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.
Browse Diverse Families by Subject:
-
It Takes Love (and Some Other Stuff) to Make a Baby
L. L. Bird
"Mommy, how are babies made?" Any parent who's fielded this question knows how essential a good book can be to help guide a tricky conversation. But what if your family doesn't fit the standard mold? How do you explain pregnancy and birth if your child has two moms? It Takes Love is for little kids in lesbian families born via donor insemination. Using simple, matter-of-fact language and bright, fun illustrations, it introduces the basics of reproduction and the concept of the donor. Both known donors and sperm banks are presented, but with a light touch. Because each family is unique, the book leaves space for parents to control the most sensitive part of their child's story.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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--
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Jalapeño Bagels
Natasha Wing
For International Day at school, Pablo wants to bring something that reflects the cultures of both his parents.
-
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.
-
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
-
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?
-
Jazz Jennings: Voice for LGBTQ Youth
Ellen Rodger
A groundbreaking advocate for transgender youth and LGBTQ rights, Jazz Jennings is one of the first youth to speak publicly about her experiences as a transgender individual. A spokesperson, writer, and public figure, Jazz inspires all people to embrace themselves and be accepting of all people. Overcoming incredible struggles as a young transgender person, Jazz now uses her platform to make a difference in the LGBTQ community. A vocal advocate for equal rights, she co-founded the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation-all before the age of 15.
-
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots
Margarita Engle
Thousands of Navy sailors are pouring into Los Angeles on their way to the front lines of World War II. They are young, scared, and longing to feel alive before they have to face the horrors of battle. Hot jazz music spiced with cool salsa rhythms calls them to dance with the local Mexican American girls, who jitterbug all night before working all day in the canneries. Proud to do their part for the war effort, these Jazz Owl girls dance with the sailors until the blazing summer night when racial violence leads to murder. Suddenly the restless white sailors are attacking the girls' brothers and boyfriends. The cool, loose zoot suits they wear are supposedly the reason for the violence - but really these boys are viciously beaten and arrested simply because of the color of their skin.
-
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!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Jesus Land: A Memoir
Julia Scheeres
It's the mid-1980s. Julia Scheeres and her adopted brother David are sixteen years old and have just moved to rural Indiana, a landscape of cottonwood trees and trailer parks, and a racism neither of them is prepared for. While Julia is white, her close relationship with David, who is black, makes them both outcasts. At home, a distant mother, more involved with her church's missionaries than with her own children, and a violent father only compound their problems. When high-school hormones, bullying, and a deep-seated restlessness prove too much to bear, they are packed off to a Christian boot camp in the Dominican Republic. Surrounded by natural beauty, the Escuela Caribe is governed by a disciplinary regime that demands its teens repent for their sins, which few of them are aware they've committed. How they made it through with heart and soul intact is told here with candor and humor.
-
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.
-
Jim's Lion
Russel Hoban
Asleep in his hospital bed, Jim dreams of a great lion with white teeth and amber eyes. This lion is Jim’s finder. According to Nurse Bami, everyone has a finder, a creature who comes looking for us when we are lost. But when the time comes for Jim’s operation, will his lion be able to find him and bring him safely home?
-
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.