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A. Curley's avatar

I'm sad and embarrassed I've only read three of these! Eep! Thanks for sharing this wonderful list with us. Families are complex and complicated and wonderful and beautiful all at the same time, aren't they? Mix in friends that are family, and you've got a web of dynamics to explore and to love. Speaking of friends, this friend is sending you a big hug during a difficult, mixed emotion time <3

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Rachel Michelle Wilson's avatar

Awwww Alicia! So grateful to have met you and continued our wonderful friendship. If it makes you feel better, I didn't discover many of these until I started searching for books about family in order to make this list! Thank you for the hug -- sending you one right back. I can't wait to see you!!!!

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Kaly Quarles's avatar

Ah, you're incredible - what a list! How do you acquire the 50+ books? Salt Lake library system?

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Rachel Michelle Wilson's avatar

Ah thanks! I actually find a lot of them by searching for "[book title] read aloud" on youtube. And then anything I can't find, I get from the library. Basically I consistently have my own shelf at the library holds section haha

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Gina Perry's avatar

That was such a great list! A bunch I know, a few that were new to me. One of my very favorite picture books is The Chicken of the Family (Mary Amato, illustrated by Delphine Durand). It's about the youngest of 3 sisters (I'm the youngest of 3 sisters) who gets teased by the older 2 (I was teased) - they tell her that she is actually a chicken and not their sister. Chickens are involved, it's quite funny, and it ends sweetly. I had never read a picture book that addressed my exact sibling dynamic.

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Rachel Michelle Wilson's avatar

Thank you, Gina! I hadn't heard of The Chicken of the Family before, but you made it sound so wonderful that I looked it up and watched a read aloud right away. How delightful! I really appreciated the authentic sibling dynamics -- teasing was big in my family too -- and I loved how she embraced her chickenness :)Thanks for the recommendation!

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