A Tale of Two Daddies

by Vanita Oelschlager

[annieb123]

A Tale of Two Daddies is a sweet children's book which is a playground dialogue between a boy and girl. He notices that she has two dads and asks 'which one braids your hair, who fixes your breakfast, who can catch a frog, who tucks you in bed'? The prose is rhyming and illustrated beautifully and appropriately.

I really loved that the illustrations were from 'little kid' height and that the questions were age-appropriate and felt natural (and innocent) from a kid point of view. 'Who's your soccer coach, who helps you pick out your clothes, who loves you ('Both of course')'; things that kids ask one another.

The days when my own kids were this age are long behind me, but I certainly appreciate that this book normalizes family makeup without being strident or aggressive.

I remember when I was a kid, my best friend's parents got a divorce. It seems pretty ridiculous now (40+ years later), but at the time it was a BIG DEAL. She got bullied and teased about it.

I appreciated it very much that this book didn't make a huge hairy deal over the main character having two dads.

I want to think we're progressing toward understanding and acceptance as far as race, religion, tolerance, generosity etc etc go, though I'm not sure we are. At any rate, this little book (24 pages) is an entry in the positive side of the acceptance equation and a perfect length to become a favorite bedtime read (whatever form your family takes).

A final note: the authors and illustrator are philanthropists and educators and all profits from the book will be donated to charity.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.