Heather Has Two Mommies: 10th Anniversary Edition (Alyson Wonderland)
Originally self-published in 1989, Heather Has Two Mommies became the first title in Alyson's newly formed Alyson Wonderland imprint in 1990. The simple and straightforward story of a little girl named Heather and her two lesbian mothers was created by Newman and illustrator Diana Souza because children's books that reflected a nontraditional family did not exist, but a firestorm of controversy soon ensued. Attacked by the religious right, lambasted by Jesse Helms from the floor of the U.S Senate, and stolen from library shelves, it was an uphill battle for Heather. Thanks to the overwhelming support of booksellers, librarians, parents, and children, however, Heather Has Two Mommies has sold over 35,000 copies, launched a minor industry in providing books for the children of gay and lesbian parents and, as attested to by a recent New Yorker cartoon, become part of the cultural lexicon.
This handsome 10-anniversary edition of a minor classic presents the story of Heather, a preschooler with two moms who discovers that some of her friends have very different sorts of families. Juan, for example, has a mommy and a daddy and a big brother named Carlos. Miriam has a mommy and a baby sister. And Joshua has a mommy, a daddy, and a stepdaddy. Their teacher Molly encourages the children to draw pictures of their families, and reassures them that "each family is special" and that "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other." In the afterword, the author (whose other children's books include Matzo Ball Moon) explains that although she grew up in a Jewish home, in a Jewish neighborhood, there were no families like hers on the television or in picture books. She came to regard her family as somehow "wrong," since there was no Christmas tree in the living room and no Easter egg hunt. Whatever the religious right may wish to think about nontraditional families, there is no denying that any child enrolled in an American school will encounter friends with single parents, gay parents, stepparents, or adoptive parents. This new, revised version of Heather Has Two Mommies offers an enjoyable, upbeat, age-appropriate introduction to the idea of family diversity. The book is essential for children (ages 2 to 6) with gay parents or family members, and a great addition to a Rainbow Curriculum. --Regina Marler
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Additional Product Information
- ISBN: 9781555835439
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35 Reviews
| From: Amazon Posted: Oct 27, 2006 Type: User Review |
All in the Family
Heather, a bright preschooler lives with her mother and her mother's partner. The girl's teacher asks the class to talk about their families and to draw pictures.
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 4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Dec 30, 2005 Type: User Review |
Excellent Book For Any Child's Library
I read this book through, and imagined reading it to my children when I finally have some and found it to be a wonderful read. Very well written. All children should have this book read to them whether they come from two mothers, two fathers, a...
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 5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: May 20, 2005 Type: User Review |
Earnestly PC
Jean-Claude Van Damme uttered the immortal line: "I didn't make the world; I just live in it" (Cyborg, c. 1989). On one level, this book is useful for those kids thrust into non-traditional family situations like those in HHTM. You could do...
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 3.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 18, 2005 Type: User Review |
Creates more questions than it answers
The book's appearance and story line are both lighthearted and gentle with the underlying message that acceptance is the highest of all virtues. This approach will probably work for a typical 5 year old child in a Lesbian led household -...
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 2.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jul 14, 2004 Type: User Review |
Writing from experience
I had this book as a child, and I absolutely loved it. The style of art allowed me to color it in as if it were a coloring book as I read the wonderful story. Heather is a very happy child, and she loves both of her mothers... and they love her...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jan 12, 2004 Type: User Review |
May not reach intended audiences on account of bad graphics.
I appreciate the openess (since kids are much smarter than we give them credit for, the insemination would not upset children) of this book, but the lack of color is tricky in a children's book. I have read some excellent 'current issue'...
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3.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Nov 11, 2003 Type: User Review |
Wonderful Book
Both my partner and myself fell in love with this book. Our daughter also likes reading this book. She likes it so much that she wanted to give one to her class so that they could "learn" that there are families that don't always have a mom and...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jul 24, 2003 Type: User Review |
Brave book!
I cannot believe that this is still considered such a controversial book. I was a teenager when it came out and found myself amused but not really interested in the subject matter. Now I am a mother with a gay brother-in-law, and I really want...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 25, 2003 Type: User Review |
the message backfires
First off all, this book deserves some credit for being one of-if not the very first- books for kids dealing with gay parents. This book has a sweet story and is appropriate for small children- not too gritty or 'adult' or anything. However...
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3.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jan 31, 2003 Type: User Review |
Should be in color, but an important book to consider
The illustrations should be in color to interest children. The edition I have does not have the artificial insemination part. While controversial, that part would be important for older children. It was not shocking at all; just straightforward.
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4.00/5 |
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