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And Tango Makes Three

by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, Henry Cole (Illustrator)

4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 · rating details · 2,914 ratings · 583 reviews

In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published April 26th 2005 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

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Lists with This Book

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Best Banned and/or Censored Books (or Worst to Have Banned)

64th out of 422 books — 1,500 voters

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman

The Boy Who Cried Fabulous by Lesléa Newman

LGBT Childrens Literature

1st out of 67 books — 34 voters

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Community Reviews

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Feb 18, 2008 Marika Gillis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books

This true story about two penguins who live in the Central Park Zoo has been creating quite a controversy. I heard about the book this morning on The View (yes, I do inevitably end up watching four women squabbling on tv when I don't have to work, and controversies like this are the reason I keep going back!). After hearing about it, I just had to check out the book for myself at Barnes and Noble.

This children's book tells the story of Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins. Like all other ch...more

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Apr 18, 2009 Chandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books, science-kids

I finally got to see what all the fuss was about! For those who don't know this is the true story about two male chinstrap penguins(Roy and Silo) who become constant companions and even build a nest together. I'll admit I went into this with a little trepidation. It's pretty clear this is an agenda promoting book and, even though it's an agenda I agree with wholeheartedly, it seems a little cynical to use a children's book as a political platform. And since it is an agenda I am pretty invested i...more

8 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2009 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-picture-books

Review Updated*SEE COMMENTS*

Encouraged by my friend Chandra's positive review, I decided to finally give this book a try. It's popularity and controversy made me tentative before--not due to the subject, but because I thought it might have been a platform book meant to push an agenda, rather than simply tell a good story. Upon reading, I have come to the decision that it is both.

This is the very sweet true story of two penguins from the Central Park Zoo who happen to be male, happen to adore one...more Review Updated*SEE COMMENTS*

Encouraged by my friend Chandra's positive review, I decided to finally give this book a try. It's popularity and controversy made me tentative before--not due to the subject, but because I thought it might have been a platform book meant to push an agenda, rather than simply tell a good story. Upon reading, I have come to the decision that it is both.

This is the very sweet true story of two penguins from the Central Park Zoo who happen to be male, happen to adore one another, and happen to want to sit on a nest and hatch a chick. Only, of course, they can't quite lay an egg like the male-female penguin pairings do. But when their zookeeper notices their tenacity, he decides to let them lay on a fertilized egg that was an unwanted "twin" from another nest. Thus, the penguins become dads! The illustrations are darling and I found myself pulling for the penguin duo, feeling for them on in their initial struggles at trying to hatch a rock (!) and then cheering as they finally hatched little Tango (and, oh, how cute Tango is, too!)

Now, for the "gay penguin" aspect: I wondered if this was the author's intent, or simply the perceptions of certain readers projected into the story. In my opinion, it IS mean to be a book about gay parents and adopted children--more than that, of course, it is a book about FAMILY and LOVE. However, the reason I think it has an "agenda" is, first of all, the author is a psychologist (I don't remember the exact degree) and has written some books about sexuality--no problem with that, but I'm just saying this is in contrast to, say, an author of children's books or an animal behaviorist or zoological author who might be more interested in this being a cute animal story. Secondly, some of the word choices indicate "gay penguin" vs "male penguins who hang out together." For example, it clearly points out that the boy penguins and the girl penguins hang out together, pair up, and lay eggs--BUT--these two male penguins don't like to hang out with the girl penguins, just with one another. The other one that seemed pretty obvious, the zookeeper notices their behavior and says, "They must be in love!" (rather than, say, "they must really like each other" or even "they must love each other"--"in love" giving a coupledom or marriage sort of connotation, rather than one that is more universal).

Personally, I am delighted that there is a well-written, sweet and adorable animal story out there that could fill a gap (albeit, I'm hoping, a narrowing one) for children with gay parents--or, frankly, ANY children to able to be exposed to just one of the wide array of ways that families are created. However, it is a shame that, in the few cases as mentioned above, the author had to take it a bit too far into "gay penguin" territory and thus alienate a huge readership from this very sweet and TRUE animal story. I think, had he left those things out, the story could have appealed equally to a wide variety of readerships, each bringing to the story what they wanted to see.
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Oct 02, 2008 Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children

This is apparently the #1 banned book in the country! My husband sought it out at the library, and it has a big red tag on the cover that says "BANNED!" I love the fact that it is a true story!

10 likes · like · see review

Sep 16, 2008 Kimberlyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Title: "And Tango Makes Three"
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: 2005

Genre: Non-fiction Picture Book
Grades: K-6
Banned/Challenged Book

This book is a true story that actually occured at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. It is about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, and their unique relationship. Roy and Silo got along so well, as if they were in love. They would do things as couples would do. They...more

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May 09, 2008 Krista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

As fond followers of ALA’s “Banned Book Week” would admit, when a title such as this one is added to the infamous list, it only makes circulation numbers on the title go up as well as critical discussion on the values of the work. The fact that the plot is based on a true story adds so much narrative power and reliability, and makes Richardson’s work one of the most excellent and relevant sources out of the fairly lackluster and minimal collection on this topic to date. Richardson is an assistan...more

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Jun 26, 2008 Lisa Vegan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: absolutely everyone, especially kids 4-8 with same sex parents, but all kids & adults

Shelves: reviewed, childrens, picture-books, non-fiction, altta

Good grief Charlie Brown! What is all the fuss about this book, anyway?!?!!

This is a very sweet story. It’s the true tale about 2 male penguins who are a pair and how they came to tend an egg and then raise Tango, a baby penguin. This happens at the Central Park Zoo in New York City, and the illustrations really show off Central Park and the zoo; they’re beautiful and the expressions on the penguins’ faces are priceless.

This is a picture book for 4-8 year olds and it’s a wonderful story for kids...more

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May 19, 2008 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Although this is a controversial book, it is wonderfully writen. This is a true story of two boy penguins fall in love and adopt an egg to care for and raise as their own. It illustrates how there are different kinds of families and how they all share the same kind of love. Kids will enjoy the story and love the penguins and this will open up their minds and invite discussions on different kinds of families. Pre-k through 2nd.

From SLJ:
"This tale based on a true story about a charming penguin fam...more

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Mar 01, 2009 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-childrens-books

Cute story about 2 male penguins who hatch an egg and become parents at the zoo in Central Park. Apparently this actually happened at the zoo. There was a book that came out a while back about homosexuality in nature--Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity by Bruce Bagemihl. This incident at the zoo would seem to bear out the author's observations. Most interesting.

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May 22, 2013 Sarah Eiseman rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:

This book was the controversial children’s picture book a few years back about two male penguins raising a daughter. The book was written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, and illustrated by Henry Cole. I’m always a little amazed at censored or banned books, mostly because in my experience those who are most vocal often have not read the work. As I librarian, I am often drawn specifically to controversial books, because I want to be well-informed sh...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Brittnee Pettie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Comments: “And Tango Makes Three” is a unique look at same-sex couples with children. Nonetheless, this is not a book I would recommend for every family, nor would I suggest it be given to a child to read alone. Considering homosexuality and equal rights are hot topics in the U.S., this book fits right in to the debate as to why all men, women, and children are equal and should be treated as such. However, to look at the text as just a text, I must say that it has all of the appeal of a readable...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Cebon rated it 5 of 5 stars

We recently stumbled upon this book at the library without realizing what it was; I ("Mommy") noticed the cover, and loved the illustration. Moments later our two year old son chose another copy from the same shelf, and handed it to me. Later that evening, I was surprised and quite taken with the story upon discovering that (SPOILER) Tango does in fact have two daddies! Apparently we've been living under a rock, because I literally completely forgot that this is what this story is about.

And Tang...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Kyle Turck rated it 4 of 5 stars

And Tango Makes Three is a delightful story about two penguins in the Central Park Zoo and the struggles they face when attempting to start a family. While this seems like a typical children's story in every sense, the twist here is that the penguins both just happen to be males. This book is usually at the top of the list each and every year when it comes to challenged/banned books, mainly due to the reference of homosexuality in animals, but looking past that, the book is a great read that sho...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Irene Perez added it

And Tango Makes Three
By: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Main Character: Tango, Roy and Silo
Setting: New York’s Central Park Zoo
POV: Unknown Narrator
Lexile: 720L
This picture book tells the true story Roy and Silo, two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo. Roy and Silo do everything together, just like the other penguin couples. One day Roy and Silo realize that the boy and girl penguin couples can do something that they cannot - have babies. Roy and Silo try sitting on a rock the way the ot...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Amy Musser rated it 5 of 5 stars

Central Park Zoo sits in the middle of busy New York City. Every day human families of all kinds visit the zoo to see families of animals. In addition to furry red pandas and cotton-top tamarins, the zoo is home to a number of chinstrap penguins. At a certain time every year the girl and boy penguins begin pairing up. All except for two boy penguins named Roy and Silo, who do everything together. Like the other penguin couples they walked together, swam together, and even sang to each other. Whe...more Central Park Zoo sits in the middle of busy New York City. Every day human families of all kinds visit the zoo to see families of animals. In addition to furry red pandas and cotton-top tamarins, the zoo is home to a number of chinstrap penguins. At a certain time every year the girl and boy penguins begin pairing up. All except for two boy penguins named Roy and Silo, who do everything together. Like the other penguin couples they walked together, swam together, and even sang to each other. When all the other penguins make nests of stones, Roy and Silo watch and make one too. They even find an egg-shaped rock and wait for it to hatch, but nothing happens. This gives Mr. Gramzay, the penguin keeper, an idea. He puts an egg that needs to be cared for in the nest. Roy and Silo know just what to do, they take care of the egg for weeks until the egg hatches and a fuzzy baby penguin is born. Mr. Gramzay decides, “We’ll call her Tango, because it takes two to make a Tango.”

The text of this touching story of friendship and love is written in a conversational style. Richardson and Parnell steer away from scientific jargon. Instead they use a kid-friendly, but not patronizing, vocabulary to explain the behaviors and mating rituals of the penguins. The watercolor illustrations realistically depict the inhabitants of the Central Park Zoo. The soft edges of the watercolor washes create a visually appealing background for the detailed, anatomically correct animals. The penguins are not anthropomorphic, yet Cole has captured looks of curiosity, concern, and contentment on the birds’ faces. Several pages feature smaller illustrations that show the passage of time, such as the page that features Tango hatching out of her egg.

Based on a true story, this has been one of the most frequently challenged books since it’s publication in 2005 according to the American Library Association. The author’s note at the back of the book gives readers more details about these penguins that really do live at Central Park Zoo. Although it has been reported that Silo and Roy have since “broken up," other same-sex penguin couple have raised eggs at zoos. If you wonder if this book is suitable for your child, I urge you to read it first so that you can make an informed decision.

Full review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...(less)

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Oct 09, 2012 Erin Mccall added it

Not knowing the story of Roy and Silo prior to reading this, And Tango Makes Three took me for a ride. I was questioning everything throughout, the presentation of a heterosexual ideal at first, the false hope of the caretaker giving Roy and Silo an egg that was not theirs (which I suppose is the equivalent to human adoption, in some ways), and how this story may or may not resonate with young children. The story begins talking about animal families, soon shifting the topic to boy and girl peng...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Sarah Ziskend rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: multicultural-same-sex-parenting, ece-3601, animals, families

And Tango Makes Three, is an adorable nonfiction narrative about two male chinstrap penguins living in the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson write about Roy and Silo who do everything that other penguin couples do. They walk together, sing together, swim together, and bow together; they even build a nest together. A clever zookeeper watches the penguins and gives the male couple an egg that another penguin couple is unable to look after. Roy and Silo...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars

And Tango Makes Three is a wonderful true story from the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Roy and Silo are two male “chinstrap” penguins who discovered each other in 1998 and have been a pair ever since. They raised a foster chick, Tango, that came from a male and female penguin couple who could not care for the egg themselves. Tango, a female, is said to be quite a character, having benefited from the care of two dedicated parents. (You can see for yourself, apparently, since Roy, Silo, and T...more And Tango Makes Three is a wonderful true story from the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Roy and Silo are two male “chinstrap” penguins who discovered each other in 1998 and have been a pair ever since. They raised a foster chick, Tango, that came from a male and female penguin couple who could not care for the egg themselves. Tango, a female, is said to be quite a character, having benefited from the care of two dedicated parents. (You can see for yourself, apparently, since Roy, Silo, and Tango are still at the Zoo!)

The watercolors by Henry Cole are just lovely, and convey all the exotic color and species in the zoo with a touch of whimsy.

I found this book to be quite supportive of heterosexual unions: "… children and their parents aren’t the only families at the zoo. The animals make families of their own. There are red panda bear families, with mothers and fathers and furry red panda bear cubs. There are monkey dads and monkey moms raising noisy monkey babies. There are toad families, and toucan families, and cotton-top tamarin families too.”

It also, however, has no problem celebrating devoted parenthood when it takes different forms, as when Roy and Silo were given the unwanted chick to raise: "Roy and Silo knew just what to do. They moved the egg to the center of their nest. Every day they turned it, so each side stayed warm. Some days Roy sat while Silo went for food. Other days it was Silo's turn to take care of their egg."

This book has been the subject of censorship efforts in several locales, and according to a report by "School Library Journal" in 2011: "...has appeared on ALA's Top Ten List of the Most Frequently Challenged Books [in the number one position] for the past five years and has returned to the top slot after a brief stay at number two in 2009.”

Objections to the book include: “unsuited for age group," "religious viewpoint" and "homosexuality." From my reading of the book, the only thing I can identify that would be deemed objectionable is the portrayal of a happy and loving family consisting of two adults of the same gender.

It would be tremendous if children could learn that diversity is a positive aspect of the environment, instead of somehow getting the message that those who prefer members of the same sex should be harassed, bullied or worse.
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May 11, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are all sorts of families in Central Park Zoo in New York. There are red panda families, monkey families, toad families, toucan families, and cotton-top tamarin families. And in the penguin house there are penguin families too. One of these families is a little different from the others. Roy and Silo do everything the other penguin couples do – they bow together, walk together, sing together and swim together. They even build a nest together, just like all the other penguin couples. But wh...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Miss Lynx Canadensis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books

This is my 4-year-old son's very favourite book, which he has insisted on me reading to him almost every night before he goes to sleep ever since I bought it for him two years ago or so. There are other kids' books I like better myself, but this one is really sweet, and he loves it beyond all measure. He even named his stuffed toy penguin Tango (he had the toy before we got the book, but as soon as he heard the book read for the very first time, he decided the penguin was now Tango, and thus it...more This is my 4-year-old son's very favourite book, which he has insisted on me reading to him almost every night before he goes to sleep ever since I bought it for him two years ago or so. There are other kids' books I like better myself, but this one is really sweet, and he loves it beyond all measure. He even named his stuffed toy penguin Tango (he had the toy before we got the book, but as soon as he heard the book read for the very first time, he decided the penguin was now Tango, and thus it has been ever since), and regularly asks me to make up new Tango stories for him.

I'm not going to recap what it's about, because I think pretty much everyone knows that by now. But I do have to wonder how many people who get up in arms about it being "propaganda" or "inappropriate for children" or whatever have actually read it. It doesn't contain any references to sexuality whatsoever - it just says Roy and Silo loved each other and wanted to build a nest together and have a family. Simple as that. There's really nothing intrinsically political about it at all. The fact that they're both male only really enters into it in that it's a obstacle to being able to start a family, because they can't lay an egg. The way the story is told, it's not much different than if they were an opposite-sex couple but one was infertile.

But of course, in the context of a society that still suffers from a certain amount of entrenched homophobia, any acknowledgement of alternative family structures is implicitly political. And so even a book as sweet and simple as this, where the underlying message is really just that everyone wants the same things in life - love and family - gets challenged as being, ironically, "anti-family", even though it's really about the most pro-family book there is.

And I think the positive focus on loving families in it is one of the things that makes my son like it so much: that fundamentally it's a story of a baby (a baby penguin, in this case) coming into a family that loves her and wants her so much they're willing to go to exceptional lengths in order for her to be born. I think reading that can make any child feel more loved, by proxy. Because really, love and family are what this book is all about.(less)

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Nov 07, 2011 Elizabeth Sciarra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Overall I thought this was a really good book. I thought it was nice how it put it through an animals perspective and also that it was a true story! I thought that the author, Justin Richardson, did a very good job of putting the words into something that young children could understand and react to very easily. Another reason why I really enjoyed this book is because it showed that not just parents, but animals can have families that consist of two mothers or two fathers too and even though it...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-literature, gender-sexuality

Lighthearted and not even remotely heavy-handed, this book is a great addition to any collection of books trying to show the many possible compositions of a loving family. (In case you somehow missed the hysteria, And Tango Makes Three is the true story of two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo who enthusiastically adopt an egg in need of a loving family.)

Reading through other reviews, one seemed to summarize (for me) what makes lots of folks nervous about this book. The reviewer said, "I t...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Esther rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: informational-biography, multicultural-international-literat, other-diversities

Published in 2005 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Interest Level: 3rd-6th Grade

This is based on a true story about a same-sex penguin couple that are given an egg to hatch. At first it seems as if the couple are just a cute duo of male penguin friends. Then they are given an egg to hatch together and it is clear they are a same-sex couple. This depiction of homosexuality is a less overt way to explain and show its implications and concerns. The book has drawings that allow for a pic...more

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Oct 24, 2010 N_stefanie Akwa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, mc-literature, picture-books

If you only buy one new book to add to your classroom library, this is the one I would recommend! I couldn’t be happier to find a book that honestly and innocently portrays an “alternative” family structure that can provide some scaffolding for future interactions with children of same-sex parents. From my perspective, it is perfect. Even the illustrations are wonderfully playful, accurate, and fill the pages!

“In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango’s family is not like any...more If you only buy one new book to add to your classroom library, this is the one I would recommend! I couldn’t be happier to find a book that honestly and innocently portrays an “alternative” family structure that can provide some scaffolding for future interactions with children of same-sex parents. From my perspective, it is perfect. Even the illustrations are wonderfully playful, accurate, and fill the pages!

“In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango’s family is not like any of the others.” This portrayal of a true story that happened in New York’s famous Central Park is for any student that likes penguins, and then some. Penguins Roy and Silo did everything that all penguins do, they bowed to each other, walked together, sang together and swam together. Their keeper, Mr. Gramzay, watched the two penguins build a nest of stones together and behave the same way the other coupled penguins acted. Everything seemed pretty much the same until other penguin couples had eggs that hatched. Roy and Silo wanted to be like all the other penguin couples and sat on a rock day after day and night after night, but nothing happened. One day, Mr. Gramzay found an egg that needed to be cared for and brought it to their nest. Roy and Silo cared for their egg with the same devotion the other penguins had for their eggs, and suddenly a tiny hole appeared in the egg’s shell. The illustrations on my children’s favorite page shows twelve pictures of the egg as the baby penguin pokes her hole, cracks the shell, and emerges joyfully. There are plenty of examples of onomatopoeia on the way to the climax, “CRAAACK! Out came their very own baby!” Mr. Gramzay decided to call her Tango because “it takes two to make a Tango.” The penguin fathers did everything any penguin parent would do. Tango was sung to, fed well, warmed, snuggled, etc. Tango was the first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies, which made her unique. To this day, families of all kinds visit the Central Park Zoo to cheer for the famous penguin family.

“And Tango Makes Three” has won many awards, including the ASPCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award given by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This book has the potential to touch and delight young readers and hopefully open their minds. After all, they are only penguins and this is a true story.
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Oct 12, 2010 Peacegal rated it 3 of 5 stars

It’s penguins! Gay penguins! How could anybody hate penguins? Well, it would seem that many people do, as And Tango Makes Three is one of the most challenged and banned recent books to waddle its way onto bookshelves.

The outcry probably wasn’t a surprise to the authors. They knew they were wading into touchy territory when they decided to create a picture book out of the true story of two male penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo who paired off as mates, built a nest, and eventually raised a...more

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Jul 30, 2010 Ronyell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: animal-books, children-books, banned-books, family-situations, picture-books, reviewed-books, ronyell-s-epinions-reviews, summer-100-book-challenge-2010, aspca-henry-bergh-award, read-in-2010

“And Tango Makes Three” is an Aspca Henry Bergh Book award winning book about how two male penguins, Roy and Silo, try to have a child together. Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell along with illustrations by Henry Cole makes “And Tango Makes Three” a truly touching story about what it takes to make a true family.

Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell have done a great job at discussing one of the major issues in our society in a lighthearted and comforting way. Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell...more “And Tango Makes Three” is an Aspca Henry Bergh Book award winning book about how two male penguins, Roy and Silo, try to have a child together. Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell along with illustrations by Henry Cole makes “And Tango Makes Three” a truly touching story about what it takes to make a true family.

Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell have done a great job at discussing one of the major issues in our society in a lighthearted and comforting way. Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell makes this story extremely heartwarming and cute as Roy and Silo try so hard to build a family no matter how different they were from the other families. This story brilliantly talks about embracing the differences of certain families and the way that Silo and Roy want to be parents even though they are both boys is portrayed in a positive way and this book will help children embrace diversity extremely easily. Henry Cole’s illustrations are fluid and cute as the penguins look somewhat realistic and are drawn in fluid colors that help give the book a more upbeat mood and Henry Cole’s illustrations always show Roy and Silo having happy and comfortable expressions which shows that they take pleasure in being a couple no matter how different they are from the other couples.

Parents should know that the theme of homosexuality in this book might upset some readers which caused this book to be banned and challenged in many states, even though this book is trying to point out that even the most unlikely couple can create a beautiful family. Parents might want to talk to their children about how homosexuality is one of the most controversial issues discussed in society, but also discuss how the book was trying to promote a safe message about having a true family.

“And Tango Makes Three” is a truly beautiful and engaging book about accepting different families of different cultures. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the theme of homosexuality might upset some parents.

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Jul 29, 2010 Joanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-books-2010, non-fiction, young-adult

I wanted to read this during the Hundred Book Challenge due to the fact that it has constantly appeared near the top of the banned/challenged book lists every year since its publication.

You would not think that a simple story about the penguins at the Central Park Zoo would be so objectionable, except for the fact that two male penguins fall in cold penguin neck nuzzling love and wind up hatching an egg and raising a baby penguin together. Apparently, the fact that these penguins are so incredib...more

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Apr 19, 2010 Joanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: banned-challenged, kids-books, from-the-library

Seeing as this is one of the most frequently banned or challenged books out there I just had to read it. My library had it on the parenting shelf in the children's room (along with storybooks about divorce, death, new babies etc) which I guess is an appropriate spot but it also made me wonder if this was done because of all the negative attention the book has received. In all fairness, there are two shelves of "special interest" storybooks in the parenting section so this book was in no way bani...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: multicultural-text-set

And Tango makes three is a wonderful true story. It is a story of two male penguins, Roy and Silo, at the NYC Zoo that become best friends. Unlike the other mated penguins in the zoo they cannot have a baby, until the zookeeper finds an un-mothered egg to let them have.

I would use this book in my classroom to show sequencing. There are many times in the book where the illustrator, Henry Cole, could have used one picture. In order to show a progression of time he used many pictures that change a...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Sarah Rosati rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: social-justice-text-set

This story takes place in New York City's Central Park Zoo and it is based on a true story about a penguin family comprised of two male penguins and their experiences with raising an adoptive egg. Roy and Silo engage in the same actions as the other penguin couples as they swim together, cuddle, and share a nest. However, in observing their fellow penguins as they begin to hatch eggs and raise baby penguins, the two male penguins attempt to nurture an egg-shaped rock with little success. Upon in...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Week Four Book Reviews	1	3	Jan 26, 2012 08:03pm
Banned and Challe...: Do you think this book deserves to be banned?	1	15	Dec 06, 2011 05:44pm
Banned and Challe...: What did you think of the book "And Tango Makes Three"?	1	5	Nov 02, 2011 04:17pm
Banned and Challe...: Why do you think "And Tango Makes Three" is the most challenged book in America five years running?	1	4	Nov 02, 2011 04:11pm

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/117997.And_Tango_Makes_Three?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348845313l/117997.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/117997.And_Tango_Makes_Three?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson[/url]

And Tango Makes Three

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