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Carmen Parets (1983) - Early childhood educator (ECE), Children's book author/llustrator and children's book blogger. She has written and illustrated over 7 children's books. Her books are published in three languages: English, Spanish and Catalan.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Not all families are alike. There are as many different types of families as there are colors, shapes, and sizes in a handful of buttons. This is the basis of A Handful of Buttons, a picture book about family diversity by Carmen Parets Luque. The illustrations are a combination of child-like stick figures creatively infused with a variety of life-like buttons that make up the faces within the drawing. Both written and illustrated by Luque, the book helps young children to see that while families may be comprised in a variety of ways, at the heart of each individual family is the child, loved every bit as much as children from families that may appear more traditional. It's an excellent entry for young readers who are starting to become aware of diversity and the world at large.
A Handful of Buttons by Carmen Parets Luque is an enjoyable read, and made a particular splash when my teenage step-daughter read it at bedtime with a preschool aged child. I particularly loved how Luque incorporates biracial families, adoption, and children who have same sex parents. This colorful picture book is inclusive for all readers as each one should be able to find a dynamic they can associate with in the story, as well as the make-up of different families they might see when spending time at a friend's house, or seeing another child being picked up from school. I'd absolutely recommend this book to parents, teachers, and librarians who are looking for a unique way to introduce children to modern families.
