Monday, April 21, 2008

And Tango Makes Three ~ Cady's review

Grandma Bonnie,
I liked your books. Here are my book reviews.

Love,Cady XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Cady wanted to do this review herself. None of that dictating her words to me, as we did with our most recent review. So she kept this book and one other and sent me her own reviews in her very own words. As you can see, she didn't have a lot to say about this one, except that it was very good. That's interesting ... because this is a challenged book, one that some people think should be banned. Yes, this is a very dangerous book to be giving our children to read. Cady is seven, at least until tomorrow when she turns eight, and the book didn't bother her. She didn't even notice the "salient" points that alarm some folks. Aroused your curiosity, didn't I? Okay, here's the "problem" some folks see: Tango has two daddies.

New York City's Central Park Zoo has all sorts of animal families, but there's one that's different. Roy and Silo, both male penguins, "did everything together. They bowed to each other.... They sang to each other. And swam together. Wherever Roy went, Silo went too." The two noticed other penguins had eggs, so one found a rock the right size and they took turns sitting on it. That's what penguin fathers do, after all. No big deal, right? Cady must not have thought so, not even when their keeper thought to himself, "They must be in love." The keeper discovers an egg that needs tending and gives the egg -- which will otherwise die -- to Roy and Silo, who have been trying so hard to hatch their rock. As one B&N reviewer said, "It's an adorable book with a great message: families come in all shapes and sizes, but they're still families."

Title, author, copyright date, and genre?
And Tango Makes Three ~ by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and illustrated by Henry Cole (ah, but Cady already told you that, didn't she?), 2005, children's book (ages 4-8)

For banned books: Why was this book challenged?
For "homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group"; or, more accurately, for presumed penguin homosexuality, which my reviewer didn't notice (and neither did I)

How would you rate this book?
Rated 8/10, a very good book, according to Cady

9 comments:

Linda said...

This sounds like a wonderful book! I'll be sure to look for it in a couple years when Kylie gets old enough.

Anonymous said...

Cady is an excellent reviewer. It obviously runs in the family.

Teddy Rose said...

Oh Cady, I was really hoping that you would write another book review so I was very happy to see this one!

This sounds like a wonderful book! I don't have any children to share it with, but I must read it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Cady!!

Quotidian Life said...

Hi Bonnie,

I'm catching up after a busy, uh, year, and just saw your recent recommendation. Thanks! I'll check it out.

Unknown said...

Congratulations to Cady for her excellent review!

This book banning lark is just too silly for words! How are we ever supposed to learn and grow and be accepting and tolerant of one another if books like these are put on "to be banned lists". I despair of human myopia. Getting off soapbox now.

Ladytink_534 said...

Aww sounds like a wonderful story!

Anonymous said...

"Cady...didn't even notice the "salient" points that alarm some folks."

Most kids wouldn't.Prejudice is a learned behaviour/response.

I must say, Cady's review was succint and to the point! :)

Regards,DavidM

Dewey said...

Male penguins really are the ones who sit on and hatch eggs, too! So funny that those who want to ban the book seem to think it's an "agenda" instead of just what really happened in this true story.

Anonymous said...

Now I want this book. It gave me shivers just reading about it, and I love that you let us see it through a child's eye as well.