You might be suprised by the answer! Some people want to take away the right to read books about families like yours and mine: families with two moms or two dads, families with a single LGBT parent, families with LGBT relatives. These people want to stop everyone from reading books like King & King and Mom and Mum Are Getting Married! They want to keep these books from being put in public libraries, and they want to force librarians and school boards to take them out of libraries.
What they want to do is ban books, even books written by famous authors. Some of these book banners even publicly burn books they don't like.
They want to ban books even though our freedom to read any book is guaranteed by the First Amendment. The First Amendment is part of the United States Constitution. A constitution is a written document containing the basic laws that help guide the government of a country. The constitution shows what people in the country believe is important.
When thirty-nine men signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787, not everyone was happy. The Constitution described how the U.S. government would work. It did not guarantee Americans basic freedoms, like the freedom to say what they wanted.
Four years later, Americans got that guarantee when the Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
Ten original amendments formed the Bill of Rights in 1791; today there are twenty-seven amendments. But few people would disagree that the First Amendment (see above) deserves its place at the top of the list. Among other rights, the First Amendment guarantees Americans the right to say—and write—almost anything. We are free to criticize our government, write make-believe stories, and tell others about our lives and our families.
If someone wants to ban a book from a school or library, they challenge it. Before a book can be removed from a library or school, several other steps must be taken. Some of the most-often challenged books are those written about families with two moms or two dads, families with other LGBT relatives, and books about LGBT people. Some challenged books that have kids with LGBT parents are:
King & King and King & King & Family by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
The Family Book written and illustrated by Todd Parr
The Trouble with Babies by Martha Freeman
Jack by A. M. Holmes
Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
You can learn a little more about these books and others like them at the bottom of this page.
You can make sure everyone can read about families like yours by responding to the suggestions on the right side of the page.
A Short Selection of Books Featuring LGBT Families
Below are just a few of the books available to young readers in which LGBT families and/or relatives are mentioned or featured. This is not a complete list; there are many, many more books out there for you to read and explore!
Remember that many of these books have been challenged in libraries all over the United States. Look to see if they’re in your library!
BOARD BOOKS FOR THE VERY YOUNG
Too Far Away to Touch by Lesléa Newman (ages 5–8): Zoe’s uncle has AIDS, and he explains to her that after he dies he will be like the stars: close enough to see and too far away to touch.
The White Swan Express by Jean Davies Okimoto and Elaine M. Aoki (ages 5–8): Four couples adopt children from China and are getting ready for the Big Day when the children arrive home; one family is a lesbian family.
The Family Book written and illustrated by Todd Parr (ages 3–6): A variety of families are mentioned, including families with two moms and two dads.
My Really Cool Baby Book written and illustrated by Todd Parr (for parents): A baby book designed with busy parents and diverse families in mind for the first year of baby’s life.
Tiger Flowers by Patricia Quinlan (ages 5–8): When Joel’s uncle dies of AIDS, Joel’s dreams and thoughts help keep his uncle’s memory alive.
One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads by Johnny Valentine (ages 3–6): A child with two blue dads and one with a traditional family compare notes and wonder why blue dads are different.
My Two Uncles by Judith Vigna (ages K-grade 2): Elly’s grandparents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary, but trouble erupts because her grandfather doesn’t approve of Elly’s uncle being gay.
Anna Day and the O-Ring written and illustrated by Elaine Wickens (preschool – grade 1): Evan and his two moms try to put up the tent he receives for his birthday, but the o-ring needed to finish the job is missing.
CHAPTER BOOKS AGES 5–12
Molly’s Family by Nancy Garden (ages 4–8): When Molly draws a picture of her family as part of a classroom assignment, she is jeered because she draws her two moms.
Living in Secret by Christina Salat (ages 9–12): Eleven-year-old Amelia runs away from her father, who has custody of her, to be with her mother and her mother’s girlfriend.
Holly’s Secret by Nancy Garden (ages 4-8): When Holly’s family moves to the country from New York City, she hatches a plan to hide the fact she has two lesbian moms.
INTERMEDIATE & YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
Jack by A. M. Homes. (young adult): Fifteen-year-old Jack is confused about his feelings for his father, who divorced Jack’s mother four years ago; Jack finds out his dad is gay.
Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence edited by Marion Dane Bauer, a member of Rainbow Rumpus’s Author Advisory Board (young adult): A collection of short stories written by several well-known children’s and young adult authors that are all about LGBT identities.
Who Framed Lorenzo Garcia? by R. J. Hamilton (ages 12 and up): Ramon is a gay fifteen-year-old who is ready to start a new phase of his life with Lorenzo Garcia, a cop who wants to adopt Ramon.
The Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge (young adult): Sixteen-year-old Billy spends the summer in Arizona with his cool gay uncle; he works at a horse racetrack and falls in love with a feisty exercise girl.
Earthshine by Theresa Nelson (young adult): Slim watches over her father during his struggle with AIDS with the help of her father’s partner.
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson, a member of Rainbow Rumpus’s Author Advisory Board (age 12 and up): Fourteen-year-old Melanin Sun, an African American boy growing up with his single mother in Brooklyn, enjoys his quiet, carefree life—until his mother tells him she is in love with another woman. |
