The Diverse Families bookshelf was created and funded through numerous grants. Due to lack of additional grants and the loss of key personnel, the project has come to an end. We have tremendously enjoyed creating this database and hope that it can help bring readers and books together.
This collection contains materials from the DIVerse Families bibliography organized by genre.
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 Genre:
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It's Test Day, Tiger Turcotte
Pansie Hart Flood
Already so worried about the big second grade test that his stomach is upset, seven-year-old Tiger Turcotte, whose parents are Black, Meherrin Indian, and Hispanic, gets stuck on the question about race.
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It's Yr Life
Tempany Deckert and Tristan Bancks
Sim's from Byron Bay. Milla lives in Hollywood. Sim's in a foster home and dumpter-dives for food. Milla lives in a mansion with her celebrity parents. When the two are forced to email each other for an assignment, it's doomed to fail. So why haven't they stopped? Secrets.
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I Wish Daddy Was Here
Katherine DeMille
See how one little girl and her mother find strength through the seasons as they await the return of their loved one in the charming I Wish Daddy Was Here. This book catches the essence of military families.
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I Wished for You: An Adoption Story
Marianne Richmond
A mama bear and her little boy bear talk about how they became a family because of the mother's wish.
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Jack and Jim
Kitty Crowther
Jack the blackbird and Jim the seagull become friends, but Jack is sad that the other seagulls do not seem to like him.
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Jack (Not Jackie)
Erica Silverman
Susan loves her baby sister, Jackie, but as Jackie grows older and behaves more and more like a boy Susan must adjust to having a brother, Jack, instead.
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Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)
L. C. Rosen
An unapologetically sexually active queer character works to uncover a blackmailer threatening him back into the closet--
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Jacob's Eye Patch
Beth Kobliner and Jacob Shaw
Answering questions about his eye-patch slows Jacob and his family down as he anxiously tries to get to the store to buy a special globe, but soon he is reminded that even he is curious when he see someone who is different. Includes facts about eye conditions and handling strangers' curiosity.
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Jacob's New Dress
Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman
Jacob, who likes to wear dresses at home, convinces his parents to let him wear a dress to school, too.
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Jacob's Room to Choose
Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman
The beloved lead character from Jacob's New Dress is back in an encouraging story about gender expression. When Jacob goes to the boys’ bathroom he is chased out because the boys think he looks like a girl because of the way he is dressed. His classmate, Sophie, has a similar experience when she tries to go to the girls’ bathroom. When their teacher finds out what happened, Jacob and Sophie, with the support of administration, lead change at their school as everyone discovers the many forms of gender expression and how to treat each other with respect.
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Jake at Gymnastics
Rachel Isadora
Every week, Jake loves to go to his gymnastics class. He and his friends have a grand time stretching out, hopping like frogs, practicing on the low beam, jumping on the trampoline, doing somersaults, and so more.
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Jakeman
Deborah Ellis
Jake and his older sister, Shoshonna, along with a busload of kids, visit their mother in prison regularly. But this time the journey turns into a series of misadventures, and the kids find themselves on their own, hatching a plan to find the Governor and plead with him to pardon their moms.
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Jalapeño Bagels
Natasha Wing
For International Day at school, Pablo wants to bring something that reflects the cultures of both his parents.
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Jamie is Jamie
Afsaneh Moradian
There are so many fun things to play with at Jamie’s new preschool—baby dolls to care for, toy cars to drive—and Jamie wants to play with them all! But the other children are confused...is Jamie a boy or a girl? Some toys are just for girls and others are just for boys, aren’t they? Not according to Jamie! This bookchallenges gender stereotypes, shows readers that playing is fundamental to learning, and reinforces the idea that all children need the freedom to play unencumbered. A special section for teachers, parents, and caregivers provides tips on how to make children’s playtime learning time.
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Janine
Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Janine is one of a kind. She focuses on the positive while navigating life with disabilities. She makes a difference just by being herself
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Janine and the Field Day Finish
Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Today is field day and even though Janine is not good at sports, she is ready to compete. Her body just doesn't work like the other kids'. But no matter what, Janine cheers for everyone and tries her best. During the big race, her classmate Abby trips and falls. Janine is right there to help. But Abby is crushed that she won't win the race. Can Janine teach Abby and her classmates that being a winner is not always about being number one?
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Jazzy's Quest: Adopted and Amazing!
Carrie Goldman and Juliet C. Bond
What makes you amazing? That's what adoptee Jazzy Armstrong has to figure out before the big community talent show. Is she musical like her parents and sisters? Can she make dazzling flower arrangements like her birth mother, score goals on the soccer field like her birth brother, or is there something unique about Jazzy that is nothing like her families? Join Jazzy on her quest to discover just what makes her amazing!
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Jeremy's Dreidel
Ellie Gellman
A boy makes a Braille Hanukkah dreidel for his father, who is blind. Includes instructions for making different types of dreidels.
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Jerkbait
Mia Siegert
Fifteen-year-old Tristan is forced to play caretaker after his twin brother, a closeted gay NHL Draft prospect, attempts suicide, and becomes aware his brother is being stalked by an online predator.
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Jerome by Heart
Thomas Scotto
This story follows a little boy named Raphael, whose daily rhythm is steeped in his immense affection for his friend Jerome. The two boys share jokes and snacks and plan future adventures to the Himalayas. Even when Raphael’s constant talk of Jerome is driving his parents crazy, he remains steadfast: “Raphael loves Jerome. I can say it. It’s easy.” And the truth is, when he’s with Jerome, Raphael feels happy, liked, and understood― even special.
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Jimi & Me
Jaime Adolf
After his father's tragic death, twelve-year-old Keith James moves from Brooklyn to a small midwestern town where his mixed race heritage is not accepted, but he finds comfort in the music of Jimi Hendrix and the friendship of a white classmate.
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Jing's Family (All Kinds of Families)
Elliot Riley
There are many types of families. Meet Jing and her family and learn about what adoption means.
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Jin Woo
Eve Bunting
Davey is dubious about having a new adopted brother from Korea, but when he finds out that his parents still love him, he decides that having a baby brother will be fine.
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Jodie's Journey
Colin Thiele
Twelve-year-old Jodie, disabled by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and no longer able to ride her beloved horse Monarch, faces a crisis when the two of them are alone at her remote Australia home and a devastating fire approaches.
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Jo Makes a Friend
Susan Beth Pfeffer
At the request of her great-aunt, ten-year-old Jo tries to befriend a sad and lonely blind girl who is visiting the neighborhood. Exuberant Jo March never sits still. Whether she's racing against boys or scribbling and acting in her latest play, Jo is always active and creative. So when Aunt March asks her to befriend Pauline Wheeler, Jo can't believe that the girl spends every day cooped up in her bedroom. True, Pauline is blind and utterly dependent on her governess, but her fear of life exhausts Jo's patience. The two girls simply have nothing in common--until they're caught in a snow squall that changes their lives.