Roads to Family: All the Ways We Come to Be

by Rachel HS Ginocchio

Overview

Examine—and appreciate—the many ways in which people can create a family. This informative compendium goes beyond the basics of sexual reproduction to examine the diversity of medical and societal methods people use, including in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy, adoption, and more. Through scientific research, diagrams, and interviews with families, author Rachel Ginocchio provides a thoughtful and thorough examination of the possibilities available.

"Roads to Family is a terrific book for humans of all ages to learn about the different ways families are created. By including stories from nearly every kind of family, this book expands the idea of family beyond typical clinical explanations and is a celebration of diversity."—Amy Lang, MA, speaker, author, podcaster and founder of Birds & Bees & Kids

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728485911
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	11 - 12 Years

About the Author

Rachel Ginocchio can remember, her parents answered any and all of her questions (sometimes more than she actually wanted to know). So, when other kids asked her questions, Rachel was eager to pass on her knowledge. Who knew that many years later, it would land her a master's degree in public health (MPH), a career in sexuality health education, and a passion for teaching, consulting, and writing about all the ways humans reproduce and form family. Rachel lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two spectacular children.

Editorial Reviews

"Within each chapter, Ginocchio tells engaging, lengthy stories, based on interviews, of several racially and ethnically diverse parents, from same-sex relationships to individuals who wanted to be parents to heterosexual couples struggling with infertility, and how they brought children into their lives. . . . Supplemental facts and figures as well as enlightening graphics enhance this much-needed and inclusive resource."—starred, Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-01-12
A rich and resourceful guide to how families are made.

The book opens with a reassuring introduction reminding readers that human reproduction takes many different forms, and each one is valid. This sets the tone for the remaining chapters: “Baby-Making Basics,” “Insemination,” “In Vitro Fertilization,” “Beyond Assisted Reproduction,” “Donor-Conceived Perspectives,” and “Family Is What You Make It.” The book features real-life stories to make the content more accessible, but even explanations that involve complex topics such as DNA or the details of IVF are written in clear language that is easy to understand. One of the strongest chapters is the one that explores nature versus nurture through the lens of people conceived through donor sperm or eggs. It highlights the examples of four people in their mid-20s, each of whom grew up in a different family but who share the same anonymous sperm donor. It describes, among other things, their parents’ decisions and characteristics they each share with their donor and the families that raised them. The same chapter clearly differentiates sex and gender and describes the regulation of the donor industry in the U.S. The book is nuanced, bringing to the forefront the validity of all families along with answers to the questions young people might have about themselves and others. The attractive color diagrams and simple but engaging illustrations elevate and enhance the text.

A strong and accessible resource for both school reports and elective reading. (glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 11-16)

Kirkus Reviews