Family should be everyone’s first priority. Everything else, every single other priority that is important should come second or afterward.

Frankly, I couldn't get enough of this book. It is everything I believe an LGBTQ book should strive to be. It is one of the most inclusive stories I've ever read and it is perfectly suited for young readers. The vibrant and intentional illustrations create a space for multiple races, sexes, and nationalities to be featured in the story. In a way, I feel as if Love Makes a Family is the updated and more relevant take on the concepts Heather Has Two Mommies introduced into LGBTQ books. I thoroughly enjoyed the presence of men and women of different genders, races, and ages, breaking through social gender constructions with their children. This story can serve as a reminder to parents in regards to what it means and looks like to love your child unconditionally and be present/involved in their interests/preferences. Similarly, the story can provide children with images and words representing what that presence and acceptance looks and sounds like. Just about every sort of family you can possibly imagine was included in this tale, including LGBT+, interracial, adoptive, and single-parent families. No matter who was being shown helping their child find a lost toy or having a tea party, the love that each parent felt for their child or children shone through in every scene. It made me smile to see how much effort the author put into focusing on what we all share in common no matter who we are or what we look like. Each person has two families in their lives. One that they are brought up in, and one that they make themselves when they wed another. Love both the same, and you’ll see happiness in your life. Like many of my fellow Cannonballers, books are a vital thing in my life. I am not exaggerating when I say I would not be alive without them, and so I don't tend to underestimate how important they can be, ever, but I often see them undervalued in the greater world, which is unfortunate. Unfortunate because books can be one of an adults most essential tools for teaching - well, for teaching anything, but if we're talking about how we go about teaching our kids how to become good people? Then books can be 90% of your toolbox, and the other 10% is just living what you're preaching.

Unit Prep

Parents and caregivers show love for the children they’re raising in countless ways. I adored seeing so many different examples of what this can look like as people go about their ordinary daily routines. The author covered everything from comforting a child after they scraped their knee to baking a special cake for them on their birthday. The wholesomeness of it all shone out of every scene, and it was absolutely perfect for this age group. My notion about a perfect family while growing up always meant a family who looked like mine. Because that’s what I saw around me. As I ventured out more into the world , I saw many different sets of family and strangely enough they never seemed odd even when they were different from my family. You know why ? This book defines families not by objective standards but by a subjective one, the emotion of personal affection. Such affection is almost always present in a family defined by biological ties, recognized by law. At the same time, people are limited, fallible, short-sighted, and selfish, so that many biological families have had difficult relationships and sometimes dreadfully so. The idea of a family founded on love, and love alone may seem attractive for that reason.

Things to Know: While the author of this book is a white woman, it is still a lovely story featuring POC characters.What We Love: Sierra’s drive to make it possible for her aunt to come and see one of her soccer games is inspiring.