• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer, Legal and Media Kit
  • Blog
  • Contact me

A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

  • Art
  • Blogging Helps
  • Faith
  • Homeschooling
  • Poetry
  • Recipes
  • Reviews
  • Writing
You are here: Home / Reviews / Florence and Her Fantastic Family Tree

Florence and Her Fantastic Family Tree

August 29, 2020 By Annette1 4 Comments

Click here to go to my disclosure policy.

raincoast FTC

When I opened the cover to Florence and her Fantastic Family Tree, I was immediately brought back to a conversation with a cousin.  One of her children was being asked to do a family tree yet her child had a rather divergent family tree and was very frustrated by this.  The child didn’t want to look strange to peers, but wanted to complete the assignment.  The words “antiquated lessons” came up. 

Florence has a VERY divergent family tree and she handles this assignment with all these worries, and yet, she looks beyond her worries to her ability to show off her family.   A timely book I think hmm?  

Florence and her fantastic family tree

What I am Reviewing

On behalf of Raincoast books and Familius books I am reviewing Florence and her Fantastic Family Tree.  It will come as a jacketed hardcover of 32 pages.  Written by Judy Gilliam with the soft illustrations by Laura Addari.

From the cover

Florence and Her Fantastic Family Tree explores the idea of what it means to have a big, messy, complicated, and remarkable family as a young girl tries to complete her family tree assignment for school. With adorable drawings and the succinct words of a child, you can’t help but love your own family tree, no matter how large or small, simple or chaotic.

Florence and her fantastic family tree information

The problem is real so… does a child run away from it or grab up the opportunity?   Florence, using her own words, tells us how she handled this challenged.  How can she make a family tree when “my family tree doesn’t just have a trunk, roots, leaves and extra limbs.  My family tree is prickly, scaly, and partially overgrown.“

Using soft tones, the illustrator helps us watch Florence’s worry turn into a sense of accomplishment.  And I have to tell you as adult… it was wonderful to see.  I love watching children take what could be a painful assignment and turn it into something that is great.  THIS happens.

The story is told in Florence’s own words.  Sharing her words, her working out what her family is like.  It’s like sitting next to her as she does her homework listening in. 

You’ll find the font easy enough to read. It’s not in bold and appears handwritten. It would be easy enough to hold up with a group of children to share it. I could see a teacher using this with her class before she gives them a family tree assignment. What a great way to let children know it doesn’t matter what their family looks like, just follow how the branches go even if they intertwine or go off ways.

Should you Get it?

I thought Florence and her Fantastic Family Tree was a good read.  Enjoyable, easy to read, the character develops, and good results.  Regardless of what YOUR family looks like, it would be good to share with your children. Help them develop empathy for what other people’s families might look like.  Instead of calling it an antiquated idea, let us celebrate with children what their families look like. 

Are they really needed? Pens & pencils in your homeschool
Summer meals in August

Related Posts:

  • Review: Beyond the Stick Figure Art School
    Review: Beyond the Stick Figure Art School
  • The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs
    The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs
  • The Samaritan Woman at the Well
    The Samaritan Woman at the Well
  • Mary Meets the Resurrected Lord
    Mary Meets the Resurrected Lord
  • Review: GrammarPlanet
    Review: GrammarPlanet
  • U asked: questions about Rabbits
    U asked: questions about Rabbits

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
Spread the love

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Reviews Tagged With: Book Review, Books for Children, Elementary, Raincoast, Review

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy Gilliam says

    September 4, 2020 at 5:24 pm

    Thank you for this thoughtful review. Florence is a celebration of family!!

    Reply
    • Annette1 says

      September 7, 2020 at 8:56 pm

      You are most welcome. it was my pleasure. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lori says

    September 9, 2020 at 5:40 pm

    This looks like a lovely story to really help children! I love the simplicity of the words while they encompass such rich meaning and understanding.

    Reply
    • Annette1 says

      September 9, 2020 at 10:40 pm

      I thought it was, and I’d wished I had it when that earlier conversation had happened. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

ABOUT ME

I am centered by the love of God and family. Smiles are brought about being a Writer, Poet, Hiker and reader. Growth occurs as I educate my son, raise him up in the fear of the Lord, love up on my critters and live as a pastor’s wife.

Want to Stay Informed?

Subscribe and I’ll shoot you an email once a week.


Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.



Recent Posts

  • Dolphin Island
  • Entrepreneurial Skills
  • If You But Trust in God to Guide You
  • Marie’s Ocean
  • How best to Enable

Recent Comments

  • Anita Ojeda on How best to Enable
  • Jen Dodrill on Entrepreneurial Skills
  • Annette1 on How best to Enable
  • Annette1 on God’s Love Shown
  • Annette1 on Dolphin Island

Archives

Categories

  • Art
  • Art Books
  • Blogging Helps
  • Faith
  • Homeschooling
  • Poetry
  • Recipes
  • Reviews
  • Uncategorized
  • Writing

Footer

Amazon Affiliate information

A Net in Time is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Tinker Crate Affiliate

Copyright © 2021 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time · Lifestyle Pro - Child Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in