Mombian; Sustenance for Lesbian Moms: This Year, Penguins: Next Year, Guinea Pigs

For the second year in a row, the children’s book And Tango Makes Three, about two male penguins who care for an egg and raise a chick together, tops the list of the American Library Association’s (ALA) 10 Most Challenged Books.

Personally, I think the guinea pigs will give them a run for their money in 2008 (not that I wish censorship on this or any book). Herewith, my full review of Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, a new LGBT-inclusive children’s book that I’ve mentioned in a few previous posts. I also speak with author Sarah Brannen and her editor, who discuss, among other things, the reaction to the book so far and their feelings about potential censorship.

Fur Better or Worse: Gay Guinea Pigs Wed in New Children’s Book(Originally published at After Elton, March 25, 2008)

Written from Chloe’s perspective, Uncle Bobby deftly expresses a young child’s concerns about family relationships and change. It stresses the power of love to encompass both old and new. Brannen’s rich watercolor drawings match the tranquil but sometimes playful tone of the text. She has filled the guinea pigs’ world full of trees, flowers, lakes, and cozy firesides. One can see why she cites Beatrix Potter as an artistic influence, though Brannen’s characters seem somehow more cheerful.

The book’s great strength is that Jamie’s gender is a non-issue throughout. Unlike many older LGBT-themed children’s books, such as Heather Has Two Mommies, it doesn’t focus on a child struggling against negative views of her family. That approach has value for some, but Uncle Bobby indicates it is now possible to present a same-sex relationship without the need to defend it or compare it, however favorably, with a heterosexual norm. (Even the excellent And Tango Makes Three contrasts the same-sex penguin pair with the usual opposite-sex couples.) This leaves Brannen free to concentrate on her other themes, and opens up the book to a wider audience.

The theme of a niece questioning her gay uncle’s devotion is not a new one, however. Mini Mia and her Darling Uncle, by Pija Lindenbaum (R & S Books), appeared in the U.S. in late 2007 as a translated Swedish import. (Uncle Bobby was already at the publisher.) Like Chloe, four-year-old Mini Mia is jealous of her uncle’s new beau. She acts out in retaliation, pouring sugar on the boyfriend’s shoes and throwing his towel in the pool, but ends up bonding with him over their shared love of soccer. Mini Mia stops short of marriage, though. Mischievous children may find more humor in Mini Mia’s antics than in Chloe’s, but parents may prefer Uncle Bobby for its calm pacing.
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We have "And Tango Makes Three" and several other titles including the recent addition of "Heather Has Two mommies" in the Library at the Center West. All were donated by members of the community and PFLAG members. We would welcome "Uncle Bobby's Wedding" if someone were inclined to purchase it for us. All contributions can be tax deductable. (O.M.)