Sunday, July 17, 2011

And Tango Makes Three

Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Illustrator: Henry Cole

Peach’s Picks Rating:
 



Year of publication: 2005

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0-689-87845-1

Author website:
Justin Richardson: No author website available. Information can be found at http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Justin-Richardson/27409275
Peter Parnell: No author website available. Information can be found at http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Peter-Parnell/707666

Illustrator website: http://www.henrycole.net/index.php?scrWidth=1280

Media used for illustrations: Watercolor

Annotation: At Central Park Zoo in New York City, two male penguins fall in love and build a nest. An understanding zookeeper places an abandoned egg in their nest which the penguins nurture.

Personal reaction to the book: This is the fictionalized true story presented in picturebook format of two male penguins in Central Park Zoo, New York City. Two male penguins, Roy and Silo, begin courting one another. Their understanding zookeeper, Mr. Gramzay, notices they have built a nest like other male/female penguin couples. Roy and Silo attempt to hatch a rock. When another penguin couple cannot care for their egg, Mr. Gramzay places it in Roy and Silo’s nest. The two male penguins carefully take turns tending the egg. One day the egg makes a “peep” and out comes a female chick. The two daddies are delighted and tenderly care for their hatchling. They have become a family like the other animal families in the zoo and like the “families of all kinds that go to visit the animals that live there” (page 4). This joyful story presents a theme of tolerance and understanding of all types of families. The illustrations are warmly toned watercolors that realistically portray the characters. The pictures complement the text and extend its meaning; for example, on page 4 the reader sees various combinations of family groups entering the zoo. The artist uses different perspectives to add interest to the illustrations; for example, Roy and Silo peer down at their nest (page 15), then on page 20 the reader sees Mr. Gramzay’s legs and hand as he places an egg in the nest, and the perspective on page 22 is shown from above looking down on Roy and Silo. An author’s note offers more information about Roy, Silo, and Tango, the real life penguins who inhabit the Central Park Zoo. The book reads well aloud and can easily be viewed by a small group; however, the pictures are not big enough to be viewed by a large group. Readers will enjoy viewing the illustrations individually and noticing nuances in the penguins’ expressions.


General curricular connections:
  • Penguins
  • Zoos
  • Homosexuality
  • Parenting
  • Use in middle school health and human development classes to introduce discussions about parenting, families, and homosexuality
Recommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends the book for use with grades preschool – grade 3
Booklist recommends the book for use with preschool – grade 2
Peach’s Picks recommends the book for use with grades K – 8

Awards/Recognitions:
Booklist starred review
Kirkus Review starred review
Publishers Weekly starred review
School Library Journal starred review
ALA Notable Children’s Books, Younger readers, 2006
Lambda Literary Award, Honor, Children’s/Young Adult category

Personification: Page 5; Illustration showing three cotton-top tamarins as a loving set of parents cuddling their baby

Personification: Page11; referring to Roy and Silo, Mr. Gramzay thinks “They must be in love.”

Onomatopoeia: Page 25; “CRAAAACK!”

Repetition: Pages 16 and 17; The word “sat” is repeated

Note:  This book meets the assignment criteria to include one book that has been challenged.

Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson are listed in the American Library Association (ALA) list of “Most frequently challenged authors of the 21st century; 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010” http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedauthors/index.cfm

This book is listed on American Library Association (ALA) list of:

 
Challenged book discussion for And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Since this book’s publication it has consistently ranked high on the American Library Association’s (ALA) list of most frequently challenged books (http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6874). A theme of homosexuality is cited as one of the reasons it is challenged. The book is included in the school library’s collection because it is a well regarded book as mentioned above in the “Awards and Recognitions” section of this blog entry and it facilitates discussions that meet the Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through
Grade Twelve / Health Education Content Standards, Grades Seven and Eight, specifically standards for:
Growth and Development
Standard 1: Essential Concepts
1.8.G      Recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development, physical appearance, gender roles, and sexual orientation.
Standard 2: Analyzing Influences
2.5.G      Recognize that there are individual, family, and cultural differences in relationships.
Mental, Emotional, and Social Health
Standard 1: Essential Concepts
1.5.M      Recognize diversity among people, including disability, gender, race, sexual orientation, and body size.

A review of the book found in the May 16, 2005, edition of  Publishers Weekly, pages 61-62 states, “This tender story can … serve as a gentle jumping-off point for discussions about same-sex partnerships in human society”. Including this book in a middle school library collection offers a means to approach topics of sexual orientation and diverse family units in a non-threatening manner. This story provides a comfortable way to ease into discussions about families who have same-gender parents. Perhaps, since the main characters are animals rather than human, readers will find the topic of a two daddy family easier to discuss than a story about human same-gender parents. “Readers may find its [And Tango Makes Three] theme of acceptance … convincing for being delivered in such a matter of fact, non-preachy way” (Kirkus Reviews).

The best course of action when faced with censorship and a book challenge begins before the challenge takes place. For example, Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) makes their position on intellectual freedom available on their website at http://www.lapl.org/about/blc_policies.pdf “Selection and Maintenance of Library Collections” saying “The Los Angeles Public Library subscribes to the provisions of the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement as adopted by the American Library Association.  LAPL also restates the ALA Bill of Rights and has an established challenge policy guideline. The school library where I work has a written mission statement, selection policy, challenge policy procedure, and subscribes to the ALA Bill of Rights, and very importantly, I believe we have the backing of the administration.

I believe that people who register a challenge against a book often feel threatened by the story or information contained in the book and become angry. Listening to their opinion is one way to diffuse a challenge before it blows out of proportion. If the challenge does not end there, the challenger should be directed by the library’s administration to follow the formal challenge policy. A frightened parent might find it easier to challenge a book than have frank discussions with their child. The American Library Association should be notified of a book challenge if necessary. Also, Judy Blume’s website gives tips for handing a challenge. (“What to do if it Happens to you” available at http://www.judyblume.com/censorship/happens.php) Dr. Joni Richards Bodart’s article, Books that Help, Books that Heal: Dealing with Controversy in YA Literature offers a checklist for handling challenges (Bodart, 2006).

References
American Library Association. (2011). "And Tango Makes Three" waddles its way back to the number one slot as America’s most frequently challenged book”. News & Press Center. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6874

“And Tango makes three”. (2005). Kirkus Reviews, 73(11), 642. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

“And Tango makes three”. (2005). Publishers Weekly, 252(20), 61-62. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Blume, J. (2010). “What to do if it happens to you.” Judy Blume on the Web. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.judyblume.com/censorship/happens.php

Board of Library Commissioners. (2005). Policies established by Board of Library Commissioners.  Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.lapl.org/about/blc_policies.pdf

Bodart, J. R. (2006). “Books that help, books that heal: Dealing with controversy in YA literature” (Cover story). Young Adult Library Services, 5(1), 31-34. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

California Department of Education. (2009). Grades Seven and Eight. Health education contentment standards for California public schools: Kindergarten through grade twelve. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/healthstandmar08.pdf


Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.henrycole.net/main.php?link=libdetail&sort=date%20DESC&page=&bookID=53
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