Straight Spouse Network - Recommended Reading List For Children

If you have suggestions of other books that have been helpful to your children, please let us know using our Comments form.

Books for our Children
- Abramchik, Lois Is Your Family Like Mine?
  Ages 4-8. This book talks about a diversity of families in a multicultural setting.
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- Alden, Joan Boy's Best Friend
  Ages 4-8. Will, who has asthma, has to defend his toy dog from some bullies. This situation helps him to understand what his lesbian mother means when she emphasizes that if you don't mind your difference it stops being a problem and becomes your distinction.
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- Bösche, Susanne Jenny Lives With Eric and Martin
  Ages 8-12. This story is about a day in the life of a young girl, her gay father and his partner.
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- Brown, Forman Generous Jefferson Bartleby Jones
  Ages 9-12. This story is about a boy who feels lucky to have two dads. He "loans" his dads out to friends. One day he accidentally "loans" them both out, finding himself alone.
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- Edmonds, Barbara When Grown-Ups Fall in Love
  Ages 4-8. This book is a poem that depicts families with mom and dad, two moms, and two dads.
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- Elwin, Rosamund and Paulse, Michele Asha's Mums
  Ages 4-8. Asha need a form signed for a class field trip, her teacher tells her she has it filled out "incorrectly", that she can't have two mums. While Asha's two mums become an issue for the teacher and her classmates, Asha responds that having two mums is not a big deal. They are a family.
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- Greenberg, Keith Elliot and Halebian, Carol Zack's Story: Growing Up With Same-Sex Parents
  Ages 4-8. Zack, who is eleven, tells about his life with his two mothers.
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- Heron, Ann How Would You Feel if Your Dad Was Gay?
  Ages 6-12. Michael and Jasmine have gay dads, and Noah has a gay mom. When Jasmine tells her class that her dads are gay, all three kids find out that some people do not accept homosexuality, and the families have meaningful talks about what it means to live in a prejudiced society.
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- Kennedy, Joe et al Lucy Goes to the Country
  Ages 4-8. Funny adventures happen when a gay couple and their cat spend the weekend in the country.
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- Jenness, Aylette Families: A Celebration of Diversity, Commitment, and Love
  Ages 9-12. Children and their parents discuss contemporary family life. The book includes lesbian and gay headed families.
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- Nelson, Theresa Earthshine
  Ages 9-14. Twelve-year-old Slim tells the story of her life with her father Mack and his partner Larry during the months before Mack's death from AIDS.
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- Newman, Leslea Belinda's Bouquet
  This is a story of how a girl named Belinda is teased for having gained weight. She and Daniel, both about ten years old, discover with the help of one of Daniel's mothers and a garden cared for by his other mother that people, like flowers, are different.
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- Newman, Leslea Gloria Goes to Gay Pride
  Gloria tells about her experience at Gay Pride day with her two moms.
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- Newman, Leslea Heather Has Two Mommies
  Originally self-published in 1989, Heather Has Two Mommies became the first title in Alyson's newly formed Alyson Wonderland imprint in 1990. The simple and straightforward story of a little girl named Heather and her two lesbian mothers was created by Newman and illustrator Diana Souza because children's books that reflected a nontraditional family did not exist, but a firestorm of controversy soon ensued. Attacked by the religious right, lambasted by Jesse Helms from the floor of the U.S Senate, and stolen from library shelves, it was an uphill battle for Heather. Thanks to the overwhelming support of booksellers, librarians, parents, and children, however, Heather Has Two Mommies has sold over 35,000 copies, launched a minor industry in providing books for the children of gay and lesbian parents and, as attested to by a recent New Yorker cartoon, become part of the cultural lexicon.
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- Newman, Leslea and Hegel, Annette Saturday is Pattyday
  Ages 3-8. Frankie goes through the breakup of his mother and her mother's partner. The fact that "Saturday is Pattyday" helps him to get through the tough time.
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- Salat, Christina Living In Secret
  Ever since Amelia's parents got divorced, she has wished she could live with her mother and her mother's girlfriend, Janey, but a judge gave her father custody. Finally, after years of living apart, Amelia, and her mom decide there is only one thing to do. On a cold October night, Amelia's mother comes to steal her away. For Amelia, living in secret means changing her name, not going to school, and pretending she is twelve instead of eleven. The adventure of beginning a whole new life, with brand new family and friends, is marred only by the shadow of a past that could shatter the present in an instant, should anyone find out who Amelia really is.
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- Valentine, Johnny The Day They Put a Tax on Rainbows and Other Stories
  Ages 9-12. Three fantasy tales, with all of the protagonists in the stories having parents which are gay or lesbian.
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- Valentine, Johnny The Duke Who Outlawed Jellybeans
  Ages 5-10. A collection of fairy tales that incorporate gay and lesbian parents.
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- Valentine, Johnny One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads
  Ages 2-7. Told in Dr. Seuss like rhyme, this book shows that families experience similar things whether they are blue, white, black, straight, or gay.
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- Vigna, Judith My Two Uncles
  Ages 4-9. Elly is angry when her grandpa won't invite her favorite Uncle Ned's partner, Uncle Phil, to his wedding anniversary.
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- Wickens, Elaine Anna Day and the O-Ring
  Ages 4-8. Evan has dog named Anna Day, a best friend named Ileana, and two moms. But what's really on his mind is the missing piece to the tent that he got for his birthday.
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- Willhoite, Michael Daddy's Roommate
  Ages 4-8. A young boy discusses his divorced father's new life, in which the father and his gay partner share eating, doing chores, playing,loving, and living.
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- Willhoite, Michael Daddy's Wedding
  Ages 4-8. When Daddy and Daddy's roommate, Frank, decide to get married, Nick gets to be the best man.
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- Willhoite, Michael Families, A Coloring Book
  Lots of different kinds of families to color, including lesbian and gay families.
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- Wilhoite, Michael Uncle What-is-it is Coming to Visit!
  Ages 4-8. Igor and Tiffany learn that their gay Uncle Brett is coming for a visit. Their mother gets interrupted before she has a chance to explain what gay means, so the kids ask some older children. They are afraid of what they are told. The stereotypes are shattered when their uncle arrives.
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