Remember the Banned Book Challenge? It's not too late to join in! Many of the books are children's books so it's not as reading intensive as it looks!

Today I'm reviewing the first book on the list: And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell

This picture book tells the true story of two male chinstrap penguins in the Central Park Zoo. The penguins, Roy and Silo, form a bond and build a nest together. They even sit on an egg shaped rock in an attempt to hatch it. One of their caretakers provides them with a real egg from a male/female pair that has two and has never been able to care for multiple eggs at a time. Roy and Silo hatch the egg and the baby penguin is named Tango. You can learn more about these penguins here.

What an appropriate book to be reviewing on the day the California Supreme Court will be announcing their decision on Prop 8! {Update}

I think it's pretty clear why this book gets people riled up. Personally, I think it's a cute story with sweet illustrations. Lucy wasn't too interested in it (she prefers bolder colors) but I have no qualms about reading it to her when she's older. It seems like an age appropriate way to teach that families come in different shapes and sizes. Some are big, like Adam's family. Some are small, like our family. Some have step parents and siblings, like my family. Some families are built through adoption, like my friends' beautiful family. Some have two mommies or two daddies, like Tango's family. And no matter what religious beliefs one holds I think it's not too much to ask that we acknowledge that families are different and we can all get along. That's a message of love and tolerance that I hope my daughter learns.