Adam Guillain

My Big Fantastic Family has the feel of a modern TV sitcom. It shows what blended families can look like and how that impacts one young girl named Lily-May. The story follows her changes, challenges, and happy adjustments after her parents separate/divorce. Changes unsettle her from her mom's new boyfriend, his kids, and parents to a new cat to forgetting her favorite bear while going back and forth between homes. The book addresses her uneasiness but also shows how she is gaining so much, not just losing her old life. The text contains a consistent rhyme scheme that doesn't seem forced. The illustrations are simple with the effect that it could be anyone's home, but subtle details add character like the wisps of gray in her mom and dad's hair or the pirate theme in the books she reads and toys she plays with. This would be a fantastic addition to any home or school library.

Nosy Crow Publishing also provides a QR code with a link to a read-aloud that is well-produced. It includes an expressive reader, sound effects, a note when to turn the page, and a musical intro and outro. Young readers who are learning to read on their own will appreciate that element.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)