A young boy’s plan to take the reader on a safari is spoiled by rain, so he leads a tour of his family instead. Thus begins an age-appropriate explanation of his moms’ relationship, donor insemination, and what makes a family.
I love the message that having a donor is a cool, positive thing, rather than the negative lack of a dad. We sense Zak’s self-confidence when he tells us he’s happy to have some of his donor’s “awesome” genes.
The book also shows us some of the everyday things they do as a family, from having dinner together to going on nature hikes. It reinforces the idea that love makes a family — and that we should celebrate both our similarities to and differences from other families. The book ends on an upbeat note, with the family enjoying themselves on a roller coaster, a metaphor for the adventure of family life. It’s a nice change from the sometimes saccharine endings of picture books about families.
Zak’s Safari is a worthwhile addition to the books for and about two-mom families. I hope it finds its way not only to the bookshelves of those families, but also to those of other families, schools, and libraries looking for ways to explain the diversity of family life to all children.
