Adam GuillainBesprekingen

Fun and colorful, this is a solid winner. A great resource for how families can expand even as parents might be splitting up. Highlights the many different ways people can support a child in a blended family.

My Big Fantastic Family has the feel of a modern TV sitcom. It shows what blended families can look like and how that impacts one young girl named Lily-May. The story follows her changes, challenges, and happy adjustments after her parents separate/divorce. Changes unsettle her from her mom's new boyfriend, his kids, and parents to a new cat to forgetting her favorite bear while going back and forth between homes. The book addresses her uneasiness but also shows how she is gaining so much, not just losing her old life. The text contains a consistent rhyme scheme that doesn't seem forced. The illustrations are simple with the effect that it could be anyone's home, but subtle details add character like the wisps of gray in her mom and dad's hair or the pirate theme in the books she reads and toys she plays with. This would be a fantastic addition to any home or school library.

Nosy Crow Publishing also provides a QR code with a link to a read-aloud that is well-produced. It includes an expressive reader, sound effects, a note when to turn the page, and a musical intro and outro. Young readers who are learning to read on their own will appreciate that element.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

There are arguably fewer life events more disruptive for a child than her parents’ divorce. Aimed at younger children coping with the aftermath, this brightly illustrated picture book emphasizes how life can be more in a blended family.

This is a sweet story about a little girl, Lily May, whose parents separate, and her dad moves out. Her mom has a new partner with two sons, and soon he and his parents become part of Lily May's family. Meanwhile, Lily May regularly sees her dad (and his new cat), and the whole group gathers for Lily May's birthday party. The story is told in a simple four-line rhyme scheme (quatrains with ABCB rhyming), and the colorful illustrations depict the diverse characters in this blended family.½

Introduction to a new family when a small girl's parents split up and mom's new partner has children and relatives. Explores the small girl's feelings and how she acclimates. The story explains that the split is not the girl's fault and shows her father still spending time with her plus she has new relatives to spend time with. Nice, honest story.

Independent Reading Level: K-1
Awards: