Fa La La Family

by Scott Hoying, Mark Hoying, Steph Lew (Illustrator)

Overview

Light up the season with this ode to the diverse ways families celebrate Christmas, from Grammy Award-winning co-founder of Pentatonix, Scott Hoying, and his husband, Mark Hoying.

Christmas is for families!

Families of all kinds.

Whether your family is near or far, born or chosen, made up of human or furry friends, Christmas is the time to celebrate with those who matter most.

With lyrical text and magical illustrations, this inclusive picture book celebrates the spirit of Christmas and the true meaning of family.

Come join in the harmony of fa la la family! Create your own family sing-along with the included sheet music and lyrics for this delightful celebration of the holiday season.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250415967
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	09/02/2025
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	78 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Scott Hoying is a Grammy and Emmy award–winning singer, songwriter, and arranger from the multiplatinum selling a cappella group, Pentatonix. He cofounded the group in 2011 and has headlined hundreds of shows worldwide. He is very active in the LGBTQ+ community and is passionate about helping and inspiring queer youth. @scotthoying

Mark Hoying is a writer and marketing professional from Seattle, Washington. After graduating from the University of Washington, he met and began developing projects with his husband, Scott Hoying. He cowrote the original Christmas single “Thank You” on Pentatonix’s We Need a Little Christmas album and currently manages the girl group Citizen Queen. @markhoying

Steph Lew is a Chinese-American artist born and raised in San Francisco, California. She was always the kid who was busy drawing instead of studying in math class. When not drawing, Steph enjoys baking, sewing, propagating her succulents, and especially taking pictures of her shih tzu, Mango.

Editorial Reviews

"A fun and festive dive into Christmas celebrations with diverse families."—School Library Journal

"Cozy and filled with love." —Kirkus

From the Publisher

2025-05-30
Pentatonix vocalist Scott Hoying and his husband, Mark, a marketing professional and music manager, dive deep into the emotions of the winter holiday season.

Christmas celebrations can mean many things, from lights and wreaths to presents and more. In this warm tale, everything circles back to the phrase “family is love.” Spotting calendar pages in the art, readers will eagerly find themselves counting down the days till December 25 as diverse families gather and observe various traditions. Lew’s bright digital illustrations are filled with crackling fireplaces, illuminated trees, crisp snowy days, and lots of hugs and food. On one spread, snapshots and Christmas cards present the wordfamily in various languages (“Pamilya!” “Familia!” “Usapho!” “Ohana!”). On other pages, musical notes swirl as harmonies fill the air—the most prominent one being the “fa la la” refrain of the text, of course. The authors offer a notably inclusive depiction of the holiday: Family can be “your mom and you. / Maybe it’s a dad or two. / Maybe it’s a furry friend. / Family is love, whoever you are!” Amid the hustle and bustle, two fathers, one who presents white, the other who appears East Asian—likely stand-ins for the authors—and their baby appear throughout. Sheet music and lyrics for the titular song are included in the back, along with a QR code that links to a recording of Scott and Mark performing the tune.

Cozy and filled with love.(Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews