Amy Bowllan

And Tango Makes Three: Defenders, Matt & Jillyean Kellog
October 6, 2008

Teachers, Matt and Jillyean Kellogg are on an all out mission to keep And Tango Makes Three on their school library shelves, so I selected them as my Monday's, Everyday People Doing Amazing Things.  

Matt says...thank you [Amy] for responding so quickly.  I am a first and second grade teacher in California.  One year I teach my students as first graders and the next year they are my second graders.  And Tango Makes Three (Simon and Schuster 2005) was adopted by one of my students to donate to the school library.  It had been there an entire year before there was an issue.  We do an extensive study on penguins every other year.  We love this story and as you know it teaches so many beautiful things, most importantly the power of love.  I realize other schools have dealt with this and would love to hear from anyone who was successful or even unsuccessful in keeping this book in the hands of children.  Thank you for your help!  We will be defending the book at our district office in the middle of October.   

Last year I introduced you to authors, Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson who spoke to me about the controversy...

The controversy around the book has been very dismaying, of course. The idea of trying to make the book less available to children, or trying to ban it completely, is angering and disheartening to hear. At the same time, we've been very heartened by the majority of librarians, journalists, and readers who've responded so favorably to the book, who've embraced it strongly, and who are strong in their response to the critics, and in their desire for the book to remain available to everybody. So if you're one of the lucky ones and your school hasn't banned the book, the following Teaching Guide for  And Tango Makes Three , is a winner; and pretty comprehensive. (comes via the Simon and Schuster's Website)

Activities, Projects, and Research

1. With a parent or teacher's help, find out more about Central Park and the Central Park Zoo by visiting the library or consulting the Internet. Here are some questions you should consider while conducting your research: How and when was Central Park created? When did the Central Park Zoo open? What other places are there to visit in Central Park? How is this park important to the residents of New York City?

2. According to the author's note in And Tango Makes Three, there are over ten million chinstrap penguins in the world. Complete a research project on chinstrap penguins. To get started, find out the answers to the following questions: Where do chinstrap penguins live? What do they eat? What is their natural habitat is like? How does their habitat in a zoo differ from their natural habitat? After finding out the answers to these questions and more, talk to the other students in your class about your findings. Share your answers with each other in written and illustrated reports, or collaborate to design a collective bulletin board with your information.

3. Did you know that chinstrap penguins are just one of eighteen different species of penguins found around the globe? Find out about the other types of penguins that live in the world. How do these penguins differ from the chinstrap penguins? How are they alike? How do penguins differ from other birds?

4. Mr. Gramzay is the penguin keeper in the story. Learn more about what it means to be a penguin keeper. What are the daily responsibilities of a penguin keeper? What kind of education do penguin keepers need? Would you like to be a penguin keeper one day?

5. Pretend you are a penguin! Collect small stones around your school or home and build your own miniature penguin nest. Designate a round object as your penguin egg and take turns sitting on it. You can also practice walking, bowing, and singing like a penguin.

6. And Tango Makes Three shows how Roy and Silo became a family. Now it's your turn to find out how your family got started. How did your family come to be? Where did your parents and grandparents meet? How many children do they have? Have a classroom discussion about the origins of families.

7. In addition to penguins, there are many other animal families that make their homes in zoos. Learn more about the animals mentioned in the book, such as red panda bears, monkeys, toads, toucans, and cotton -- top tamarins. Choose a zoo near your home to visit with an adult. Do the same animals that live in the Central Park Zoo live in the zoo near your home? Or are they different?

About the Authors

Justin Richardson, M.D., is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia and Cornell. He is also the coauthor of Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They'd Ask). His advice to parents has been featured in the New York Times and on The Today Show, 20/20 and NPR's Morning Edition.

Peter Parnell is a playwright whose most recent play, QED, was produced on Broadway. He was a coproducer of the television show The West Wing. He lives in New York City.

About the Illustrator

Henry Cole is an extremely versatile artist who has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein. He lives in Florida.

Further Resources

www.familypride.org
www.antarcticconnection.com
www.penguintag.org
www.wcs.org (Wildlife Conservation Society -- the Web site of New York City zoos and aquariums)
www.nyzoosandaquarium.com

 And Tango Makes Three is a true story. What does this mean? Do you know of other true stories that have been made into books?

Posted by Amy Bowllan on October 6, 2008 | Comments (0)