Book review: A Tale of Two Mommies and A Tale of Two Daddies

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A Tale of Two Mommies and A Tale of Two Daddies are two short picture books aimed at children between the ages of 4 and 8 with the purpose of helping them navigate the world of families and diversity.

 Written by Vanita Oelschlager and illustrated by Mike Blanc and Kristin Blackwood, they immediately caught my attention as I’m always on the lookout for books that my daughter, who also has same-sex parents, will be able to relate to when she’s old enough.

 Let me start by saying that I will happily share these two books with her once she becomes more interested in looking at them rather than chewing them! The illustrations are cute and fun and I liked that the conversation unfolding throughout the pages happens at child-level, with all the curiosity and candidness that only children can muster.


 From an adult perspective, you could argue that both books can perpetuate gender stereotypes that we should strive to suppress. Not all mums like baking and not all dads can fix bicycles so it’s not the end of the world if a child doesn’t have a mum or a dad to do those things. Cakes will still be eaten and bicycles will still be fixed. 

 Having said this, these books work on a simpler level. I mean, they’re books for children rather than essays on same-sex parenthood. They’re not trying to beat stereotypes, they’re just trying to entertain children. Their message goes beyond gender roles. It all comes down to love. Regardless of your family composition, you, as a child, are loved. That’s it.

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