Gay-themed Picture Books for Children

The following compilation was assembled by Patricia Sarles of Jerome Parker Campus Library, Staten Island, New York.  http://booksforkidsingayfamilies.blogspot.com/ It serves three purposes, one:  for parents who would like to find books for their children about the experience of being a child in a gay family, or having a gay friend or family member, two: for librarians who would like to develop collections on this topic, and three: for counselors and therapists who would like to use these books in their practices.

Reading Matters: What the research reveals about reading, libraries, and community

Ross, C., Lynne McKechnie, Paulette Rothbauer. 2006. Reading Matters:  What the research reveals about reading, libraries, and community.

On Becoming a Reader

This chapter discusses Vygostky’s theory that children learn new cognitive skills by practicing them in social interaction until the skill is mastered and internalized (p.76).  It indicates that parents of early readers were involved with their children by reading aloud to them, answering their questions, helping them with printing, spelling, and sounding letters, identifying words, and encouraging them to write.  Making stories fun for children is also important to fluency later.  Stories must not become work.  If they do, they could turn children off of reading.  In addition, “Health […] notes how adults help the children make text-to-life connections, encourage children to talk around a story, converse with children as they read stories together, and employ tactics such as pausing during reading to allow children to practice prediction” (p.76).

Quotable quotes:  “Readers are made not born” – Aidan Chambers (quoted on p.72).

And Tango Makes Three

The most challenged title for 2008 was And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell.

And Tango Makes Three is a true story about a penguin couple in New York’s Central Park and a really wonderful book to read about love and caring and family relationships.

See the following link for Boing Boing’s article listing other titles and discussing Banned Books Week in the U.S.  http://www.boingboing.net/2009/10/01/banned-books-week-an.html

Crow Lake

Lawson, Mary.  Crow Lake. Knopf Canada.

Well written story about four children who lose their parents at a young age and raise themselves.  Focuses on relationships, community, small town, and leaving the small town.