What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedInstant Family
Sean Anders · Film · 2018
If you loved Instant Family, start with The Fosters (Bradley Bredeweg, 2013) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Instant Family across media.
What hooked you in Instant Family was the authentic, often messy, and deeply emotional journey of building a non-traditional family.
Books on the same thread
Spy x Family, Vol. 1
Tatsuya Endo · Book · 2020
Explores: found family, secret identity, espionage.
Like the unexpected household in Instant Family, this story thrives on the chaotic, heartwarming dynamic of strangers forced into a domestic arrangement under unusual and high-stakes circumstances.
Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng · Book · 2018
Shares a thread with Instant Family: Adoption.
If the complex parenting stakes in Instant Family resonated with you, you will appreciate this exploration of how families are defined by choices rather than just biology.
If I Stay
Gayle Forman · Book · 2014
Explores: Grief, Loss, Family.
This story mirrors the emotional gravity found in Instant Family, focusing on the profound and sometimes painful ways family bonds are tested during moments of life-altering change.
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13)
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2018
Explores: Family Relationships, Friendship, School Life.
While lighter in tone than Instant Family, this captures the same spirit of navigating chaotic household dynamics and the humorous friction that occurs when family members interact.
Series on the same thread
The Fosters
Bradley Bredeweg · Series · 2013
Shares 3 threads with Instant Family: Foster Care, Adoption, Family Dynamics.
This series serves as a perfect follow-up to Instant Family by deeply exploring the realities of the foster care system and the beauty of building a blended home.
Modern Family
Steven Levitan · Series · 2009
Shares a thread with Instant Family: Parenting.
Fans of the lighthearted yet sincere family comedy in Instant Family will recognize the same warmth and focus on the messy, imperfect love that keeps a family together.
Better Things
Pamela Adlon · Series · 2016
Explores: single motherhood, female perspective, raising teenagers.
Much like the parenting struggles depicted in Instant Family, this show offers an honest, unfiltered look at the challenges and rewards of raising children in a modern household.
Go Ahead
Series · 2020
Explores: found family, childhood trauma, overcoming adversity.
This narrative echoes the core theme of Instant Family by demonstrating how individuals from different backgrounds can come together to form an unbreakable, chosen family unit.
Podcasts on the same thread
Daddies Overnight
Podcast
Explores: Gay fathers, Adoption journey, New parents.
If you enjoyed the real-world adoption journey portrayed in Instant Family, this podcast offers a similarly candid and personal look at the unpredictable nature of becoming parents.
boomer and zoomer
Podcast
Shares a thread with Instant Family: family dynamics.
This explores the evolving relationship between parent and child, mirroring the intergenerational connection and growth that Pete and Ellie experience throughout the events of Instant Family.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Instant Family based on a true story?
The film Instant Family, directed by Sean Anders, is inspired by the director's personal experiences with the foster care system. The story follows a couple who decide to adopt three siblings, including a rebellious teenager, after initially planning to foster only one small child.
What happens to the couple in Instant Family?
In Instant Family, Pete and Ellie transition from wanting a single child to becoming parents of three siblings overnight. The movie depicts the challenges and adjustments they face as they navigate the complexities of foster care adoption and integrate the children into their home.
How many children do the parents adopt in Instant Family?
The parents in Instant Family adopt three siblings. Although they initially intend to foster only one small child, they ultimately decide to take in all three siblings, which includes a rebellious fifteen-year-old girl, causing their family size to grow from zero to three children very quickly.
Who directed the movie Instant Family?
The 2018 movie Instant Family was directed by Sean Anders. The film focuses on the journey of a couple named Pete and Ellie as they enter the world of foster care adoption and unexpectedly become the parents of three siblings.