And Tango Makes Three

Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell (Writers)& Henry Cole (Illustrator). (2005). And Tango Makes Three. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Who says only human families can be different from one another? In the story, And Tango Makes Three, two male penguins are depicted as a gay couple in the respect that they take care of and raise a baby penguin. This is a true story that is based on two chinstrap penguins from New York’s Central Park Zoo, Roy and Silo. Roy and Silo had at one point in their lives came together as a couple. The zoo keepers decided to give an egg that another couple was un-able to hatch and give it to the couple. The story ends up with the hatching, birth and life of Tango, a baby female penguin, the couples’ newest member of their family.

I think this a great book that depicts a non-traditional family in a positive light. This book being a true story gives more dimensions to it; adding more depth behind the characters. Even though the main characters are penguins, it is extremely relatable. It shows young children that it is absolutely okay to be a part of a non-traditional family, in fact it is depicted as being no different that than a traditional family. The best part of the book to me was the end page. “There they snuggled together and, like all the other penguins in the penguin house, and all the other animals in the zoo, and all the families in the big city around them, they went to sleep.” This book has received numerous amounts of awards including, the 2006 American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children’s Book, ASPCA’s Henry Bergh Award, Gustavus Myer Outstanding Book Award, just to name a few. Along with these amazing awards and others, And Tango Makes Three was considered to be the most challenged book of 2006 according to the ALA.

A Movie in My Pillow

Argueta, Jorge. Illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez. A Movie in My P¡llow/ Una película en mi almohada. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press, 2001.

"Jorge, Jorge, don't forget
that in Nahuatl 'tetl'
means 'stone' and 'niyollotl'
means 'my heart'"
~Excerpt from "Voice from Home" by Jorge Argueta

In this autobiographical set of illustrated poems, written in both English and Spanish, Jorge Argueta shares his impressions of San Francisco's Mission District, his longing for El Salvador after he and his father fled his patria, and comparisons between the United States and El Salvador. His mentions of the Pipiles, an indigenous people of El Salvador, and their language, Nahuatl, highlight the bilingualism present in Latin America. The poems also hint at the war occurring in El Salvador at the time when he came to the U.S. and the hunger he experienced, without dwelling on these. The balance of the book is fantástico, with just the right amount of cultural information, beautiful language, and everyday observations.

Elizabeth Gómez, a native of Mexico City, has painted illustrations that are vibrant, whimsical, and well-suited to each poem. Their texture evokes the folk art common in Mexico and Central America, with a simple quality that lends itself well to the voice of a child. Even the placement of each poem on the page helps to create an experience as the reader proceeds through the text. This peek into the heart of a nation through the heart of one of its children is truly worthwhile for both children and adult readers.

Review of "My Buddy"

Osofsky, Audrey. My Buddy. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1992.

My Buddy is the story of a little boy and his service dog, Buddy. The boy has muscular dystrophy and Buddy is his “arms and legs”. With Buddy around, the main character can do things without his parents constantly around helping him. Whether he is at school or home, he can do things on his own, with Buddy by his side always.

This book gives yet another perspective for children with disabilities. It is important for students who may need or already have a Service Dog to understand that it is a good thing, not to be embarrassed about, and that they are not alone. On the other hand, students without disabilities need to understand that a Service Dog is a working animal like guide dogs for people that are blind. When they understand their purpose, students will be more likely to leave them be and resist petting. This story is accurate and authentic, as it was based on the experiences of Scott LeRoy and his buddy, Rex. Scott and Rex were the first pair helped by Canine Companions for Independence in Minnesota. While Osofsky is not an insider, she worked closely with Scott, who is an insider, when writing this book. Aside from being a realistic representation of a disablilty, this story is generally well written and enjoyable to read.

For more information on Scott LeRoy (the inspiration for My Buddy) and the Canine Companions for Independence check out this link: http://www.ccimn.org/scott_leroy.htm