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(as of Aug 07, 2025 07:34:45 UTC – Details)
Teachers do so much more than just teach academics. They build a sense of community within their classrooms, creating a home away from home where they make their students feel safe, included, and loved.
With its heartfelt message and colorfully whimsical illustrations, “Our Class is a Family” is a book that will help build and strengthen that class community. Kids learn that their classroom is a place where it’s safe to be themselves, it’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s important to be a friend to others. When hearing this story being read aloud by their teacher, students are sure to feel like they are part of a special family.
“Family isn’t always your relatives. It’s the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.” -Unknown
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Topic
All 5 Books Included! A Warm Welcome on the First Day of School Building School Community Establishing Student Teamwork A Special Farewell on the Last Day of School
Publisher : Shannon Olsen
Publication date : May 5, 2020
Language : English
Print length : 27 pages
ISBN-10 : 0578629097
ISBN-13 : 978-0578629094
Item Weight : 4.2 ounces
Reading age : 5+ years, from customers
Dimensions : 8.5 x 0.07 x 11 inches
Part of series : The Classroom Community Collection
Best Sellers Rank: #15 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Children’s Books on First Day of School #2 in Children’s Friendship Books #5 in Children’s School Issues
Customer Reviews: 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 15,108 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers say
Customers find this book perfect for establishing classroom community, with its sweet message and rhyme that resonates with young children. Moreover, the book is particularly effective at the start of the school year, helping students feel connected and loved. Additionally, the illustrations feature diverse students, and customers appreciate how it promotes inclusivity through discussions. The book creates a loving classroom environment and reinforces that school is a safe place.
David Houck –
❤️ A Beautiful Way to Build Classroom Community! ❤️
“Our Class is a Family” is such a heartwarming and impactful book for any classroom! 🏫 It’s perfect for helping students understand the importance of kindness, cooperation, and respect within a classroom setting. The illustrations are warm and inviting, and the message of unity and support really resonates with kids. 🤝 This book helps foster a sense of belonging, making it a great resource for building classroom community, especially at the start of the school year. 🌟 I’ve used it with my students, and it has sparked meaningful conversations about teamwork and friendship. Highly recommend it for teachers aiming to create a positive, inclusive classroom environment! 😊
Lauryn Griffin –
Great Book
Can’t wait to read this book to my group of students. The book is a paperback, so when i got it out of box it was bent up a little bit. It is not a major problem. It also came on time! This is a great book for teachers to read with their students. This book is great for Elementary Kids
Susan Schotten –
Our Class is a Family
hard cover book in great condition – colorful pictures, easy for beginner reader
Stacey Lagrone –
A Great Addition to your Classroom Library
This book is such a great read for the beginning of the year. It touches on all of the things we want to establish at the beginning of the year–respect, differences, kindness. There are so many fun activities to do out there that go along with it, too. My class loved it, and it is now a permanent read aloud for my classroom year-to-year.
Gloria morales –
Love the Message
This book is a must in every classroom. I read this story to my class every year. The message is beautiful and creates a safe and welcoming environment.
SW –
Superb book on family, community, and classroom connections!
This book is a wonderful addition to any classroom or home library! The message is heartfelt, genuine, and meaningful. The rhyming is smooth and poetic. The storyline can be a starting point for many great conversations about family, community, kindness, and support. Whether read on the first day of school, the last day of school, or any day in between (or even all of the above!), it’s bound to stir emotions and spark conversation.Next week I will read it to my class on the last day of school to remind them that even after they leave my classroom, we will always be family.This is a great debut picture book by new author, Shannon Olsen. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! In the meantime, I’ll follow what she has to share on Instagram at @lifebetweensummers.
Jacqui –
Great for discussion on inclusivity but could use more diverse representation
The book “Our Class is a Family” by Shannon Olsen and illustrated by Sandie Sonke tries to demonstrate the importance of building classroom community and being inclusive of all students no matter their race or abilities. While I think this is a beautiful book that has a lot of positives and opportunities for discussion it leaves some things out. I think the story is really about modern-day American students from privileged neighborhoods. I think this because students seem to be wearing nice modern-day clothing, are put together, and have access to a school with many resources. It also mentions housing as being part of a family but fails to mention some students don’t come from or have nice homes. The book is also only available in English leaving out students who aren’t too familiar with the language. However, I think that itself could be a good learning activity for ESL or bilingual students and forming the story in their native languages. I think the illustration of the students are also representative of American features. They all have almond shaped eyes and button noses except for the teacher. It seems they just changed the skin colors and hair types for the student drawings. I think they also leave out students of different cultures. Like I mentioned earlier all the students are wearing modern-day American clothing, there’s no representation for students of different cultures and backgrounds that might wear different clothing such as hijabs or kippahs, despite the text implying inclusivity. I think that could be an excellent opportunity for discussion in the classroom about who and why certain people were left out. I think the story overall shows that students are valued if they are more representative of modern-day American culture. I think it also shows the idea of Americanization that is so prevalent in the U.S education system. This means being fluent in English and dressing like the rest of society. I think it also could’ve been more representative of more children with disabilities. I think when most people think of disabilities, they jump straight to someone in a wheelchair but there’s more disabilities out there that I think kids should learn and be more aware of. The child in the wheelchair is highlighted when the text mentions respecting one another but doesn’t elaborate how children can do that especially regarding students with varying abilities. I do like that at the beginning it represented both biological parents and stepparents as students with mixed families is normal. However, it didn’t show same sex parents or adoptees. One could argue the sentence “family doesn’t have to be who your related to” includes adoptees but I think that was included more to emphasis the point of the book that students in the classroom although not related are still considered family. Overall, I think this is a book that could use more representation but has a great start towards being more inclusive in the classroom. Finally, I think it could be great to have open discussion about inclusivity and diversity with our students.
Elvina Purisic –
Building Our Classroom Community
I was looking for a book that I could read aloud to my class to reassure them that we are truly like a family when we are at school. My goal is for my students to feel free and comfortable to express themselves and be who they truly are in our classroom. I want my students to feel safe, loved and cared for. I want them to respect themselves and each other. I want them to accept everyone for their own uniqueness. Our Class is a Family touches upon all of these points. We spend most of our time in school with all of our teachers and classmates. We make mistakes and learn from them, ask for help, have fun with our peers, etc. This book really helped my students and I create our own expectations for our class family; something we can all be held accountable for throughout the year. I definitely see myself reading this book again later on in the year. Highly recommend it!
Kylie O’Connor –
Lovely book but the speedy arrival time is what sold me.
@my_lovely_english_corner –
Un libro muy bonito con un gran mensaje, especialmente para los estudiantes que comienzan el año escolar. Hay muchas actividades que puedes hacer para continuar después de leer el libro.
vanessa –
Si eres maestra el cuento es hermoso 😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️💕👏🏻
Lara –
Queria contar para meus alunos, mas a versão física é extremamente cara no Brasil, praticamente 500 reais! Então comprei a versão Kindle e projetei com meu notebook. Supriu as necessidades muito bem, mas o linguajar é um pouco complexo
Ashley Ferguson –
“Our Class is a Family” beautifully encapsulates the essence of classroom unity and camaraderie. As an educator, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity among students is paramount, and this book provides the perfect narrative to instill these values. Through heartwarming storytelling and vibrant illustrations, young readers are not only entertained but also enlightened about the importance of empathy, cooperation, and friendship.The author skillfully navigates the dynamics of classroom relationships, emphasizing that a supportive and nurturing environment extends far beyond academic pursuits. From celebrating achievements to offering comfort during challenging times, the book exemplifies the power of collective strength and compassion. As a teacher, I’ve witnessed firsthand the positive impact of incorporating “Our Class is a Family” into classroom discussions, sparking meaningful conversations and reinforcing the notion that we are all part of a larger, caring community.