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The book�s cover attracts anyone who enjoys vivid colors and comical drawings, and the title automatically arouses interest in anyone who has experienced family life. The author presents us with a simple poem about the different kinds of families we might encounter. �There are families in cities, and families on shores. There are zillions of families. Which one is like yours?� The poem goes on to describe the many different types of families, big and small, rowdy and quiet, calm and �on the go.� Although the content is great and describes a variety of family settings and styles, a major weakness in the book is the fact that the illustrations do not always go with the |
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accompanying text. Ms. Dotlich has written a very simple to follow poem which kids can enjoy reading out loud and apply to their everyday lives. The words are very lyrical and the four-line stanzas never fail to rhyme. However, Tammie Lyon (illustrator) may have misunderstood the concept the author was aiming for. While she provided many comical and cute drawings, some of them would have proven to be more educational had she decided to use humans in her drawings. For example, when we read �There are families with uncles and cousins galore. Some families stay small. Some choose to add more,� on the first half of the poem, we see a variety of family photos (uncles and cousins) as they would be seen in an album. For the latter part of the poem, we see a family of ducks all in a line with the last one pushing a stroller with an egg in (adding more). It would have been wise to portray a family in which the mother is expecting, but perhaps the illustrator wanted to stay away from controversy. There is also little consistency as to whether she is using humans or animals (or animals behaving like humans) for the illustrations. We also do not see enough variety in ethnic groups throughout the book.
That being said, the poem itself is very cute and entertaining. The drawings are colorful and fun to look at if nothing else. Children will enjoy reading it out loud due to its rhythm and tempo. Many might find that their families have some of the characteristics in common. For example, �There are families who gather together to dine. And families who grab a quick bite all the time.� Nowadays, it is more common for children to experience a fast-paced lifestyle and this poem might help them understand that it is alright to be this way. Basically, the poem as a whole might help readers understand that variety is what makes us special and that there is nothing wrong with being different, which is a very important lesson. A favorite line is, �There are families whose days may seem perfect to you. And families that have bangs and bumps, and most do,� because it teaches our young readers that families might not necessarily be perfect and that difficulties might arise, but they are all part of being a family.
Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. 2002. A family like yours. Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press, Inc. ISBN 1563979160. |
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