‘Families are like trees,’ started Mama
The cover of this new picture book will catch your eye immediately. Prue Pittock has used vertical lines, hues of red and shades of black in a harmonious way that really capture the eye and draw you in.
And then you open – and what a story for the ever changing world we live in with families of diverse nature becoming more and more common place, and wonderfully accepted.
Isla’s family tree by Katrina McKelvey tells a story about a little girl named Isla whose family is about to change – baby twins on the way!
Like many children, Isla is not impressed with the impending arrival of her new siblings but after a discussion with her mother, she soon sees that a growing family cannot be that bad!
Isla’s mother teaches her about family trees and how they grow and change when we have children, meet someone we love or perhaps even lose a loved one.
Katrina McKelvey has written this story in a special way that goes beyond just the usual family tree. Children will see how families can be different yet look the same. They will see how families link together and grow and see that love is what creates family.
The act of young Isla building a family tree with craft materials is beautiful and it will encourage young readers to create their own.
Prue Pittock captures the essence of families, growth and trees through her illustrations and highlights the need we all have for belonging.
