families troubled Kuklin: " Isn't it
ironic that to do a book emphasizing inclusiveness, I needed to be
somewhat exclusive? And in order to break down the notion of inaccurate
stereotypes, I had to consider the race, religion, gender, and other
features of the families. It was a most odd experience, one that went
against my basic instincts and beliefs."(Book List)

She did manage to achieve a rich, authentic mix.
The families are mostly New York City people, but some are rural too.
She interviews an only child, twins, children adopted from different
countries and from the United States and their siblings, an adopted
daughter of two dads, two children in a two-mom family, and a family
with two daughters in the U.S. and one in their country of origin
because the parents hadn't been able to arrange childcare while they
worked.

The families are of many races and ethnic backgrounds with parents from
Japan, Korea, Germany, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico,
Ecuador, Egypt, India, and the U.S. Some are extended families with
relatives besides parents and children living together. Disabilities
are not apparent except for one brother with Down syndrome. No one is
mentioned in the service or in prison. There are no crises, no abuse,
neglect or homelessness. These families are all positive models, secure
and loving.

Some of the children mention religion, their parents work, their
physical homes, favorite foods, talents, activities, education, dreams,
and attitudes. The interviews bear no fill-in-the-blank, cooky cutter
repetitiveness. Each is similar but unique. The children describe
themselves, share details they choose about family members, and talk
about how they get along with their siblings and other people. In few
words, they leave strong impressions.

Cataloging the contents may sound dry, but personality shines in this
book. The photos are beautiful. (Not knowing which children are which
because the photos are unlabeled is slightly frustrating, but ultimately
immaterial. )The children convey things about themselves that are
important to them. They share their spirit with the reader in a way that
should satisfy Kuklin's " hope that the children in Families will
inspire you to think about your own life and the family that makes you
special." Her book presents an excellent concept of "family" in many
diverse aspects. It is a wonderful book just to have around and dip
into.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Some people ask...about how we are different. I'd rather they ask how we're alike", May 26, 2006

By 

HenderHouse (Libertyville, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Families (Hardcover)

A welcome addition to the collection of books about different sorts of families, Kuklin's book is unique in that it contains the authentic voices of the children in the families. Families contains the stories of 16 families -- like all families, they are unique and unlike any other family and yet bound by the same universal emotions (love, humor, frustration) and activities (teasing, teasing, and teasing) that bind us together. Each family has a two-page spread with a large color photo and their special story. We meet Maisie, who lives part-time with her mom and part-time with her dad, and Ben, an only child who lives with his mom and dad. There are sisters Verona and Leona, whose older sister Melanie stayed in Trinidad when the parents moved to the US and Jehangir, who shares with his grandfather the dream that he will become the first Muslim President of the United States. The children's voices are funny and serious and loving. A warm portrait of today's family.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good book about Families, January 14, 2008

By 

Heidi (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Families (Hardcover)

It is really good. It describes 15 different family situations that children might find themselves in. It includes everything from the traditional Christian family to one with 2 moms or 2 dads. What makes this book unique is that it is told from the point of view of the children in the family along with photographs. I thought this was a great way to explain what a family is. Recommended for ages 4-8 years.