While looking for kids’ fiction dealing with divorce, I came across two excellent books in the “Family” section of the library’s picture book display that I want to share with you. Both books depict, in a positive and natural way, children whose parents are a same-sex couple.
In Molly’s Family by Nancy Garden, illustrated by Sharon Wooding, Molly is confronted with a quandary. The kids in her kindergarten class are all drawing pictures of their families for Open School Night, but when Molly depicts her Mommy, Mama Lu and her puppy, one of the boys in the class tells her point-blank that a family doesn’t have both a Mommy and a Mama. When she looks at the other children’s pictures, she sees that none of the other children have two mothers. Although there are a variety of family groupings, some with a Mommy and Daddy, some with just a Mommy, some with just a Daddy, there are none with a Mommy and a Mama. Molly’s not sure she wants to put her picture up with the rest. Molly’s problem is dealt with sensitively and tenderly by both her teacher, and by her mothers. Children experiencing this book will understand that the depth of love Mommy and Mama Lu feel for Molly is just the same as the depth of love felt in more traditional families. This would be a good confidence-builder for a child whose parents are a same-sex couple, and would also be a sensitive and caring way to show a child from a traditional family that there are many alternate family-styles that are healthy and life-giving.
Mom and Mum are getting Married! by Ken Setterington, illustrated by Alice Priestley, approaches the same theme in a different, but nonetheless effective and sensitive way. This story focuses almost entirely on the family itself, told in first person by Rosie, the little girl whose mothers are getting married. At first, when Mom dances her around the room and tells her that she and Mum are getting married, Rosie’s not so sure about it. She likes things the way they are. But then she remembers that sometimes girls get to be bridesmaids or flower girls at their mother’s wedding, so she puts all her energy into trying to persuade Mom and Mum to have a flower girl — namely Rosie. The two brides only want a very small wedding, with no fuss (Rosie’s grandmother, who is excited about getting a new dress, is told the same thing). Little girls have a talent for finding a way for their dreams to come true — and Rosie is no exception. She and her little brother end up playing a key role in the wedding celebration, to her delight, and to Mom’s and Mum’s delight as well. This book is valuable in that it portrays the same-sex couple as just an ordinary couple getting married, and shows the joy and excitement and love that is attendant at any wedding. There is no outside (or in-family) questioning about the relationship, the focus is on whether Rosie will be able to be a flower girl. This approach certainly would add to a child’s acceptance of families that are outside what society views as “the norm” and I would recommend it because of this.
With more and more same-sex couples visible in our society, and with more and more same-sex marriages, books like these fulfill an important role in widening children’s perspectives and experiences. I will be looking for more books like this, as well as for more of these authors’ works.
These books are numbers 117 and 118 in There’s a Book‘s Read-to-Me Picture-Book Reading Challenge. Just two more books to my goal!
Awww….. being a kid is tough. Wonderful that there are people trying to make things easier. The books sound like they’d help a lot.
These both look like lovely books. It’s always nice when authors can tackle a difficult subject with sensitivity and make it accessible to children.
Excellent books and great reviews. I saw your post today mentioning alternate families,and I was going to send you a note, but you posted before I could e-mail you. I’ve written a review on a series of books on the subject, and I was afraid we had the same author. It is such a great subject because kids today are exposed to so many variations of a family. And children who have two mommies and two daddies need to see books about their families. Since you reviewed these books first, I will hold off until after the first of the year to run mine. I enjoyed what you shared!
Pat
Sorry to pre-empt you! I think you could safely run yours, we don’t have that many readers in common, do we?
You’re right, Robin, on both counts.
They’re very good indeed. Thanks, Susanna.
I was delighted with your reviews and we aren’t reviewing the same books/authors. But, still think I will wait a while. We overlap a little in readeship. But, it’s not a problem. If one of us runs a review, I don’t like to follow too closely on your heels. May link back to you, and recomend your reviews.
Patricia
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Okay. It’s up to you. I’ll look forward to reading your reviews.
What about books with two daddies? (non-penguin, we all know that one!)
I’m glad that these books exist. It’s good to see that people want to try and explain such big subjects to kids
(psst: you should go see my latest post)
I will see what I can find… I’m also pondering what I might write.
I’m glad these books exist, too.
And I will zoom on over to your latest post immediately!
There definitely need to be equally good children’s books about two daddies, if they don’t exist already. (Though it is hard to get better than penguins).
Surely there are… I will report back with my findings.
These sound spectacular! I agree, we do need to address this topic with children. It’s so important and as you said, a growing visible aspect of our society. It only does damage to children by trying to keep it from them. So it’s wonderful to have excellent books like these out there. Thank you so much for sharing!
PS…You won October’s challenge! Send me a quick email with your address and I’ll get your book out to you right away.
Oh wow! Thank you Danielle! I’ve sent you my address, and I’m so looking forward to reading the book.