Molly's Family

by Nancy Garden

Book Overview

What makes a family?The members of Ms. Marston's kindergarten class are cleaning and decorating their room for the upcoming Open School Night. Molly and Tommy work on drawing pictures to put on the walls. Molly draws her family: Mommy, Mama Lu, and her puppy, Sam. But when Tommy looks at her picture, he tells her it's not of a family. You can't have a mommy and a mama, he says. Molly doesn't know what to think; no one else in her class has two mothers...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374350027
• ISBN13: 9780374350024
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.4" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

True to life story for a two mom family

I bought this because my daughter will be in Kindergarten this Fall. She has already been in preschool for a year and a half, but Kindergarten will bring new friends at a new school. This story of an Open House and introducing new friends to a two mom family is very realistic and ultimately reassuring. She enjoys hearing the story and I enjoy reading it to her. I think it's a valuable addition for any two mom family or for anyone wishing to share family diversity issues with their kids.

An Excellent Family Book

I was fortunate enough to sneak a peak at an advance review copy of "Molly's Family". Again, Nancy Garden has created another essential piece for children's literature that teaches its readers that all families of all types should be celebrated. Molly's kindergarten class is preparing for Open School Night and decide to decorate their classroom for the visiting parents. Molly's contribution is a picture of her family, which includes Mommy, Mama Lu and her puppy, Sam. This, of course, is greeted by speculation from some of the other children in her class, who tell her that families cannot have two mothers. This crushes Molly and she is embarrassed to display her picture with the other children's art. One of the greatest parts of this book is that not only does Molly's two mothers explain to her that family's are based on love and commitment, but even her teacher takes time to explain to her students that families are different. The other children respond well to this and began describing their own families, each comparing the differences openly and proudly. The presentation of this book is fantastic - the art is playful and colorful, very appealing to the target audience but also enjoyable for the mature reader. Molly is simply adorable and her facial expressions are captured beautifully. But its the simplicity and the gentle nature of the storytelling that makes "Molly's Family" so inspirational. Children who are read this book will come away with an important lesson: that all families are families as long as they are based on love. Bless your heart, Nancy Garden!