(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. Second-grade class photographer Lenny shadows six "Students of the Week," observing each child's home life and candidly photographing the diverse, cheery families. The formulaic stories each attempt to underscore the all-kind-of-families series premise, but readers may be confused about some story elements (e.g., Lenny's presumed mom is occasionally pictured but isn't identified in the text). Smiling, wide-eyed characters populate the cartoonish illustrations. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: My Family titles: My Adopted Family, My Blended Family, My First-Generation Family, My Single Dad, My Single Mom, and My Special Needs Family.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 1-3 Lighthouse Family series. Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. In the seventh installment of a gentle animal-fantasy series, lighthouse caretakers Pandora the cat; Seabold the dog; and mice Whistler, Lila, and Tiny care for a baby sea lion named Topper for a week. The three brief chapters are complemented by soft, expressive graphite illustrations that portray an idyllic seaside locale and a loving blended animal family.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Family Snaps series. Illustrated by Tracy Bishop. A young boy is uncomfortable around his elderly great-grandfather, but his mother cleverly explains how each of Poppy's quirks, such as failing memory and wrinkly hands, can be explained by a lifetime of love. With expressive illustrations providing some humor to keep the saccharine analogies from growing tiresome, the purposeful book could quell some young kids' fears of the elderly.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie

(3) 1-3 Lighthouse Family series. Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. In this sixth installment, lighthouse residents Pandora the cat, dog Seabold, and three mice siblings come to Dottie the otter's aid when she gets tangled in a sailor's net. Kindness permeates this gentle rescue-at-sea story; it's sweetly appealing and just short of cloying. Softly shaded graphite illustrations imbue the animals with personality and charm.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 My Family series. Illustrated by Zoe Persico. In each book, second grader Lenny interviews a "Student of the Week" at home, highlighting what's special about the classmate's family. The cheery if formulaic stories differ in the particulars (and occasionally reinforce stereotypes), but underscore what all families ideally have in common: everyone's parents/guardians love them best. The cartoony pictures of diverse groups (oddly featuring lots of winking) match the upbeat tone. Review covers these My Family titles: My Grandparents, My Military Mom, My Mom and Dad, My Two Dads, My Two Homes, and My Two Moms.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Family Tree series. The fourth and final volume in Martin's series follows Georgia Noble across the span of several years, as the stories from the previous three generations intersect with her own. The breadth of the story is ambitious but the copiously populated cast and the extent to which adult concerns weigh on Georgia's life may be difficult for young readers to overcome.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) K-3 Family Pets series. This very basic series is designed to help children decide "the right pet for your family." In each book, one or two simple, choppy sentences on the left-hand pages face a large color photo on the right; while adequate practice for beginning readers, they don't give much factual information. A picture list of supplies is appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Family Pets titles: Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Hamsters, and Hermit Crabs.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Family Pets series. This very basic series is designed to help children decide "the right pet for your family." In each book, one or two simple, choppy sentences on the left-hand pages face a large color photo on the right; while adequate practice for beginning readers, they don't give much factual information. A picture list of supplies is appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Family Pets titles: Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Hamsters, and Hermit Crabs.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Family Pets series. This very basic series is designed to help children decide "the right pet for your family." In each book, one or two simple, choppy sentences on the left-hand pages face a large color photo on the right; while adequate practice for beginning readers, they don't give much factual information. A picture list of supplies is appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Family Pets titles: Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Hamsters, and Hermit Crabs.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Family Pets series. This very basic series is designed to help children decide "the right pet for your family." In each book, one or two simple, choppy sentences on the left-hand pages face a large color photo on the right; while adequate practice for beginning readers, they don't give much factual information. A picture list of supplies is appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Family Pets titles: Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Hamsters, and Hermit Crabs.

Reviewer: Kari Allen