Annotation
Picture book based on a true story of an unordinary penguin family living
in New York City’s Central Park Zoo.
My thoughts
Roy and Silo are a couple of two adult male penguins who have changed the
way people view penguins social life and penguin partnership. The parental life
of penguins are already fascinating, as the males will spend time nesting
whilst the female leaves, but this story about Tango and his ‘homosexual’
penguin parents is doubly interesting as a story and zoologically.
Tango’s birth was the result of a strategically placed egg. After the
zookeeper noticed Silo and Roy’s multiple attempts to have a hatchling of their
own, he place an ‘extra’ egg from another male/female penguin pair and gives it
to Roy and Silo. They take care of the egg just as the other heterosexual
penguins and Tango is born. This is a heartwarming story.
Banned Book
The American Library Association reports that And Tango Makes Three was the most challenged book of 2006 to 2010,
except for 2009 when it was the second most challenged. Even though this is an
account of a true animal story, there are school districts and parents around
the country who are protesting this book and having it banned from school
libraries due to the nature of the penguin's relationship in the book.
It’s a far off cry to take this book and try to make implications for it to be banned. This issue is one that should not be mixed with this light real life story about Roy, Silo, and Tango. The controversy of homosexuality and legal rights of marriage is a recent controversy and has become a complicated issue. The more complicated debates belong in different forums and shouldn’t be mixed with this sweet picture book.
It’s a far off cry to take this book and try to make implications for it to be banned. This issue is one that should not be mixed with this light real life story about Roy, Silo, and Tango. The controversy of homosexuality and legal rights of marriage is a recent controversy and has become a complicated issue. The more complicated debates belong in different forums and shouldn’t be mixed with this sweet picture book.
Reading level/ Interest Age
PreSchool-Grade
3
Reviews and Awards
National book
awards
American
Library Association Notable Children's Book - 2006
ASPCA's Henry
Bergh Award - 2005
Gustavus Myer
Outstanding Book Award- 2006
Nick Jr. Family
Magazine Best Book of the Year - 2006
Bank Street
Best Book of the Year - 2006
Cooperative
Children's Book Council Choice, and CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
- 2006
Lambda Literary
Award finalist - 2006
Sheffield
Children's Book Award - shortlisted – 2008
Other awards
from children's groups
Author
website: No websites
found.
Illustrator
website: www.henrycole.net/
Media:
Genre:
juvenile picture book, juvenile
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