Books with two mummies that aren't super-twee or preachy?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Struggling to find any books featuring two mums, which aren't either very, very twee, or intended as educational. I'd just like books that happen to feature (or show, or mention) families with two mums. The less overt the better, in a way!

Thank you.

[Batteriesallgone]

Very overt, but 'The Family Book' (for very small children) does explain different kinds of families. Books where the parents just happen to be two mums - can't think of any. What age range are you thinking of? Books for older children are better for this kind of thing than baby books

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Thanks!

Unfortunately, I was really hoping for baby books/books for quite little ones before they go to school. I've come across quite a bit of nice YA fiction with same-sex relationships, but baby books, not so much!

[EduCated]

What sort of age range?

Have heard good things about this book (and others by the same author)

[EduCated]

Ah cross posted. Have you seen the aria Asquith one? Not seen it in real life, but she doesn't tend to do twee! Big Book of Families or something like that.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Thanks, that looks good.

I guess by baby I mean 1-2, and then anything up to 4 or 5 as well. I'm thinking ahead, but I'd definitely like to find some that are baby and toddler suitable.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Cross posted too! Will look, thanks.

[EduCated]

Ros Asquith, that should be!

[Batteriesallgone]

Can I ask why you want them?

Just had a scan through my daughters (2 year old) book collection and hardly any of them have family figures in at all. The Spot books have Mum and Dad but that's about it (and they are old).

I think because it's hard to write about families without it getting wordy? And small children books tend to be pretty simple.

[Batteriesallgone]

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=391146&cm_mmc=Google%20Adwords--PLA--The+Family+Book-_--AGQJP&gclid=CLbsj7Os2NECFYVAGwod9BoPtw

Sorry for crap link but that's the one I mentioned

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I wasn't specifically asking for written books - picture books would be great!

But as to why I want them - two reasons. One is that we do have a fair few baby/child books that have mum and dad in (Tiger Who Came to Tea, the Lucy and Tom books, Mog - I love Mog! - Not Now Bernard, etc.). These are nice, that's fine. Second reason is, obviously, that if your child has a mum and a dad, they probably see a lot of other children with a mum and a dad - in real life, in adverts, in stories, on the TV, etc. etc. Whereas, if your child has two mums, they are less likely to see reflections of that casually put in front of them, so you maybe need to make a bit more effort to find them.

[Batteriesallgone]

Ah. A much more classic collection than we have! I HATE the tiger who came to tea (calm down women, a MAN has arrived!) and generally older children's books do tend to be very conservative / non feminist / two-parent m/f families.

Can I recommend, from a feminist perspective, being careful with Julia Donaldson. The Singing Mermaid is basically a metaphor for the porn industry and how it ever got published is beyond me

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I do also like Julia Donaldson, though I didn't know she had any with same-sex mums - is that the Singing Mermaid, or another one?

I love The Tiger Who Came To Tea, but I have always heard it read with a sarcastic edge.

[Batteriesallgone]

No she doesn't sorry I was derailing there about JD

[BenefitsQuestions]

Tabby mctat by Julia Donaldson very casually has a lesbian couple in it who adopt the cat. But they don't have a child.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Oh, not a derail! I just misunderstood. Btw, I do also have her stuff - my list wasn't our complete book collection, just the ones I could think of quickly that had mum/dad pairs.

Tabby McTatt sounds perfect. Subtle is good. I don't want the ones that bludgeon you over the head - just ones where a child could see something that looks vaguely like two mums or two women.

[Mooey89]

Not a book and only does it briefly but we watched storks at the cinema the other day with 3yo DS - at the end when the storks are delivering babies to all the families waiting they had a single mum, family with two mums, family with two dads, mixed raced families yada yada.
I thought it was really refreshing and it wasn't done in an overt way just included many different types of families.

[MrsNuckyThompson]

Tabby McTat is the only one i can think of and someone got in there before me! Not two mummies, but they do have a family of cats!

[penguincrumble]

Came here to say tabby mctat too, shame they don't have any children. We have a LOT of baby and toddler books and I cannot recall any others of them with two mums. I change all the characters to women but that's going to have to stop now the eldest is starting to read. Unless I get my sharpie out..

[penguincrumble]

Internet suggests Keeshas South African adventure and The Different Dragon, sorry I know you wanted personal.

[RedWineLush]

Mummy and Mama and Me is a cute toddler book that my two loved.

[IrenetheQuaint]

Placemarking as my niece has two mothers and it's her birthday soon!

[PopGoesTheWeaz]

I always casually "misread" The Tiger who came to tea so that it was the little girl who saves the day with the idea of going to the cafe. I'm now wondering if a bit of felt tip you could adapt some classics

[DorcasthePuffin]

There isn't much, certainly not much that isn't American/twee. My girls both enjoyed 'If I had 100 mummies' but that's more for 6+ year olds. They also enjoyed Todd Carr though that IS American/twee (but very useful for ticking off lesbian mums/black/adopted all in one bedtime!)

Tabby McTat yes, though blink and you could miss it.

Have you looked at the website Out For Our Children? It has lists of books suitable for different age groups.

[bitingcat]

Try this: www.parents.com/parenting/dynamics/gay-parents/childrens-books-with-same-ex-parents/
It seems to have some suggestions along the lines you're looking for.
I hope the link works, I've never done one before!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Thanks very much, all.

I admit to a hatred of 'the different dragon,' but probably from having to read it too much for a friend's child! The rest look really promising. Thanks so much.

dorcas - no, didn't know that website, thank you so much! Brilliant.