Picnic in the Park

Picnic in the Park is a fully illustrated book for children which tells the story of Jason’s birthday picnic and his guests. In so doing, it introduces children to a range of family structures, including two- and one-parent families; adoptive and foster families; gay and lesbian families; and step-families. It also shows a diverse range of adults and children. Using the device of a birthday picnic in the park, each page shows a new set of guests coming to the party; children can draw their own and friends’ families on the pages at the back. Vividly illustrated, this book will provide family placement workers with an invaluable tool for introducing children to contemporary family structures in their preparation work with children prior to placement. Indeed, given the scope of the contents, this book could be used with any child in any setting to introduce them to modern-day family structures.