Hello, everyone.
I'm Ally Langdon, and I love to read.
I especially love to read with my family, which
is why I'm so excited to help my friends at Sesame Street
and Big W share my love of reading with you.
So get your family together and let's
read a beautiful book together.
It's one of my favorite Sesame Street books,
What is Family on Sesame Street?
It's written by Craig Manning, and the pictures
are by Ernie Kwiat.
When you think of a family, what comes to mind?
How would you describe it?
Which words do you find?
No exact meaning quite fits like a glove, except maybe this one.
It's all about love.
From the day you were born, your family
is there to protect and support you and show you they care.
They raise you and teach you and watch as you grow.
And do what they can to let their love show.
Do you know who that is?
But it's not just parents who will see you through.
Grandmas and grandpas make up family too.
They pass down traditions and wisdom galore.
And let's be honest.
They spoil you more.
Some families are large while others are small.
But it's not about size or numbers at all.
A family can add up to any amount.
What matters is making together time count.
Sometimes a family is a party of two,
that one special person you love most and you, someone
you can run to who makes it OK if you stumble a bit
or have a bad day.
We sometimes have those, don't we?
A good time with family can take any form.
You can play together quietly or dance and perform.
You can fill your days with fun and the silliest songs.
When it comes to family, there's no right or wrong.
All families are colorful in their own way,
from pink, green, and blue, to white, black, and gray.
Each canvas is different, a true work of art,
with each face and voice playing its unique part.
What's better than sharing a smile with your mother
or giggling along with your dad and your brother?
Families make memories by laughing out loud,
for laughter is best when it's shared with a crowd.
Cooking and baking, eating and sharing,
these moments with families are all about caring.
It's best when you're together all in one place, with food
and love all around like a cozy embrace.
There will be days that you spend far apart.
But famiglia is always right there in your heart.
And letters and phone calls or chats on a screen
can shrink all the miles stretched out in between.
Families can change and evolve now and then.
New members may join and you'll gain a new friend.
Having new siblings or more than one home just
means love goes with you wherever you roam.
Some families is chosen in groups or in pairs.
You want them as your family.
They want you as theirs.
Just having a friend love the same things
as you is more than enough to make them family too.
The older you get, the more you will see so many new branches
on your family tree.
Like an oak or a willow, love grows
as it should, till your family includes
your whole neighborhood.
It's not just about who shares your last name
or whether your nose, eyes, or ears look the same.
Family means more than just who you're born to.
So what is a family?
Well, here's one more clue.
[GASPS] What's it say?
Home sweet home.
It's your parents and grandparents,
siblings and friends, and the love
that you feel as every day ends.
It's a hug or a high five or a song that you sing.
A home is love, hope, and family.
And that's everything.
The end.
Wasn't it great getting to see all our favorite Sesame Street
characters and their friends?
Thank you so much for reading the book with me.
Have a lovely day.
Bye for now.