(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elise Peterson. A gorgeous docu-collage of colorized black-and-white photographs shapes a radical vision of racially and economically diverse motherhood. The text riffs on how "mamas use their bodies to care for their babies in so many ways" as images show working women throughout the twentieth century: stay-at-home moms, feminist activists, business executives, house cleaners, and even erotic dancers. The message is powerful but may be more for mamas than babies.

Reviewer: Robyn Bahr

(3) YA Sex educator Green expands on her popular YouTube videos with this hefty guide to modern sexuality and relationships. With a slangy but knowledgeable tone, Green expounds on the expected subjects (anatomy, birth control) as well as relevant issues such as gender identity, communication, and consent. Her deft, gentle treatment of delicate topics and commitment to sex-positivity makes this informational book stand out among similar titles for older teens. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) YA This thoughtful, well-rounded account examines the history of marriage, from the earliest examples to modern-day trends. Keyser considers all angles, describing the business and political arrangements that inspired many early marriages and the powerlessness of the women involved. Other topics covered include interracial, interreligious, and same-sex marriage; engagement and wedding traditions; forced marriages; and the prevalence of divorce. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maja Kastelic. "Lots of children have a parent behind bars." Birtha introduces a multicultural cast of children, each with at least one incarcerated parent (the crimes aren't specified) and a unique challenge (e.g., social ostracism, foster care); the book also addresses their coping strategies. Kastelic complements the text's gentle frankness with subdued but emotion-filled art. Adult-directed supplemental information concludes the book. Reading list.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Ordinary Terrible Things series. A child who sees references to sex everywhere comes to Grandma for the skinny. Grandma has all the right answers ("Curiosity about sex is your birthright"; one's sexuality "belongs to no one else but you") as well as a sense of humor. As always with this series (including Death Is Stupid), the rough-hewn collage art makes clear that the book approaches the topic unsentimentally.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(1) K-3 "This is me," announces the opening spread, while seven children, ages seven to eleven, smile out at the viewer and introduce themselves with their names and nicknames. Successive spreads show panels of each child's home, family, classroom, etc.; the countries represented are India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Peru, Russia, and Uganda. The neatly schematized organization plays nicely with the cozy digital illustrations. Glos.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. The title says it all: friends come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and species. Paired with a direct and friendly text, Rotner's intimate color photographs show a diverse array of children at play and at school; using sign language and wheelchairs; hugging each other and pets; laughing together but also experiencing moments of anger and sadness. The last page invites contemplation: "What kind of friends do you have?"

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Adapted by Laurie Calkhoven. The adaptation of Solomon's adult bestseller examines the intricacies of family dynamics: how do the Columbine killers' parents cope with their children's crimes? How does a severely autistic child's behavior affect the family? With astounding empathy for both parent and child, Solomon probes the myriad ways "vertical identities" (those shared with parents) and "horizontal identities" (unique traits) intersect and diverge to make us human. Ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) K-3 This newly updated edition highlights details of forty-four children's lives around the world. Grouped mainly by continent, the engaging, large-format book features maps pinpointing where each child lives along with multiple photographs of each child's family, community, home, favorite food, hobbies, etc. The clear and concise accompanying text contains well-balanced, browsable information that provides introductory insight into the similarities and differences between cultures. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. This dense volume chronicles the plight of children in foster care. The book cites numerous reasons for children entering the system--including parents who cannot or will not care for their offspring--and details children's resultant fear, anger, and confusion. Varied first-person accounts are presented along with statistics about successful and failed adoptions and helpful organizations' contact information. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Showcasing fathers as primary caregivers, this picture book offers lots of cute photos of dads interacting with their children in ways that would have once been seen as nontraditional: cooking, making ponytails, potty-training. However, since the text mostly focuses on a dad narrator wondering what the child thinks of him, the end result feels like a wordy, sentimental Father's Day card.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. This fortieth-anniversary edition features new illustrations and an updated text as "the concept [of family] has broadened..." since 1976. Along with the amiable watercolor illustrations, the wordy text covers all the bases with a wide variety of families represented. Simon discusses not only who makes up a family but what a family does: e.g., "People in a family...try to take care of each other."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Dean. This enchanting book examines the tenet that while people worldwide have unique life experiences, we are all more alike than we are different. The musing text about the everyday lives of children around the world--touching on language, food, clothing, play, appearance, and more--is illustrated with colorful, precise acrylic paintings. Extensive back matter includes many details about culture and customs in our global village.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Alike and Different series. Illustrated by Renée Kurilla. Makayla is "spending time with other families" learning how "different can be great." Mateo has a big family. A lesbian couple doesn't have kids. Olivia's parents are divorced. Parker's dads adopted him. Accompanied by cheerful cartoon illustrations, this is an appealing if simplistic introduction; the text boxes provide more details then the young narrator. An activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Snap Books: Girl Talk series. Illustrated by Julissa Mora. Aimed at a female readership, this is a lively and helpful series about everyday social topics that preteens struggle with. Using photographs and cartoony illustrations, the question-and-answer format covers a wide range of issues, from family changes to honesty and trust. A colorful (if excessively frilly) layout adds appeal. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(1) K-3 Reading from front to middle, we meet the narrator's paternal line through five generations. From back to middle are portraits of the maternal line. And in a glorious middle double-page spread we see the whole extended family and can trace and invent individual stories. Petričić's gift for caricature is used joyfully in this celebration of ancestry, showing one family's variations and particular beauty.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. This book emphasizes the importance of a strong family narrative formed through conversations between family members across generational lines. Illustrating the book with Rotner's always-amiable color photographs of families, some with "one parent" and "others [that] have a grandparent, an aunt, or an uncle living with them," strengthens this emphasis and showcases the diversity of experiences in contemporary family structures.

Reviewer: Breanna J. MCDaniel

(4) YA Interviews with transgender individuals--mostly adults--are interspersed among broad informational chapters about medical transition, history, and various gender identities. Intended to give readers some insight into this admittedly complex topic, this primer for a general audience is an adequate overview but barely skims the surface of the topic. Susan Kuklin's Beyond Magenta offers a more focused approach. Candid photographs accompany the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Michael Emberley. The original Horn Book review described this invaluable resource as an "unassuming, coherent, comprehensive explanation of sex in all its complicated glory." The frank and nonjudgmental discussion is illustrated with anatomically correct cartoon drawings. This twentieth-anniversary edition includes a broader definition of gender; expanded information about using the internet; and updated information about contraception, abortion, sexual abuse, and STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Ind.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1995; November, 2014

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Emberley. Celebrating our bodies and our sexuality for younger readers, this frank and nonjudgmental discussion is illustrated with anatomically correct cartoon drawings. The fifteenth-anniversary edition of this invaluable resource is Harris and Emberley's laudable attempt to keep the content "as up-to-date and accurate as possible." The updated text and art include a broader definition of gender and expanded information about using the internet. Ind.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000; November, 2014