This collection contains materials from the DIVerse Families bibliography organized by Grades K-3.
DIVerse Families is a comprehensive bibliography that demonstrates the growing diversity of families in the United States. This type of bibliography provides teachers, librarians, counselors, adoption agencies, children/young adults, and especially parents and grandparents needing to empower their children with materials that reflect their families.
Browse by Grade Level:
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The Dream Jar
Bonnie Pryor
Valentina's family has come from Russia with a wonderful dream--to own a store. Valentina wants to help, but everyone says she's too little to contribute to the glass jar where the dream money is kept. The family becomes discouraged when little money comes in, but Valentina has discovered how she can help make their dream come true.
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The Duke Who Outlawed Jelly Beans: And Other Stories
Johnny Valentine
A collection of five fairy tales about children with gay parents.
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The Face at the Window
Regina Hanson
When Dora goes to take a mango from Miss Nella's tree, she is frightened by the woman's strange behavior.
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The Favorite Daughter
Allen Say
Yuriko, teased at school for her unusual name and Japanese ancestry, yearns to be more ordinary until her father reminds her of how special she is.
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The Flight of a Dove
Alexandra Day
Betsy is a child trapped inside her own body. Her autism keeps her isolated and alone, a world apart from even her mother. After hearing about a school for children with developmental disabilities, Betsy's mother enrolls her with high hopes. But once there, Betsy cries uncontrollably and refuses all attempts to comfort her. She sits with her eyes shut tight and her fists clenched. The head teacher believes that animals sometimes help children overcome problems, so she tries to engage Betsy with the many pets in residence at the school. Betsy shows no interest in any of them -- until the day one special bird manages to catch her attention.
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The Flower Girl Wore Celery
Meryl G. Gordon
When Emma's cousin Hannah gets married, Emma is thrilled to be the flower girl. However, nothing is quite as she expected it to be, from the ring bearer whom she expected to be a bear, to her celery-colored dress, which she expected to be covered in real celery, to the wedding's two brides.
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The Gender Fairy
Jo Hirst
The Gender Fairy is a simple story about two children who find relief in finally being heard.
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The Generous Jefferson Bartleby Jones
Forman Brown
Since Chad and Kim's dads don't seem to have enough time to spend with them, Jeff decides to be generous and lend out his two dads.
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The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
Julia Mosca
Describes the life and accomplishments of the animal scientist and designer of cruelty-free livestock facilities, from her early life and autism diagnosis through her journey to become a livestock expert.
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The Goodbye Book
Todd Parr
Illustrations and brief text relate how a person might feel when they lose someone they love.
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The Good Dog and the Bad Cat
Todd Kessler
When a mysterious thief is hiding in the Lee household and store, little puppy Tako is assigned the task of uncovering the mystery.
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The Hello, Goodbye Window
Norton Juster
A little girl describes the magic kitchen window in her grandparents' home.
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The Journey
Francesca Sanna
With haunting echoes of the current refugee crisis, this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
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The Junkyard Wonders
Patricia Polacco
Inspired by a teacher who believes each of them is a genius, a class of special-needs students invents something that could convince the whole school they are justifiably proud to be "Junkyard Wonders."
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The Knish War on Rivington Street
Joanne Oppenheim
Benny's family owns a knishery and sells delicious round dumplings. Then the Tisch family opens a store across the street-selling square knishes-and Benny's papa worries. So he lowers his prices! But Mr. Tisch does too. As each knishery tries to outdo the other, Benny helps his papa realize there's room on Rivington Street for more than one knishery.
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The Lady in the Box
Ann McGovern
It is wintertime in the city and freezing cold, but not everyone is inside and warm. Ben and his sister Lizzie know that there is a lady who lives outside in a box over a warm air vent. Gently told and powerfully illustrated in rich hues, The Lady in the Box deals candidly with the issue of homelessness.
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The Little Lame Prince
Rosemary Wells
Cruel Osvaldo rules El Cordoba - keeping the people poor and unhappy. The true heir to the throne, Francisco, has been banished to a tower. Orphaned and crippled when he was very young, Francisco grows up unaware that he should be king. But one day he discovers his true idenity.
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The Lopez Family: Science Fair Day
Monica Bey-Clarke and Cheril N. Clarke
The Lopez Family: Science Fair Day is the first story in a fun series featuring Felix Lopez and his two dads. We are introduced to a family of scientists who love to invent new things like robots and Super Magic Glue. This story takes you on a journey as Felix learns how to cope in difficult situations, and he teaches children life lessons by his examples. Felix invents a remote control airplane for his school's science fair contest. Throughout the book, Felix encounters various obstacles, but he finds ways to overcome his challenges with the help, love, and support of his two dads. This tale touches upon subjects such as bullying, not giving up, and reinforces basic moral values such as honesty and integrity. Through this affectionate story, Felix shows children that it's okay to be themselves and to always keep a positive attitude even when times seem rough.
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The Lunch Thief
Anne C. Bromley
Rafael is angry that a new student is stealing lunches, but he takes time to learn what the real problem is before acting.
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The Memory Coat
Elvira Woodruff
In the early 1900s, two cousins leave their Russian shtetl with the rest of their family to come to America, hopeful that they will all pass the dreaded inspection at Ellis Island.
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The Mirror in Mommy's House / The Mirror in Daddy's House
Luis Amavisca, Kim Griffin, and Ben Dawlatly
The child of divorced parents describes the enjoyable things to be found in each parent's house and how both houses share a magical mirror.
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The Mitten String
Jennifer Rosner
Ruthie Tober's family is known for the beautiful, warm mittens they knit so when she and her mother meet a deaf woman and her baby and give them shelter, Ruthie decides to design very special mittens for them.
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The Mulberry Bird: An Adoption Story
Anne Braff Brodzinsky
Although she loves her baby very much, a young mother bird gives him up for adoption because she is unable to give him the home which he needs.
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The Naming of Tishkin Silk
Glenda Millard
The first book in the Kingdom of Silk series. Griffin has a secret in his heart that nobody else knows - until he meets Layla., a princess with a daisy-chain crown.
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The New Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Mama Bear, Mommy Bear, and Baby Bear
Beth McMurray
The new Goldilocks and the Three Bears helps celebrate the diversity of loving families. This version follows Mama Bear, Mommy Bear, and Baby Bear as they encounter the timeless character of Goldilocks.