Controversial Picture Book: And Tango Makes Three

Title: And Tango Makes Three
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Publication: 2005

So this book was really interesting in that it follows two penguins who are males and end up loving each other and raising a baby penguin together. I found it interesting that this book was actually based on a true story. So the fact that people or schools don't want a "true story" to be a part of students' lives makes it seem like they are keeping students from reality. Two males end up liking each other, instead of female and male. This is similar to homosexual (instead of heterosexual) humans who may end up liking the same sex. I think it is great to have a book that portrays homosexual relationships in a way that students can understand, through the use of animals instead of humans. This book will help them better understand why two people of the same sex might like each other.

I think it's a good idea for kids to be faced with reality. The reality of this book is not one that is harsh or depressing, it's just a factual part of our world. A lot of humans are homosexual, but people may not understand why. By having a student read about homosexual animals, they will be able to relate this to the human experience and maybe better be able to understand and accept another person's position on sexuality. Overall, I think this book would be good to have for students, so that they can be familiar with unconventional situations. It would also be good for students with same sex parents so that they can relate to the experience and characters in the story.

The coolest part to me about this book is that there is an ongoing debate about how a person can "change" their sexuality or be coached out of it. This book shows that sexuality can be inherent within a person. The two male penguins came to love each other just like two male people can. It is his or her choice of which sex he or she prefers to be with. This book helps support that argument and shows that sometimes our sexual preference is out of our hands - it may be just how we were meant to be.