As I work to make my library inclusive, showing different types of family structures is really important to me. Many students come from single-parent homes and finding books with that structure is really important to me. Did you know that I post a ton of book recommendations on Instagram? You can follow along there @speechroomlibrary. Take a look at the featured books below! In most, the story isn’t focused on the single-parent household, that’s just part of the illustrations or text as well.
Let’s look at 15 children’s books that feature a single-parent household:
(The links below are all affiliate links.)
By: Sophie Beer
Best ages: 1-4 years old
Summary: Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple preschool read-aloud demonstrates that what’s most important in each family’s life is the love the family members share.
#2 Stellaluna
By: Janell Cannon
Best ages: 2-6 years old
Summary: Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their new bird habits.
By: Audrey Penn
Best ages: 2-6 years old
Summary: School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester’s fears, Chester’s mom shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children’s classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp.
By: Donna Jo Napoli
Best ages: 5-7 years old
Summary: A mother and daughter spend a sunny day at the beach together where they swim, dance, build sandcastles, and, most importantly, communicate. But their communication is not spoken; rather, it is created by loving hands that use American Sign Language. Readers will learn how to sign 15 words using American Sign Language with the help of sidebars that are both instructive and playful. And the beautifully illustrated beach scenes will appeal both to the deaf community and to hearing parents and children, who will enjoy this gentle introduction to some basic words in ASL while watching the bond between a mother and daughter.
#5 Enemy Pie
By: Derek Munson
Best ages: 5-8 years old
Summary: It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily his Dad has a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning a best enemy into a best friend.
By: Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Best ages: baby- 3 years old
Summary: In this sweet board book, a dad gently reassures a baby that they will be watching over them as they close their eyes for sleep.
By: Soosh
Best ages: 1-6 years old
Summary: Whether they’re playing make-believe, making you smile, or warding off monsters under the bed, dads are always there when you need them.
#8 Away
By: Emil Sher
Best ages: 4-7 years old
Summary: Love shines through in the sticky notes shared between a mother and daughter in this picture book about making time for family in the midst of our busy lives. Between work and school, homework and housework, a mother and daughter don’t always get to spend as much time together as they’d like. Add to that a little girl’s fears about leaving home for the first time, and the need to stay close through handwritten notes becomes even more important. As the camp departure date gets closer, Mom does her best to soothe her daughter’s nerves. A visit from her grandmother helps to calm her fears and convince her that she’ll have a good time, even away from her mother and beloved cat. Camp ends up being a wonderful adventure – but nothing is sweeter than a back-at-home reunion.
By: Aviaq Johnson
Best ages: 3-5 years old
Summary: Nalvana feels like all of her friends have some type of superpower. She has friends with super speed (who always beat her in races), friends with super strength (who can dangle from the monkey bars for hours), and friends who are better than her at a million other things. Nalvana thinks she must be the only kid in town without a superpower. But then her mom shows Nalvana that she is unique and special, and that her superpower was right in front of her all along.
By: Joseph Coehlo
Best ages: primary/ elementary
Summary: Luna’s parents live apart, but she loves library day: that’s the day she spends with her dad. This book is great for children of divorced parents.
#11 Annie and Snowball and the Cozy Nest
(Any of the Annie and Snowball books)
By: Cynthia Rylant
Best ages: 5-7 years old
Summary: Annie has a single dad in this series. In this particular book, someone is building a nest on Annie’s porch. Annie can’t wait to show her favorite cousin, Henry. Everyday they watch the nest grow bigger and bigger.
One day, five small eggs appear. Annie and Henry love seeing the mother robin with her nest. But it’s not easy to be patient. When will the baby birds hatch?
#12 Kate and Nate are Running Late
By: Kate Egan
Best ages: 4-7 years old
Summary: Being on time is an art―an art most families have yet to master. From spilling coffee to misplacing keys, we’ve all dealt with the many things that can derail our morning routines. This humorous depiction of chaotic mornings is oh, so true.
Kate is a single mother and her two children, Nate, and his older sister, Maddie, have all overslept. How will they EVER make it to school and work on time dressed, fed, and organized?
#13 Saturday
By: Oge Mora
Best ages: 4-8 years old
Summary: In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong–ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they’d been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown…until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.
#14 You be Mommy
By: Karla Clark
Best ages: 2-6 years old
Summary: A tired single mommy lets her daughter have a turn at being a parent at bedtime. This is a clever rhyming story that is very relatable to both parents and children.
#15 Dragon’s Extraordinary Egg
By: Debi Gliori
Best ages: 4-8 years old
Summary: In this heartwarming story, a dragon in need of an egg finds an abandoned egg in need of a mommy. It seems like the perfect fit, but when that egg hatches, the little baby doesn’t look like all the other dragons. In fact, he looks a lot like a penguin! Of course, his mommy loves him no matter what. But the other young dragons aren’t so sure. Little do they know that their feathered friend’s differences will save the day! Sometimes things happen for a reason . . . and some families are just meant to be together.
Do you have any other recommendations for picture books that feature a single-parent household?
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