And Tango Makes Three

Written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Illustrated by Henry Cole

Read with Permission By

Eric Simonoff, Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, and Henry Cole.

Keywords

Penguins, Zoos, LGBT, Adoption, Friendship, Family.

Age

5 – 8 years

Summary

“At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo got the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own.”

This book is a treasure! The illustrations are timeless, it’s based on a true story, and considering the book’s original publication date, the authors approached the definition of family with remarkable grace and respect.

Many of the students I worked with had two moms or two dads. Some were raised by their grandparents, or aunts and uncles. Not a single child commented on the unique pairing of the two penguins. However, I felt ready if they had questions. Since they didn’t bring it up, I didn’t either, and instead asked questions. Questions like:

How do you think Roy and Silo might feel?

Why do you think they might feel that way?

What do you think is inside the egg?

After our time together, my hope was that we could nurture an appreciation for the people in our lives who love us.