In addition to The Trouble With Babies and And Tango Makes Three, the following shortlist of highly-regarded books are recommended for children and teenagers which contain positive homosexual themes:
King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, Tricycle Press, 2002King and King starts out with the fickle queen of a colorful kingdom deciding that she is tired of her reign of power. The queen dictates that her son must marry at the end of the summer and assume the throne. Though his mother chooses many lovely princesses as potential suitors for the future king, he remains unimpressed.
One day, the future king meets another prince and the two fall for one another. After a charming courtship, all is well in the kingdom.
Children will be drawn to the book’s bright, stylized artwork--a mix of collage and watercolor painting.
King and King is a perfect introduction to same-sex love, its prose speaking to children in a matter-of-fact, accepting tone. For the king and his prince, love is truly all that matters.
Asha’s Mums by Rosamund Elwin, Michele Paulse and Dawn Lee, Women’s Press, 2000When a teacher tells Asha that in order to attend a school field trip she must have a permission slip signed by both her mother and father, Asha is devastated. According to her teacher, she cannot have two mothers, despite the fact that her, her brother, and two moms have been living together as a happy family for their lifetime.
Asha must confer with other students about the issue, most of whom are confused by her family situation. In the end, Asha’s moms intervene, telling the teacher that their family structure is just as normal as any other. Because of this intervention, Asha is able to go on the trip where she is adamant in informing other school children that both of her moms are "real" parents.
Asha’s Mums raises the issue of children from gay families not being accepted among their peers, something that many children will relate to. Asha chooses to defend her family, echoing the reality that many children of gay and lesbian parents face. This story is an important tool which can help teach children of all backgrounds acceptance of alternative families.
Hello, Sailor by Andre Sollie and Ingrid Godon, Macmillan U.K., 2004Hello, Sailor tells the story a lighthouse keeper named Matt who is constantly watching the sea in hopes that his friend "Sailor" will return to him. Matt becomes obsessed with the idea that "Sailor" has not come, and his friends are not much help in providing comfort. But despite opinions to the contrary, Sailor does return and the pair spends a blissful night together before setting off to sail around the world as a pair.
Hello, Sailor is unique in that it acknowledges an assumed romantic crush on one man by another, whereas in most other books with gay themes geared towards children, the romantic aspect of the relationship is already established. The book is a wonderful supplement to the above titles, which focus mainly on family.
