Stella Brings the Family: A Mother's Day book that every kid should read.

Mother's Day may be one of our favorite holidays for obvious reasons, but it's also obvious that not all kids have a mother living in their family. For young kids in this situation, this can be a difficult time, especially in school when kids may be asked to make Mother's Day cards or gifts -- or, as in the new book, Stella Brings the Family, attend a Mother's Day celebration in the classroom. In this brand new book by Miriam Schiffer, Stella's teacher asks the class to each invite a special guest for a Mother's Day party. But, Stella has a Papa and a Daddy. Not a mom and a dad, or even two moms like her classmate Howie. Through easy-to-understand text and sweet colorful illustrations by Holly Clifton-Brown, Stella wrestles with her dilemma before deciding to invite all those people who make up her special family.   I love how Stella uses childlike honesty to field friends' innocent questions like, but who reads you bedtime stories? And who kisses you when you are hurt? I think her answers will ring true for so many other kids. After all, as much as I'm involved in my kids' lives, bedtime stories also come from their dad, their grandmother, and their babysitter. And of course, there are a lot of people who are there for children if they are hurt, not just a mom. Stella Brings the Family is a nice way to talk to children about the evolving definition of a family, and how important it is to be understanding, tolerant, and supportive of kids who may be growing up in different circumstances. I think this makes it a great read for all kinds of kids. Plus, it's a great reminder for all of us that dads can be pretty awesome at kissing boo-boos too. Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Schiffer and Holly Clifton-Brown is available at our affiliate Amazon, and your local independent bookseller.