ALL OUR FAMILIES ARE AWESOME

In this French import, a game of make-believe leads to thoughtful conversations about families.

A trio of kids settle on their roles: a mommy, a daddy, and a baby. More youngsters, diverse in skin tone, show up: “We can be your other children.” The response—“Sorry, there’s only one kid in this family”—prompts the others to weigh in: “I’d love to be an only child, and not share my toys with anyone!” “There are nine kids in my family and we don’t mind sharing our toys.” One youngster has two mothers; another’s mother lives far away, so they don’t see each other often. One child has two homes: Mum’s and Dad’s. One kid lives with a nonna, an aunt, an uncle, and a dog. The dialogue feels realistically childlike and organic, with each kid registering surprise that other families diverge from their own but also exhibiting accepting attitudes as they learn about their peers’ home lives. The narrative ends with children deciding that playing Families is too complicated (instead they’ll play School)—a slightly odd conclusion, given the takeaway that there’s no wrong way to be a family. On the whole, though, Bellière has crafted a helpful introduction to the topic. As each child talks, a lovely full-color image of their family appears on the facing page. De Haes makes ample use of shadows, lending the visuals a cozy, homey tone.

A playful primer on all things family.