My Family Tree and Me

February 16, 2015
Starting from the beginning or end of this picture book, readers trace a boy’s paternal and maternal lineages while making their way to its center, where his large multi-ethnic family appears in all its glory. The opening pages follow “my father’s side,” beginning with the boy’s great-great-grandparents, pictured near a 1920s automobile. The same image reappears as a photograph on the following page, along with the next generation; the boy’s great-grandfather wears a green military uniform, and later descendants share both men’s red hair. Meanwhile, readers can follow the boy’s Chinese matrilineal heritage by flipping forward from the back of the book; both sets of images and narratives mirror each other, highlighting the similarities and differences between the two sides of the family (the boy’s maternal great-grandfather also wears a military uniform, with a red star on the hat). Petricic’s goofy pencil-and-watercolor caricatures keep these portraits from feeling overly serious, and the family eventually grows to include eight cousins, a gay uncle and his partner, and more. It’s a strong, warm visual representation of all that goes in to making a family. Ages 3–7.

February 1, 2015
This dos-a-dos book looks at both sides of one little boy's ancestry. Children are often interested in but confused by the notion of great-great grandparents. Happily, Petricic's droll watercolors make this idea both understandable and amusing. Starting with "My father's side," readers meet the narrator's great-great-grandparents, sitting in their Tin Lizzie. The sepia tones, with a touch of red for great-great-grandma's lips and orange for great-great-grandpa's ample moustache, let the young reader know that this image is from a very long time ago. As the pages turn, the time moves toward the present, with each preceding generation appearing as a photograph on the wall in the background. New wives and husbands arrive, but careful readers will notice familial physical traits are repeated through the generations, especially that ample moustache, the need for glasses, and winningly oversized, unbalanced ears on the males. Once readers reach the present, a double-page spread of his extended, diverse family greets them. Reading backward, the mother's side of the family is shown. Repeated careful readings of the illustrations will reveal interests and hobbies as well as physical similarities. (The father's side loves vehicles, for instance.) Budding genealogists will enjoy poring over this illustrated family history. (Picture book. 4-9)

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March 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-As this unique book so ably displays, one's family tree may have unusual branches from far-reaching places and different traditions. The story pulls readers in with its front and back covers of family members perched on their part of the family tree. Multigenerations of a boy's family start on one side with his father's close relatives and on the other side with his mother's family, beginning with his great-great-grandparents and converging in a current family portrait at the book's center. Lightly inked and washed with watercolor, each small family grouping forms the background portrait of a succeeding generation-figures in the clothing of their day with detailed surroundings that hint of their history. Small hand-drawn arrows in the page corners and instructions along the edges direct readers to the next page, and the next, or advise them of the best way to view the other side of the family. Children may even spot family features within this diverse group: the final portrait of multi-ethnic and non-traditional family members includes a wide range of ages (from newborn to grandparents), parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, partners, the family dogs, and the boy's neighborhood friend. Brief text follows a pattern and adds humor. VERDICT This is a must-have title with an emphasis on the diversity and the love that binds families together.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2015
Preschool-G On the traditional front page, a little boy with a mop of red hair and Asian facial features introduces his European great-great-grandparents in a sepia-toned illustration showing the couple in front of an old-timey car. Next come his great-grandparents, who pose in front of a framed version of the picture on the previous page, followed by Pops and Nana. Beginning from the back of the book, readers meet the boy's ancestors on his mother's side. First a sepia-toned picture of his Chinese great-great-grandparents on a stoop, then his great-grandparents wearing the iconic uniform of the People's Republic of China, and then on to the jaunty double-page portrait of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and one sneaky neighbor at the heart of the book. Petricic's exaggerated watercolor figures all have happy faces and rosy cheeks, and family resemblances are impossible to miss. Small details link each colorful illustration and hint at historical changes. This lively and easy-to-follow family tree gracefully traces the little boy's vast and varied ancestry. Children thinking about their own extended families will appreciate this clever picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)