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And Tango Makes Three Hardcover – Picture Book, June 1, 2005

4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 3,102 ratings

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And Tango Makes Three is the bestselling, heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family.

At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo get the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own.

Selected as an ALA Notable Children’s Book Nominee and a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, “this joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library” (
School Library Journal, starred review).

Teachers' picks | Explore children's books by grade

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From the Publisher

And Tango Makes Three

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3-This tale based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City's Central Park Zoo will capture the hearts of penguin lovers everywhere. Roy and Silo, two male penguins, are "a little bit different." They cuddle and share a nest like the other penguin couples, and when all the others start hatching eggs, they want to be parents, too. Determined and hopeful, they bring an egg-shaped rock back to their nest and proceed to start caring for it. They have little luck, until a watchful zookeeper decides they deserve a chance at having their own family and gives them an egg in need of nurturing. The dedicated and enthusiastic fathers do a great job of hatching their funny and adorable daughter, and the three can still be seen at the zoo today. Done in soft watercolors, the illustrations set the tone for this uplifting story, and readers will find it hard to resist the penguins' comical expressions. The well-designed pages perfectly marry words and pictures, allowing readers to savor each illustration. An author's note provides more information about Roy, Silo, Tango, and other chinstrap penguins. This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library.-Julie Roach, Watertown Free Public Library, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2. Roy and Silo were "a little bit different" from the other male penguins: instead of noticing females, they noticed each other. Thus penguin chick Tango, hatched from a fertilized egg given to the pining, bewildered pair, came to be "the only penguin in the Central Park Zoo with two daddies." As told by Richardson and Parnell (a psychiatrist and playwright), this true story remains firmly within the bounds of the zoo's polar environment, as do Cole's expressive but still realistic watercolors (a far cry from his effete caricatures in Harvey Fierstein's The Sissy Duckling, 2002). Emphasizing the penguins' naturally ridiculous physiques while gently acknowledging their situation, Cole's pictures complement the perfectly cadenced text--showing, for example, the bewildered pair craning their necks toward a nest that was "nice, but a little empty." Indeed, intrusions from the zookeeper, who remarks that the nuzzling males "must be in love," strike the narrative's only false note. Further facts about the episode conclude, but it's naive to expect this will be read only as a zoo anecdote. However, those who share this with children will find themselves returning to it again and again--not for the entree it might offer to matters of human sexuality, but for the two irresistible birds at its center and for the celebration of patient, loving fathers who "knew just what to do." Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; First Edition (June 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0689878451
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0689878459
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 6 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD520L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 3,102 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
3,102 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the tone sweet, adorable, and good way to introduce surrogacy or adoption to little kids. They also say the theme meaningful and inclusive, bringing up different, happy families. Readers appreciate the beautiful illustrations. They describe the writing quality as great, well-written, and simple. Customers also find the emotional tone touching in spirit.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

106 customers mention "Storyline"106 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline sweet, wonderful, and portrays non-traditional families. They also say it's a story about inclusion and true love.

"...The soft illustrations by Henry Cole are such a nice complement to the story - I'm really looking forward to sharing this special book with our..." Read more

"...to use For children’s teachable moments But beyond that the story is lovely and who doesn’t like penguins? I definitely recommend this one." Read more

"...What a beautiful story to tell anyone about the power of love and family." Read more

"What is not to love!!! This book is amazing and sweet! Based on a true story and beautiful illustrations!..." Read more

47 customers mention "Illustrations"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the illustrations in the book beautiful.

"...The soft illustrations by Henry Cole are such a nice complement to the story - I'm really looking forward to sharing this special book with our..." Read more

"...This book is amazing and sweet! Based on a true story and beautiful illustrations!..." Read more

"...The story and artwork are captivating, and the writing is beautiful...." Read more

"Wonderful illustrations and a truly sweet story." Read more

32 customers mention "Theme"32 positive0 negative

Customers find the theme of the book meaningful, inclusive, and beautiful. They also say it's a touching story and a perfect presentation of same-sex relationships as found naturally. Customers also love that it brings up different, happy families and normalizes same- sex parents.

"This book has a cute story, nice illustrations, and a sweet message. My main complaint is that the font is TINY. Like smaller than an adult book...." Read more

"This book is adorable and teaches about inclusivity, acceptance, and that love is love...." Read more

"Its a sweet book with a good message that all we need is love" Read more

"...I thought it was a great story to teach diversity, after I read it I thought I will be getting this for everyone of my friends children...." Read more

30 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive6 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book great, touching, and timeless. They also say it's recommended for all ages, and that it'll connect with children and adults.

"LOVE this book! It's so wonderful and a good intro for littler kids." Read more

"Touching and timeless story. Recommended for ALL ages. Takes about 15 minutes to read." Read more

"...Well told and illustrated, great for all ages and a must for youngsters +\~ 4 yrs old" Read more

"...I think it's a cute and fun way to become introduced to a family structure." Read more

28 customers mention "Writing style"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style very well written, easy to read, and simple. They also say the story is wonderful to read again and again. Readers also appreciate the CD read by the author. They mention the book makes simple points and does not provide explanations.

"...good, loving parents do for their offspring—no artifice there, no explanations...." Read more

"...Highly recommend! By the way, the CD is read by the author. But It is hard to find a CD reader." Read more

"...The story and artwork are captivating, and the writing is beautiful...." Read more

"I LOVED this little book. It makes a very simple points - that "families" come in many different forms...." Read more

18 customers mention "Tone"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the tone of the book sweet, great for same-sex adoptive parents to read with their child, and a good way to introduce surrogacy or adoption to little kids. They also say it teaches about inclusivity, acceptance, and that love is love.

"This book is adorable and teaches about inclusivity, acceptance, and that love is love...." Read more

"...Have also seen this pair in the Central Park Zoo. Foster parenting is good in all species." Read more

"This book is cute, my three year old loves it. It teaches about inclusive families and is a good fit for a preschool audience. But, buyer beware!..." Read more

"...The story is sweet, and, I believe, portrays non-traditional families in a way that is healthy and appropriate for primary-level children, because..." Read more

17 customers mention "Emotional tone"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the emotional tone of the book touching in spirit, loving, and sweet. They also say it shows that love is love.

"This book is beautiful and touching in spirit, loving, adorable, and heartwarming. Love is love, plus it’s got super cute penguins!" Read more

"...I loved the cute penguins but I also loved how this book taught love and acceptance...." Read more

"...book is fabulous, I got for my son and we love the story as it is so touching and perfectly written..." Read more

"...this book, It's a children's book, however as an adult I found it heartwarming." Read more

7 customers mention "Factual accuracy"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's factual accuracy to be beautiful, true, and informative. They also appreciate the narrator's great job.

"This factual, non-fiction book is a great way to help children understand non-traditional family configurations...." Read more

"...It's still true, even if Silo and Roy are no longer together...." Read more

"...I love how this book navigates the topic -- very matter of factly." Read more

"...It's SUCH a beautiful story - and it is TRUE!! Regardless of your beliefs, this is just an amazing look at nature." Read more

Great story to teach kids about different families.
5 Stars
Great story to teach kids about different families.
Such a sweet story! This is a great book to teach kids that not all families look the same. Based on a true story too! I am disgusted that this book ended up on the banned book list. Shame on them.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
Funny - as I finished reading this beautiful book for the first time, one of my old favorite songs (by Hal David/Burt Bacharach) as a child growing up in the 60's started playing in my head...

What the world needs now is love sweet love,
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now is love sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone!

The simplicity of the words husband and husband team Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell have used to tell the true story of a couple of male chinstrap penguins (Roy and Silo) at New York's Central Park Zoo, who had paired off as a couple and were given an extra fertilized egg to hatch on their way to becoming a family unlike any of the zoo's other animal families (but a family nonetheless!), makes this book a perfect way to begin naturally introducing the concepts of acceptance and inclusion to youngsters. The soft illustrations by Henry Cole are such a nice complement to the story - I'm really looking forward to sharing this special book with our four grandchildren, who will most certainly be meeting many families of varying composition during their lifetimes! The way baby Tango and his dads are welcomed by the children coming to see them after his birth is a good "footprint in the sand" to leave on a child's growing sense of the world around them.

I'm a dozen years late in my personal discovery of the book, so I missed the brouhaha surrounding its 2005 publication, having appeared on the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom's "Top Ten Most Challenged Book List" from 2006-2010, reappearing in 2012, and - sadly - again as late as 2014. This is such a gentle book, and to imagine literature that celebrates the love and devotion of parents would ever appear on such a list is disheartening. This is a sweet book that talks of the desire to share a home and a family (I'll type the text in the comment section below for parents/grandparents to read for themselves if they're on the fence about the book.) The younger of my two sons is gay, has been in a committed and happy relationship with his partner for seven years, and should they eventually marry and decide to begin a family, it would be so painful to the heart of this mother to see his family shunned or ridiculed. I hope the authors have not experienced it since the birth of their own daughter, little Gemma, whom I suppose is about 8 years old now and feeling very loved and secure.

Children are drawn to books about animals, there aren't too many animals cuter or funnier than penguins, and if you're a parent or grandparent who's searching for ways to begin opening your child's mind to the concept of the different types of families they'll encounter (or may be a part of!) along life's journey, as I myself have been, I think "And Tango Makes Three" is a nice place to start.
108 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
This is a wonderful book and it’s an entertaining story. It does give you something to use For children’s teachable moments But beyond that the story is lovely and who doesn’t like penguins? I definitely recommend this one.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2024
I collect banned and/or challenged books. This was my Christmas present to myself. Having originally become aware of this little trio when they were a duo on an episode of Will & Grace, I thought it was wonderful that so many people were not bothered with two male penguins finding love and were willing to fight for them so they wouldn't be separated. What a beautiful story to tell anyone about the power of love and family.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024
What is not to love!!! This book is amazing and sweet! Based on a true story and beautiful illustrations! If I could, I would buy it for all the kids and put them in those little free libraries!
6 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2023
I loved the honesty of the way the authors depicted the two male parents as a couple in love, and both in love with their baby, together doing what good, loving parents do for their offspring—no artifice there, no explanations. All the reader/listener has to do is appreciate and enjoy the devoted way they nurture the egg and post the egg hatching how they train their baby to become a happy, well adjusted, responsible member of the community (the village, so to speak of). The underlying message is about acceptance of others as they are. It’s too bad that the Christian haters have complained and even banned this multi award winning book in the name of Jesus and the bible. And I find it all baffling because, if true that Christ preached acceptance and a love of one another, why then is there so much hatred and meanness being committed in our country upon those that are different but do no harm by those who purport to follow him?
31 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2023
I recently bought a shirt that says "I'm With The Banned" and has 17 book titles on it. I've read 9 of them. So now I'm working through the rest. I went ahead and knocked this one out because it took me literally 5 minutes.

It is a children's book about two male Penguins named Roy and Silo who live at the Central Park Zoo and are in love. They do everything like the other penguin couples. But they couldn't make an egg. Another couple had an extra egg that they couldn't take care of so the zookeeper gave that egg to Roy and Silo. They cared for the egg and became parents to Tango and the family of three lived happily ever after.

It is absurd to me that this book is banned. Gay couples exist and can be just as loving as straight ones. This book is sweet and I love that it promotes that all kinds of loving families can exist. If I had a child, I would read it to them at bedtime.
29 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
Bought 2 for grandkids, one for this Granny's house after learning this book was "banned" or attempted to be banned from schools and libraries. It's a beautiful story. Why would people want to ban a book aimed at the promotion of inclusion for all people? God made us all, Good doesn't make mistakes. Love is love.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023
I love the book And Tango Makes Three so much. Even It is banned in some states, It is important for children to learn about different Family structures And the love among families. Highly recommend! By the way, the CD is read by the author. But It is hard to find a CD reader.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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mcewin
5.0 out of 5 stars A nice book about penguins
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2024
Buy it, read it to your kids & yourself, then donate it to a local school. Good art, based on true events and real biology.
H. litchfield
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book, brings the real world home.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2023
Brought for use in a school. It’s great for the children to be able to read about all kinds of families!
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book
Reviewed in Sweden on November 21, 2023
Beautiful book…. A must read for all
Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bonito
Reviewed in Spain on October 23, 2023
Nos ha encantado para poder explicar el método de adopción de embriones con nuestro bebé
Payal
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in India on July 3, 2020
Good book with a great story based on reality. Book came nicely packed in a good condition.
Stories like this will definitely help parents shape up their children in better human beings who accept others and the world as it is.
One person found this helpful
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