and Tango Makes Three is an adorable story that ties in directly with a hot topic these days, gay parents. Two male penguins fall in love at a Zoo and eventually get to raise a child of their own. I can understand the controversial aspects of this book because gay rights are still so controversial in the country today but I also think that this is a valuable book for kids. More and more gay couples raise kids and start families together and chances are, a student will probably be in the same class as someone who has gay parents. It's a lifestyle, a different lifestyle to some, but it's one that should be taught about to our students. I think the more controversial aspect about this book could be the fact that two boys raised a penguin. Some people believe that gay parents shouldn't be allowed to raise children. I have different values than this so the book didn't bother me like I know it would bother other people. I also loved the fact that at the end it included the fact that this book is a true story! I thought that was really neat. I also liked the illustrations and the style of the book. It felt classic to me. Overall, I believe that this is a book that should be valued instead of hidden from today's children.
I also read and tango makes three and I felt very similarly to you. I thought the book would be a terrific conversation starter for a classroom. We will encounter many students whose parents are gay or students who already identify themselves as gay so it will be important to talk about this issue in our classrooms to ensure that every student feels safe and comfortable in their environment. I also loved the true story exerpt at the end of the book - it made the topic of homosexuality in the classroom more approachable and less taboo - not only humans, but animals can be gay, as well. The book just offers a different spin on a topic making it more approachable in schools. I would also share it with my classroom. It's great!
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that this book does really well is show that the penguins are a family. Kids in our classroom are bound to come from a huge range of family situations. It is important that as teachers, we value all kinds of families. The message we send should be simple, but direct: families can look different and still love each other a lot.
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