LBGTQ Reflections: Can I See Me?
Children's Picture Books and What They Reflect
Stella Brings the Family
Written by Mirian B. Schiffer. Illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown.
Summary: What's a little girl to do when she has two daddies and a classroom Mother's Day celebration on the way? Stella isn't so sure she knows, and although her classmates make some wonderful suggestions, ultimately it is Stella who must decide how she can honor the holiday. Filled with warmth, and bright with acceptance and compassion, any child who reads this--particularly if that child is self-conscious about his or her family--is bound to be drawn into this picture book's simple story.
And Tango Makes Three
Written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Illustrated by Henry Cole.
Summary: A true-life story filled with heart, And Tango Makes Three illustrates and shares the story of two male penguins at Central Park and the journey they take to create a family. Although it has been banned in numerous places, these three penguins and their story will give those children whose families are unique a chance to say, "Hey, my family is like that, too!"
In Our Mothers' House
Written and Illustrated by Patricia Polacco.
Summary: An homage to the unique family structure of children with same-sex parents, Ms. Polacco's In Our Mothers' House is filled with the fond memories of two women's adoptive daughter. She takes us from her arrival, through the arrival of her two siblings, onwards to several distinctive events she remembers from her childhood, and finally ends with a tender reflection on how much her two mothers--and their home--mean to both her and her siblings. Interestingly enough, In Our Mothers' House also gives gentle insight into how less-tolerant members of society might react to the narrator's family--and ultimately, describes how she and her mothers display immense compassion when confronted by it.
Prolific LBGTQ Writer: Lesléa Newman
Heather Has Two Mommies: Picture Book
Illustrated by Laura Cornell.
Summary: One of the oldest LGBTQ picture books (having been originally published in 1989), Heather Has Two Mommies follows the daughter of two women as she prepares for her first day of school. When the big day finally arrives, Heather learns that her family is not the only one that is unique or different. Like And Tango Makes Three, this book also caused major controversy within certain circles; however, the values it tries to teach ring true in many, if not all, aspects of society today.
Mommy, Mama, and Me: Board Book
Illustrated by Carol Thompson.
Summary: Significant for the fact that this is a board book, meant for little ones ages 3-7 years, Mommy, Mama, and Me is narrated by a young child who takes readers through a day in their life with their mothers. It reads very much like any other board book about any other family, and so can give the really young ones the sense that yes, in fact, their families are not so terribly different from anyone else's.
Daddy, Papa, and Me: Board Book
Illustrated by Carol Thompson.
Summary: Also a board book geared towards children ages 3-7, Daddy, Papa, and Me follows a very similar format to Mommy, Mama, and Me. As it is an entirely different family readers are following, the storyline is slightly altered--and focuses on a child who guides readers through their playtime with their fathers. Like Ms. Newman's other stories, this one imbues the audience with the sense that however their family is structured, it does not matter, as long as its members love each other.
Be Sure to Check These TItles Out, Too!
Donovan's Big Day
Written by Leslea Newman. Illustrated by Mike Dutton.
Summary: Fantastic for inference, and able to successfully capture the excitement of a child on a parent's wedding day, Donovan's Big Day chronicles the adventures of a boy as he prepares for his mothers' wedding. Also written by Leslea Newman, this charming tale reads in such a way that any child, no matter if they have two mothers, two fathers, or a mother and a father, can easily relate to it.
My Two Uncles
Written and Illustrated by Judith Vigna.
Summary: One of the earliest picture books for LBGTQ families, My Two Uncles explores how a little girl named Elly deals with prejudice aimed at her two favorite uncles from within their own family. Ms. Vigna writes in the simple, compassionate voice of her narrator, while still evolving the plot and the eventual hopeful ending, and any child who has been confronted by similar arguments in their own family may find it in themselves to believe everything really can have a "happily ever after" once they read this story.
This Day in June
Written by Gayle E. Pitman. Illustrated by Kristyna Litten.
Summary:
Packed with allusions to LGBT history, This Day in June is heavily graphics-based. On the simplest level, it is a poem about a Pride Parade, richly illustrated by double-page spreads. However, once readers view the Reading Guide at its back, the layers of this poem really come into fruition.