And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three
Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell. 2005. And Tango Makes Three. Ill. by Henry Cole. New York: Simon & Shuster. ISBN: 0689878451.

PLOT SUMMARY
And Tango Makes Three is the true story of a pair of Central Park penguins, Roy and Silo. Despite being of the same sex, Roy and Silo hatch and raise a penguin chick, Tango, illustrating that a loving family may have more than one appearance.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ostensibly, And Tango Makes Three is a penguin story that takes place at the Central Park Zoo. However, it doesn't take too much of a careful look to see that this story is much more than just a penguin story. The story begins at the entrance to the zoo, where the delightful cartoon illustrations (sometimes as many as twelve to a page!) make it clear that families come in all varieties. Entering the zoo are a single parent pushing a stroller, a gray-haired woman with two toddlers, two women of different races with two children, and a young couple with a young boy. Inside the zoo, there are depictions of animal, avian and amphibian families as well. Then, there are the penguins. Two penguins in particular, Roy and Silo, "were a little bit different." "They didn't spend much time with the girl penguins, and the girl penguins didn't spend much time with them." "So they built a nest of stones for themselves...., just like the other penguins." Roy and Silo attempt to hatch a rock. Their devotion to their duty, captured beautifully in pictures as well as text, is touching as well as humorous, as they sat, "and sat....And sat." When their rock fails to hatch, their expressions are puzzled, but not daunted.

When the zookeeper gives them a real egg to hatch, "Roy and Silo knew just what to do." When the egg begins to "peep," Roy and Silo appear not surprised, but knowing, expectant. Children will love the twelve illustrations that culminate in fuzzy Tango's emergence from her egg. Roy, Silo, and Tango wear joyful expressions as they greet "their very own baby!" When the story ends, Tango is older and the normally ice blue background has changed to the colors of sunset as Tango, Roy and Silo "snuggled together and, like all the other penguins in the penguin house, and all the other animals in the zoo, and all the families in the big city around them, they went to sleep."

The beauty of And Tango Makes Three is the understated manner in which Richardson and Parnell, as well as illustrator Henry Cole, introduce the subject of homosexuality. As in nature, the illustrations show that the male and female penguins do not have easily identifiable differences. Roy and Silo are differentiated only by their prominence in the story. Young readers may not find Roy and Silo to be a "different" couple because they look exactly as the rest of the penguin couples. Only once does the text blatantly point to the non-traditional nature of Roy and Silo's union, "Tango was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies." Gay parents should welcome this book as an opportunity for children of gay couples to see a reflection and validation of their own lifestyle. "Straight" readers of Tango should be able to use this story as a very basic introduction to homosexuality, or ignore this aspect completely and simply enjoy a heartwarming penguin tale.

And Tango Makes Three is a well-written introduction into the habits of penguins, as well as the nature of homosexuality. Both topics are presented accurately and factually. The Authors' Note following the story explains that all of the events in the story are true, and that the penguins may still be found in the Central Park Zoo. (To avoid disappointment, before taking a trip to the zoo, ensure that the penguins from this 2005 book are still alive and well - and be prepared - Silo has left Roy since the publication of this book)

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"This tale based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City's Central Park Zoo will capture the hearts of penguin lovers everywhere. ... This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library."

Roach, Julie, Jones, Trevelyn E., Toth, Luann, Charnizon, Marlene, Grabarek, Daryl, and Dale Raben. 2005. "And Tango Makes Three." School Library Journal 51, no. 7: 81-81. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"This tender story can also serve as a gentle jumping-off point for discussions about same-sex partnerships in human society."

2005. "And Tango Makes Three." Publishers Weekly 252, no. 20: 61-62. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

"...it's naive to expect that this will be read only as a zoo anecdote."

Mattson, Jennifer. 2005. "And Tango Makes Three (Book)." Booklist 101, no. 18: 1657-1657. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed July 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Public librarians can suggest King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland for parents or customers seeking more pointed, but still age-appropriate, children's literature on gay couples.

Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems, by Judy Sierra, is a fun read aloud companion to Tango.

Simon & Shuster offers a teaching guide for And Tango Makes Three. It can be accessed at http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=183&pid=505791&agid=21