Children's Books: And Tango Makes Three

I hope that I am not alone when I say this, but I often think about the values I would like to instill in my children when the time comes. One thing that is incredibly important to me is recognizing and appreciating diversity. More specifically, I want my children to understand that although they are special, they are not better than anyone else. They are not better because of the color of their skin. They are not better because of their gender. They are not better because of their sexual orientation. Special, important, and unique… yes, but better? Certainly not.

There are many ways to cultivate this understanding. Modeling positive behaviors and setting a good example are obvious ways in which parents can facilitate the development of positive ideals. Parents can also help to encourage acceptable behavior and values through literature. Folktales are particularly rich with moral lessons; however, picture books can help to convey ideals that a parent may want their children to identify with.

Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. And Tango Makes Three. Illustrated by Henry Cole. Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2005. 32 pages. Tr. $ 16.99 ISBN 978-0-689-87845-9.

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell is a great children’s book to facilitate a discussion on diversity. Roy and Silo are two penguins living in a New York City Zoo. Although the rest of the penguins pair off in male and female partnerships, Roy and Silo, two males, have become best friends and, as best friends go, they are inseparable. They do everything together. They even make a family together.

Because this is based on the story of two real penguins, four to eight year olds will enjoy Roy and Silo’s captivating tale. Moreover, And Tango Makes Three will not only help to illustrate the diversity in family types, but also the diversity in people. Children will come to understand that although the penguins appear to be different, they are really very similar to the others.