And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Bibliography
Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. 2005. And Tango Makes Three. New York: Simon & Schuster.

ISBN: 0-689-878-45-1
Illustrator: Henry Cole

Summary
At the New York City Zoo, two male penguins become parents when they take turns sitting on an egg. The egg hatches and the three become a family.

Critical Analysis
A beautifully illustrated and poignantly written story, And Tango Makes Three is the perfect story about a family's love.

The story takes place in the New York City Zoo, where the illustrations support the realistic quality of the story. For example, the first page shows a few snapshots of New York City and the entrance of the zoo. Additionally, the illustrator has drawn a crowd of diverse people visiting the zoo. Also, the main characters, penguins Roy and Silo, are portrayed accurately where they are singing, bowing, walking and swimming together, like penguins do. Roy and Silo make a nest together and even sit on a rock like it is an egg. This also emphasizes Roy and Silo's quality of being normal penguins, that just happen to both be male. The uplifting tone, helps readers to accept the normalcy of Roy and Silo's love.

After Mr. Gramazy, their keeper, gives an egg to Roy and Silo, they begin taking care of the egg like other penguin couples. After Tango is born, Roy and Silo continue taking care of their baby by feeding her, teaching her to sing, and keeping her warm at night. This is a perfect example of parents taking care of their baby, even it the parents are of the same sex.

The children that visit the zoo, Mr. Gramazy, and even the other penguins accept Roy, Silo, and Tango, making a huge statement for children--accept one another even if they are different. A story that focuses on the devotion of a family, And Tango Makes Three, wonderfully and naturally, explains how love is more important than differences. In an arena where there this a lack of positive, homosexual literature, And Tango Makes Three, is the perfect, true story for all libraries.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal reports, "Done in soft watercolors, the illustrations set the tone for this uplifting story, and readers will find it hard to resist the penguins' comical expressions. The well-designed pages perfectly marry words and pictures, allowing readers to savor each illustration. An author's note provides more information about Roy, Silo, Tango, and other chinstrap penguins. This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library" (2005).

Library Media Connection states, "Attractive watercolor illustrations complement the text and playfully show the penguin couple making a nest, trying to hatch a rock, and raising their family together. Overall this is a straightforward story without being overtly about homosexuality, but rather focusing on the familial relationship of Roy and Silo and acceptance of others' differences" (2006).

Review excerpts accessed from Follett's Titlewave site at http://www.titlewave.com/

Connections
Other stories with homosexual themes:
The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story by Kaitlyn Taylor Considine
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
No Big Deal by Ellen Jaffe-Gill
Molly's Family by Nancy Garden