Final Reflection

This class has definitely taught me how to look at children's books through a diverse magnifying glass. I knew that having a diverse set of books for your classroom was vital for your students, I just didn't know how to pick them. Many of the books we looked at this semester, I dove right into not really having any idea what to expect from them. I learned so much from not only reading these books, but from doing my questioning the text papers and also listening to my group members questioning the text papers. I was able to see these books through someone else's perspective which is vital when exploring diverse novels like the ones we read. I don't think I saw everything that everyone else saw, which gives me a great opportunity to see these things.

I haven't really ever had prior experience writing questioning the text papers; I am used to just plain book reports. I looked back at my first questioning the text paper compared to my last questioning the text paper and I couldn't believe the difference I saw. The first one was not in the form of a paper by any means, which means I misunderstood something, haha! But all of my questioing the text papers after that got more in depth and got more into the book, so by the time I got to the last paper, I felt like I was a pro. I really covered all the points that should be covered in a questioning the text paper.

GBLTQ Literature - Text as a Set Reflection

Texts as a Set Reflection:

When I began this final project I had my mind set on focusing on children with disabilities, mainly Down Syndrome and Autism. I quickly changed my mind when I arrived at the library to pick out my set of books to review. They were so far and few between that it just wasn’t worth it, so I decided to start my search over and look for books that focused on GLBTQ literature. The librarian had a tough time trying to help me find these books also, especially picture books of this nature. The funny thing is the reason why they were so hard to find was because they had basically been hidden in the back of the library where most people wouldn’t go to find children’s books. I found this to be so interesting, so this topic intrigued me even more. The three books that I chose for my text set to review includes, Mom and Mum are getting Married!, Daddy’s Roommate and And Tango Makes Three. All three of these picture story books were not sorted and shelved with the other picture books, they were sorted by J Fiction. Next to these picture books were more research type books on controversial subjects like GLBTQ literature. I asked the librarian why they had ‘hid’ these books in the back of the library and why they weren’t with the other picture books and she responded with, “well, the books are here for the people that need them but we understand that not everyone wants their children exposed to such literature.” I couldn’t believe what she was saying to me. Why did these books need to be hidden? They all present their characters in positive lights; they all have a good message to send to children and they are relatable. I think that children in these types of ‘non-traditional’ families need books like these to relate to. They need to realize that just because their family isn’t as traditional as their peers may be, doesn’t mean it is wrong or bad; and these books teach that exact lesson.

I was excited to see in two of these books portrayed the main characters as positive influences. It’s a change to see such a thing, especially in children’s literature. I understand that GLBTQ literature is controversial issue, but I think making it young children’s literature is even more controversial because it brings up the question of, how much do you explain without giving too much detail to confuse children but enough information to inform them. I think the main messages that all three of these stories portrayed was that diversity is out there, we are considered the melting pot and just because your family is not of the ‘traditional’ kind, doesn’t mean you have a bad family.

Many of the books I looked at that fell into the GLBTQ category were either challenged or banned because of their ‘controversial’ topics. I think this makes these books that much more interesting and intriguing to read.

GLBTQ Children's Literature Professional Resources

Professional Resources:

ALA –

• This is such a great resource when it comes to children’s books.

And Tango Makes Three –

• “And Tango Makes Three tops ALA's 2006 list of most-challenged books”
• This website discusses the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books, which includes And Tango Makes Three.
• http://proquest.umi.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu:2047/pqdweb?index=2&did=1341633961&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196819791&clientId=3552

• “Tale's theme too adult for kids, patron says: Library refuses request to ban or label book on gay penguins.”
• Written by Keith Reid, Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Washington: May 5, 2007
• http://proquest.umi.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu:2047/pqdweb?index=3&did=1265809531&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196819791&clientId=3552
• This is a great scholarly article that discusses the debate of whether or not to ban this book because of it’s controversial subjects including “homosexuality” and “anti-family”.

• “Preschoolers and penguins: Propaganda pawns; When it comes to our culture war, can't we spare our children from the crossfire?” by Michael Medved.
• USA Today, November 29, 2006.
• http://za2uf4ps7f.search.serialssolutions.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu:2047/directLink?&atitle=Preschoolers%20and%20penguins%3A%20Propaganda%20pawns%20%3B%20When%20it%20comes%20to%20our%20culture%20war%2C%20can't%20we%20spare%20our%20children%20from%20the%20crossfire%3F&author=Michael%20Medved&issn=07347456&title=USA%20TODAY&volume=&issue=&date=20061129&spage=A.13&id=doi:&sid=ProQ_ss&genre=article&lang=en
• A Boston Globe article entitled, “Schools chief bans book on penguins”
• This article discusses the controversial book and the banning of the book in a Charlotte, North Carolina school.
• Written by McClatchy Newspapers on December 20, 2006.
• http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/20/schools_chief_bans_book_on_penguins/
• http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=183&pid=505791&agid=21

o This website is a great resource for teachers who are condisering using this book in their own classrooms. It includes helpful information including, about the book, discussion questions, activities, projects and research and also facts about the authors.

GBLTQ Literature Children's Book Reviews

Willhoite, Michael. (1990). Daddy’s Roommate. California: Alyson Wonderland.

Daddy’s Roommate is a story about a young boy whose parents have recently gotten divorced. His father has a new roommate, Frank, who has just been introduced into the picture. The story goes on to depict their everyday activities that they do with each other and also as a family. Some of the activities that the two men do together in the story are, work, eat and sleep together, and sometimes even fight with each other. The story shows that Frank is a new part of the young boys’ life as well as his fathers’ life. They have bonded just like father and son.

It is important to have a children’s book like this in a library because it depicts this family in such a positive light. It is direct and straight to the point. It not only depicts this gay father in a positive light, it fulfills the curiosity children have about the concept of homosexuality. The book explains that this new concept of his father having a new roommate as, “just one more kind of love” which I believe is a great portrayal and explanation. This story has received the Lambda Literary Award and is also number two on the American Library Association’s (ALA’s) list of the 100 most challenged books from 1990-2000.

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.


Setterington, K. (Writer), & Priestly, A. (Illustrator). (2004). Mom and Mum are getting Married! Toronto: Second Story Press.

Mom and Mum are getting Married is a picture book story about a little girl named Rosie. Rosie has two mommies in the story but that is not where the conflict lies. Rosie came home from school to find out the good news that her ‘mom’ and her ‘mum’ were going to get married. The first thought in Rosie’s mind was, “Why can’t we stay the way we are? I like this.” Rosie then gets excited about the celebration but her mom explains to her that it is going to be a very small celebration at their cottage. There are challenges that arise in the story that must be overcome but there are few and they are relatively easy to overcome. These are challenges that can happen with any other ordinary marriage, like figuring out who the flower girl is going to be or how to not lose their precious wedding rings.

Overall, I think this story is flat and not-engaging. I was expecting the story to focus more on the implications of a lesbian couple getting married, but instead the story focuses on the minor implications that can arise during any wedding. The pictures in this book are extremely simply using only line drawings and simple colors which add to the flat, one-dimensional aspect of the story. What I thought would be the resolution to the story was quite a let down. Rosie’s two mommies did end up getting married but it didn’t show a typical ceremony; it basically just said it happened.