Fifth grader Zoe, at her blog Kids’ Animal Station, has written a terrific review of And Tango Makes Three, the lovely picture book about two male penguins who raise a chick together.
Zoe started her blog in 2012, and bills it as, “For kids who love animals by a kid who loves animals.” The face that Tango is about “cute waddling penguins” qualifies it for coverage—but Zoe’s love for the book goes beyond just that. She explains:
This book has a particular soft spot in my heart, considering I know many people who are within the LGBT community, so this book was one of the first times I actually got a chance to learn about it, since you don’t really get to learn about LGBT people and things like that at the age this book is targeted to.
She adds a touch of humor, noting that when it comes to the acronym LGBT, “half the kids in my school think it’s a sandwich.”
Then she calls for more books like Tango:
What everyone can take away from this book is that families come in all sorts of ways, which is a lesson a bunch of the kids at my school don’t seem to know. . . . It would be better if more books like this were around, because I have noticed that the books you read when you are really young greatly impact your later years,
Zoe, who lives in Colorado, told me in an e-mail (via her mom):
What motivated me to start my blog is sheer interest. A couple years ago I told my parents I wanted to start a blog about animals because I love them so much. In addition, I thought it would be a cool little project to do now and then to prep my writing skills. I didn’t really have any other motive. No one else in my class had a blog, so I thought it would be cool to start one.
Very cool indeed, Zoe. Blogging is awesome. People who love animals are awesome. And we absolutely should have more books like this. (Have you read Uncle Bobby’s Wedding? It’s not a true story, but it is all about guinea pigs, namely a young girl one whose favorite uncle is about to marry his boyfriend.) Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the world.