And Tango Makes Three

The factual basis is real: Roy and Silo were documented male chinstrap penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo who paired, nested, and raised a chick named Tango with a zookeeper's help. Henry Cole's illustrations are warm and skillfully done. The book has earned ALA Notable recognition and is widely used in LGBTQ-inclusive educational settings. However, parents considering this for a faith-family or traditional-values household need the full picture: it is the most challenged library book in US history for multiple years running, with challenges citing content unsuitable for young children and messaging that conflicts with traditional family definitions. The book intentionally frames the same-sex penguin pair as a family model and concludes that families can look different. For this site's audience, that framing is a direct conflict with traditional Christian values. Parental review strongly advised before placing this with young children.