I love my family, and while I would never tell my husband this, I sometimes imagine what life would be like if we had another child. It would cause a lot of changes in our lives and change can be scary, or uncomfortable, but it can also be beautiful. If you are ready to grow your family, and you’re wondering how to help your children adjust to a new child, parent or living situation, these books might be a good way to start the conversation.
The first book is And J.J. Slept by Loretta Garbutt and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina (Kids Can Press, 2022). This book celebrates the beauty of adoption and what home looks (and sounds) like. In And J.J. Slept, little baby J.J. arrives at his forever home and is greeted by his very loud, and very loving older siblings. One weekend, all four of J.J.’s siblings are away, and his home no longer sounds the way home should sound. If you are planning on welcoming a child through adoption, this book might help you spark a conversation about what will be different and what will stay the same when they arrive. For ages 3 to 7.
Another book about the introduction of a baby to a household is Rising by Sidura Ludwig and illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy (Candlewick Press, 2024). This story celebrates the art of waiting and resting. The narration follows a Jewish family as they make challah and prepare for Shabbat, while the illustrations focus on their lives as they prepare for a second child. If you love to bake with your children, Ludwig has shared her challah recipe so you can make it too. For ages 3 to 7.
Another story about family growth is Always Your Stepdad by Stephanie Stansbie and illustrated by Tatiana Kamshilina (Doubleday Books, 2024). This book, which is written from the perspective of a little girl’s stepdad, shows how, when families expand and blend through marriage, the love the parents feel for each other can expand to include the children in wonderful ways. It lets children know that even though their stepparents might not have been there from the beginning, they can still have a solid and amazing relationship. For ages 3 to 7.
Family is Family by Melissa Marr and illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024) has bright and bold illustrations that celebrate all the different ways a family can look. They might have lots of siblings and one mom, like the crocodiles, or a protective big older sister, like the tigers, or two moms, like the chickens. For ages 3 to 7.
The final story, Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin and illustrated by Maribel Lechuga (Charlesbridge, 2021), is a much sadder tale than the other ones. In this story, Lily and her grandmother are driving across Iowa from Lily’s old home, to her new one with her grandmother. While the story doesn’t say why Lily is moving in with her grandmother, you can tell Lily is sad about the change. To help her granddaughter, her grandmother suggests they find 10 beautiful things along the way. While it doesn’t fix the hurt Lily feels, it does help her realize that she can still feel love. For ages 3 to 7.
Voilà! Five stories that celebrate the beautiful ways that families can grow and change. If your family is changing, I hope these stories will help you prepare your children for the way things might be different, so that you can experience the beauty of the change with less of the trials that can come with it.
