Representation – Jen Carney

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about the representation of different types of families in children’s books. Indeed, a conversation with my son about the lack of positive representation of children with same-sex parents in upbeat books was my starting point for my debut series, The Accidental Diary of B.U.G., which has been praised for its accessible, age-appropriate inclusion – shortlisted for the national Polari Prize and winner of the Sparks Children’s Book Award. (You can read about that conversation in this blog post.)

In my latest series, I’ve represented a foster family. Specifically, a blended foster family headed up by two mums.

The series starts with The Day My Dog Got Famous which tells the story of Ferris (the mums’ birth child) and his mission (with the help of his newly-placed foster sister) to make his dozy dog more like the cartoon canine he draws for fun. Why? So he can beat his boastful next door neighbour and her uber-talented poodle in an online pet-popularity contest.

Teacher feedback: “The Day My Dog Got Famous doesn’t just show the wonder of dogs but presents a sensitive window into the life of a foster family, as well as the emotions of a young boy who has to deal with children coming in and out of his home for varying lengths of time.”

Real-Life Inspiration

I was inspired to write this series by my sister who, in addition to having four of her own children, has fostered for over 20 years. And by my nephews and niece who, like my protagonist, Ferris, have generously opened their lives and their hearts to welcome foster children into their home for various periods of time.

Through funny capers with dogs, cartoons and comic strips, The Day My Dog Got Famous explores some of the emotions experienced by birth children who are part of blended families: frustration, connection, love and loss.

Teacher feedback: “…not just a fabulous story but one that is highly inclusive and one that balances humour with heartache to absolute perfection.”

Representing Children in Foster Care

A mother through adoption myself, and a previous panel member for both fostering and adoption agencies, through the series I’ve also dipped into some of the reasons children can find themselves foster care, how they feel, and the repercussions that can ensue – all at a level that children will understand.

In book one, The Day My Dog Got Famous, the family provides respite care for a child whose regular carer is in hospital.

In book two, The Day My School Exploded, the family are fostering a child who has been removed from his mother and separated from his brother, and is soon going to be living with a relative.

Book three will focus on a child who is looked after under a Special Guardianship arrangement and comes to the Fosters (yes, the main family are called Foster as well as being foster carers!) for a respite placement.

All three books include a long-term foster child with additional needs to represent the sad fact that such children often remain in the care system for longer than their peers. (I’m an experienced parent to a wonderful child with special needs. Showing that children with additional needs are much more than just their difficulties was also important to me when writing this series.)

The message that family is often bigger than biology is seeded through the series.

Parent feedback: “Where the book tips the line to excellent is the touches of diversity and the truths of human life…Ferris having a ‘hard to place’ foster sister, and two mums, and what that impact that has. It looks at the how and who can be in care, for respite or permanent – and what that looks like for existing children.”

Why represent foster families in children’s books?

It’s always about mirrors and windows for me.

REPRESENTATION – the mirror

Representation is the key to successful reading for pleasure – a well-known indicator of a child’s future life-chances and well-being.

In the UK alone, there are almost 54,000 foster families and approximately 70,000 foster children living with them.

These children deserve to see themselves in a funny book. As do the many birth children living in blended families.

2. EMPATHY – the window

Providing a sneak view into the life of someone else gives children with little (or no) experience of foster care the opportunity to learn about other children’s lives. This helps them to build empathy as they broaden their understanding of the world.

The Day My Dog Got Famous is out now and available via Amazon, Bookshop.org, independent bookshops, chain bookstores and libraries.

The Day My School Exploded will be released on 6th February 2025 and is available to pre-order now.

The third title will follow in February 2026.

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about the representation of rainbow families in children’s books. Indeed, a conversation with my son about the lack of positive representation (particularly in funny books) was my starting point for The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. series which I’ve previously blogged about here.

In my opinion, the answer to this question is:

A. to give children with two mums or two dads the choice to read a book that reflects their reality

and

B. to help children from more traditional family units to broaden their understanding of the world.

But why?

According to the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education’s ‘Reflecting Realities’ report (2020), representation is the key to successful reading for pleasure (another of my passions).

When a child sees themselves in a book, they feel validated, their self-confidence sky-rockets as they realise they’re not alone. Moreover, they’re more likely to read for pleasure and, if this habit is sustained, they’ll have better life chances, get better grades and report higher levels of wellbeing (OECD).

So given that in 2019 (according the ONS) there were 212,000 same sex families in the UK (and three years on, this figure will surely be greater), representing rainbow families is key to reading for pleasure for a large number of children.

That’s the ‘mirror’ element of reading.

But reading about people who are different to you, is of equal importance. This is where ‘windows’ come in.

To be able to read about life from another person’s perspective, helps children to make sense of the world around them. When a reader from a family with a mum and a dad reads a book that contains a rainbow family, they learn to empathise and accept. Essential conversations are sparked which can often lead to a deeper understanding of ‘different’ and a celebration of the many similarities that unite humans.

So, in summary, from picture books for babes in arms, right through to longer reads for older children, books have a huge role to play in helping youngsters to understand our world. Whether that’s to boost an individual’s self-esteem, to help nurture empathy for different, or just to cement the fact that all family units, whatever they look like, are valid, worth writing about, normal.

Can you recommend any great children’s books that contain positive representation of same sex parents?

Yes! BookTrust has some marvellous suggestions on these pages:

Middle Grade recommendations (age 7-11ish)

Younger readers

And here are a few recommendations from me:

My Daddies written by Gareth Peter, illustrated by Garry Parsons – a rhyming picture book adventure that includes a celebration of adoption and is perfect for introducing children to a family with two loving fathers.

Love Makes a Family written and illustrated by Sophie Beer – a board book depicting a wide range of families and what they may typically do on a daily basis. I love this book’s main message: the one thing that makes every family is love.

The Pirate Mums written by Jodie Lancet Grant, illustrated by Lydia Corry – an adventure picture book that helps children to embrace uniqueness – whether that’s because you have two mums, or that your parents are pirates!

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding written by Sarah Brannen, illustrated by Lucia Soto – an uplifting celebration of love in all its forms. I vividly remember my nephew worrying I might not have time to play when I told him I was getting married!

The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. (3 books) written and illustrated by me! – think Wimpy Kids meets Tom Gates, but with a witty female protagonist who, incidentally, has two mums and was adopted as a baby.

The Last Firefox written by Lee Newbery, illustrated by Laura Catalan – a fantasy tale about finding your own courage with lovely representation of an adoptive family with same-sex parents (two dads).

Max Kowalski Didn’t Mean It by Susie Day – an exploration of masculinity told via an exciting adventure and including a family headed up by two fathers.

Proud of Me by Sarah Hagger-Holt – a lovely coming of age story with multiple LGBT themes, told from the point of view of twelve year old siblings Josh and Becky who have two mums.