Family’s
here when you need them most.
Just picking
up this book with its shiny title and soothing green cover containing people under
a blossom-smattered tree, feels delightful. Couple that with the fun and love
of a bestselling author/illustrator duo of creators - and there is magic in the
air.
This glorious ode to families in all their various forms is definitely told with the warmth of ‘hot buttered toast.’
The kind of buttery toast that’s spread with three stripes of different toppings and then cut the other way to become traffic light fingers.
It’s
beautiful.
The gentle,
assured rhyme conveys potentially intricate and delicate concepts with a
grounded clarity.
The
illustrations in a soft, almost pastel palette are funny, wholesome and strong.
Layers of contrasting strengths of colour serve to create pictures that the
reader can wander through and pore over.
The
characters are delightful and chaotic with a sense of movement and fun.
This Is Family’s clear messages of connection and inclusivity mean that children will find themselves in this book. All child readers will find a way to relate to their own notion of family, however that looks to them. Blended, nuclear, foster, diverse – all are gently included with no fuss, except the fuss that rallies around joy and belonging.
There are over fifty thousand children in Australia alone, who do not live with
their families of origin and need to see themselves represented in books at all
ages and stages.
This heartfelt,
celebratory and uplifting book shows every child that they belong.
And it’s fun!
The perfect combo.
Title: This Is Family
Author: Zanni Louise
Illustrator: Sasha Haddad
Publisher: Affirm, $22.99
Publication Date: 25 March 2025
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781923022294
For Ages: 3 - 7
Type: Picture Book
