Dad and Daddy's big big family

A reunion becomes an occasion to expand a child's definition of family in this educational picture book that reveals myriad connections based in love. When Dad, Daddy, and Harper road-trip to a family get-together, the child encounters previously unknown relatives, noting, "We were all so different!" Under the belief that only those who live together are family, narrator Harper and second cousin Noah try to figure out how they will house their relations in one place, and whose household rules they'd follow. Luckily, dialogue-driven exchanges with Harper's dads clarify what extended family means: "It's like lots of smaller families who are all connected into one big family. It's like a web!" Bunting's jolly picnic scenes present figures of varied abilities, ages, familial configurations, and skin tones; concluding moments introduce the idea that family can also be those that one chooses. Ages 4--8. (May)

A child attends a family reunion. Harper, who has brown skin and long dark brown hair, is off to a family reunion for the first time with their two fathers (one is brown-skinned; the other is lighter-skinned). When they arrive, Harper is surprised to see that there are so many people in their extended family. They quickly meet blond-haired, light-skinned, bespectacled Noah (their second cousin). The two are a bit confused, though, because they "thought family are the people you live with." Noah and Harper participate in games like the potato sack race while also taking stock of all the people in attendance. Making a list of everyone, the two try to figure out where they'll eventually live. Both Noah's and Harper's houses are too small! Thankfully Dad and Daddy correct Harper's misconception, and Harper learns that while families come in all sizes, they're all connected by love. The story is sweet and soothing with warm, cartoon art, though some children may be perplexed by terms like first cousin once removed and first cousin twice removed, which go undefined. (Adults explaining these phrases to little ones may wish for a helpful glossary or infographic.) Harper's extended family is diverse in terms of race and ability. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Heartwarming, though potentially a bit confusing. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.