Berna, Casey. Different Families Make the Universe Go Round. Casey Berna and Matthew McNamara, Illus. [S.l.]: Kids Like Ike, LLC, 2011. e-book (pdf). [18pp.].

Casey Berna’s Different Families Make the Universe Go Round is a picture book geared towards preschoolers that combines color and number concept awareness with the underlying message that families (or aliens as they are depicted) are different, loving, and necessary.

Though the book is unfocussed and would have benefitted from one strong theme (instead of three) in order to prevent the main message from being lost, Berna and Matthew McNamara’s illustrations — depicting alien families in outer space — are colorful and engaging.

If one is seeking a picture book that depicts family diversity or GLBT families, Different Families may not be the best option. The main descriptors include family size, height, and color with mention of “two mommies” in the counting section.

The book is available electronically on the Kids Like Ike website, which is geared towards providing parents and children in preschool with resources, books, and videos aimed towards creating a more peaceful world.

Reviewed by, Jennifer Troy
MLIS Student
Drexel University