Love Is a Family
Lily storms home to her mother one day, demanding arealfamily.  It's Family Fun Night at school, and she's positive they'll be the weirdest  family there. Her single-parent mom doesn't seem overly fazed, reminding her  daughter that they are a "small kind" of family, but real nonetheless. Lily  isn't convinced. She seeks refuge in the noise and pillow fights of her friend  Melissa's crowded house until it's time for the school event, where, surprise!  it turns out her little family isn't unusual at all. Remi lives with just her  dad--her mom died and she has no siblings. Tamika is adopted and has a puppy.  Josh and Tony live with their grandparents. By the end of the evening, Lily  understands that "Love is what makes a family."Devoted followers of TV'sTouched by an Angelstar, Roma Downey, will be  thrilled to see "Monica" has written her first children's book. Any child who  has ever felt mortified at the quirks of his or her family will find solace in  Lily's revelation. Of course, all the families in Lily's classroom seem highly  functional, as well as heterosexual. In the litany of differences ("They saw  families with step-dads and step-moms and half-sisters and half-brothers. There  were single moms and single dads and families made up of different colors of  skin."), readers who anticipate something along the lines of "and families with  two mommies" will be disappointed. But that's whatHeather Has Two Mommiesis for.  Justine Gasquet's colorful, almost cartoonish illustrations will be another  bonus for Roma Downey fans--the mom looks just like Downey! (Ages 5 to 8)--Emilie Coulter