Jessica Galatola is a teacher and mother to two young boys and she loves sunshine and all things playful. Jess comes from a large family – Italian father from Sicily, mother from Cardiff, Wales. She has lived in Australia all her life and has been based in QLD since she was 5 years old. As a teacher, Jess has worked in the education sector for fifteen years, specialising in English and Drama secondary teaching. In 2020, when her own family unit changed dramatically, Jess wrote this book, Some Families Change, for her boys (at the time aged two and four) to help them understand the changes that their family was about to navigate. Jessica has a passion for helping young people to heal and build resilience and self-efficacy and believes that literature is a foundational and fundamental step in helping young people to understand the world and their place in it.
Jenni Barrand is a children’s art teacher who loves helping kids learn all the amazing ways to create art. Jenni grew up in south east London and went to Sylvia Young Theatre School and the BRITS college of Performing Arts. She was in educational UK TV series about stepfamilies when she was 12. Jenni loves walking and exploring in nature while listening to her favourite music and she loves making art in her little studio. She lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney with a husband, two kids, one cat and two guinea pigs.
The Endless Shelf podcast
“Lovely and heartfelt and a picture book that might be able to help kids process difficult experiences.”.
Maggie Dent (on Instagram 137K followers)
“Harmony Day is about building compassion and acceptance for diversity. This lovely picture book explores this so well. Written by Jess Galatola and Jenni Barrand this book expresses how some families are different and that some change sometimes due to death or divorce. This would be great in ECEC as concepts are being explored and formed. Well done.”
The Bottom Shelf Edu blog and republished on OZTL the national Teacher Librarian Network
“The core Foundation Year unit of the Humanities and Social Sciences strand of the Australian Curriculum calls for children to know and understand “the people in their family, where they were born and raised, and how they are related to each other” and thus this book is an essential part of that understanding as they learn that not only are families different but also that theirs might change.”
Julie Ann Grasso Books (via Instagram bx
“Changes in the structure of a family can be joyful, turbulent, and especially confusing for little humans. Some Families Change is a gentle and reassuring way of showing children that all families go through changes – it’s completely natural, and they are not alone. We loved this one for its inclusiveness and also it’s brilliant and much needed message…”
The Book Muse
”A powerful book that is emotionally gentle, reassuring, and also joyfully diverse – I loved seeing the different families throughout, reflecting the reality of families today.”
Reading Time
“Rather than narrate a story, this book is a series of beautifully illustrated simple statements about the myriad compositions of families these days: some families get bigger or smaller for various reasons, some children may have two fathers, others may have two mothers, some live with a lot of relatives, some regularly move between two or more houses.”
Blue Wolf Reviews
“Some Families Change is a very helpful resource to help families guide their children through life’s many inevitable changes.”.
Your Kids Next Read podcast
“It’s a really interesting little book. A reassuring way of showing that all families go through changes …and letting kids know, it’s not your fault. No matter what your family looks like, your family will continue to love you. Validates that it’s OK to be upset or worried.”.
The Community Leader – Bayside
“Every family goes through their own changes at some point, and this book offers a comforting exploration of changing family structures through gentle verse and
inclusive illustrations. Covering scenarios including single-parent families, blended families, and the loss of a loved one, it serves as a reassuring guide for children experiencing such
transitions. Candid and big-hearted, Some Families Change is a timely resource for navigating life’s inevitable changes”
Story Links
“It touches briefly on a child’s possible feelings of confusion, worry and hurt when ‘daddy or mummy move away because they no longer get along’. The conclusion emphasises that there is always love no matter what changes have occurred.”.
Fiona Smith Writes (via Instagram)
“I adored this book for its ability to address complex emotions with empathy and understanding. Whether you’re a kid navigating family changes or an adult supporting them, this book is a beautiful reminder that love is what truly makes a family.”
Buzz Words
“Covers the wide range of emotions that children can experience during alterations in the family structure. There is reassurance for the child/ren that whatever has occurred, it is not their fault, and encouragement to share their feelings with somebody to begin the healing process.”.
