Gay/lesbian books for children

[LucyBucy]

Can anyone recommend a good book for introducing the concept of same sex relationships to little children? I have a 2.5 year old who is a very advanced reader and I'm keen to redress the balance after reading a load of prince/princess books...

Blimey, wasn't excpecting such a strong response?!

She's really into fairy tale type stories at the moment and I just find it quite boring reading about princesses waiting for their handsome prince etc etc. I'm not 'worried' that she doesn't have access to gay literature, I just think it would be nice to read something different.

And why does it pay to keep it simple? She's very intelligent, I'm sure she will cope, learning that there are different races, religions etc etc so why not this too? She is half Indian, her Dad is Catholic, I'm atheist, she has a lesbian aunty - it isn't a simple world!!!

Thanks to everyone who responded with book titles, it was really helpful.

Ooh I love Prince Cinders too by Babbette cole (a retelling of cinderella) in fact anything by Babette Cole is fabulous!

sigh. I suppose I'm trying to say that 2.5 year olds generally can't read amazingly well and there are gazillions of children's books that aren't all princess/prince books. I don't think ds's have any like this, or ever had. (although I do worry about all the girl characters in the Magic Faraway Tree series all doing the tidying and cooking while the boys help Daddy in the garage! )

If the OP is worried about this, she'll get down to Borders or the library and browse and find a ton of books with different characters in.

Children get their information from a huge variety of different sources - our ds's are 7 and 5 and the 5 year old in particular is a precociously good reader, but they don't get their world view from the books they read/attempt to read. They hopefully get lots of it from talking with us throughout each day, and of course from their friends and other external influences at school ().

Oh I don't know. I'm not saying getting same sex relationships books is bonkers - we've got the Tango book and have but don't like the Prince Cinders - but these are a couple or so books out of the 100's ds's have got. It's about how you approach life with them and parent them. What you talk about etc. The thread just seemed a bit odd to me 'cos if you don't like princess-y books, don't get them.

However, am probably being v. unreasonable so shall go!

I am racking my brains to think of the title but I got ds a book out of the library about penguins and the penguin had 2 mummies and it elicited a lot of questions from ds.Im not being much help am I ???

Our bookshelves are full of a variety of books including stories around same sex families, adopeted families and many other things. It is appropriate that children learn about all different areas of life. It is true that they are influenced by heterosexual relationships from the day they are born and why not give them an alternative to look at. I would be interested in knowing how many of the mesages here who appear to be against young children understanding about gay/lesbain relationships are from heterosexual womyn.

Well, I really appreciate what you're doing, LucyBucy. My dd has two mums so it's more about giving her the occasional affirmation of her reality rather than introducing the idea. We have some of the books mentioned on this thread, but the only one that has caught her imagination so far (she is 3.9) is 'If I had 100 Mummies' by, um, Vanda something? It's a British book, think I heard about it through the lesbian mothers website 'Out for our children'. It's a book that any child can relate to, not just one with two mothers (basically just a humorous take on the pros and cons of having zillions of mothers - loads of kisses but lots more getting bossed about, that sort of thing).

Hi Hester, our 4 year old loves 1 Dad 2 Dads Brown Dads Blue Dads. As withh 100 Mummies it does not concentrate on having same sex parents but could be used around any topic. Blessings

On what planet does introducing your child to same sex relationships redress the balance of reading your kid princess stories.

Just bloody read different books to her - she is 2.5, get The Gruffalo, Room on a Broom, A Squash and a Squeeze, books like that, fun books because no matter how advanced she is at 2.5 she just wants you to sit and read somehting fun to her.

Its not just about addressing the issue of princess stories etc for some its about making sure that our children know that there are stories about relationships such as they live in. Many many books talk about mummy/daddy etc as if there are no other relationships. We need stories about same sex parents, single parents, children brought up by other members of the family (grandparents etc) and adoption.

I love PaperBag Princess,Night Pirates,Princess Grace(which challenges the whole pink princess thing),Madeline and The Wild Girl for books that portray fiesty girls.I have one of my very own

My aunt just bought us The Wild Girl and it blew dd and I away,it was lovely.

Because, MadameCastafiore, it is important that my dd doesn't only see representations of family life that are nothing like the family she is actually in. I could, of course, edit out all books that show heterosexual families, and only give her stories like the ones you mention. But I would far, far rather broaden her reading by adding in a sprinkling of books (and there really is only a sprinkling available) that show families with two mums.

You would expect a black mother to give her children books with black families in, wouldn't you, as well as giving them all the great books that feature white children? Same thing.

Hi Unicorn, you're about the third person I've heard recommend '1 Dad' - I'm off to check it out on Amazon. Same with the Wild Girl, MilaMae.

The Princess in The Princess and the Wizard(Julia Donaldson) ios no wimp either,she's quite clever and saves herself. Concentrates on all the colours too,would be good for a 2.5 year old.

Hi Hester, As our little one is adopted we also have books available that look at other families. Strongly recommend "A Mama For Choco". Since our little one started nursery I have been working alongside the teachers to include different family aspects into the teaching. A couple have adapted the section in "Heathers Two Moms" were the children drawer pics of their families and the teacher explains the importance of family being about love not how they are made up. As we have now moved to a whole new area and little one starts school in September we are hoping the teachers here are as receptive to the ideas. Blessings

the only one that I have is Hello Sailor, which is sweet and the fact that they are two men is incidental to the story, rather than the point of it, which i like.

I have no issues with books that highlight the diffence in the make up of families.

My issue is that it does not redress the happy ending, perfect princess, handsome prince comes along books that the Op mentioned. Maybe a bit of divorce, blood shed or Snow White never waking up would but that isn't what you show a 2.5 year old.

At 2.5 the issues in the book aren't important, colours and an easy to follow story is, making reading fun.

We may have to agree to differ on that MadameCastofiore as I believe that what a child reads at even 2.5 is as important at what they read later on. It is not just the colours and fun that they take on board but also the written content. Children absorb things very easily and research has shown that they learn something like 80% of all they will know about the world around them by the time they are 5. Already at 2.5 they are learning stereotypes that will be with them for the future. Yes your right it is about fun but also a lot more.

Unicorn, we are currently applying to adopt. Are you a member of NewFamilySocial?

No Hester, I have never heard of it. Tell me more..Blessings