Emily Carlson and Emilie Jourdain

Childrens Literature 419

Final Project
May 5th, 2015

Heather Has Two Mommies

Exploring Diverse and Unconventional Families

Field Research:

For the field research portion we chose to go to the Tenleytown Public Library.
There we searched for our subject of diverse and unconventional families. Upon
entering we noticed how open the library was, with a lot of natural light streaming in
from the many large windows lining the walls. It was also nice to see that the
childrens section was on the first floor and right around the corner from where you
enter. The collection of childrens books was not as large as I thought (or hoped) it
was going to be, but it was still a decent size.
When we first started searching for books we had some difficulty because the
titles that we searched for either were not available in this particular library or we
could not find them on the shelf. And we figured that there was not a specific section
dedicated to our subject, instead the books must be interspersed with all of the other
childrens books that the library had to offer. With the difficulty we were having
searching independently, we decided to ask the librarian at the desk if she could help
us. At first she only knew one or two books off the top of her head, but once we
walked over to the section where she was looking for a specific title she was able to

pull a few more off of the shelf. Then she called over a different librarian who knew
the library better than she did, and who she thought would be of better help to us.
This new librarian was able to pull many more books off the shelves. Though they
were able to give us many books, we noticed that most of the books had to do with
more culturally diverse families rather than unconventional families--though we were
able to get a few unconventional family books as well.

Analysis:

For this project we looked at two editions of Heather Has Two Mommies by
Leslea Newman, the 1989 and the 2015 editions. Both editions keep to the same
theme of family love and the acceptance of diverse and unconventional families.
Though both books follow the same themes and, for the most part, have the same
dialogue, there are a few differences that can be seen.
Throughout the story, in both editions, the idea of acceptance is prevalent.
There is no one type of family that is stigmatized. Every type of family is accepted,
as long as they all love each other. There is never a moment of judgment from
anyone - from either the teacher or the students. Heather comes to the realization
that she has two mommies on her own. There are questions asked, but the conflict
does not arise from hostility but rather from curiosity. In the 1989 version, when
Heather realizes that she has two mommies, she begins to cry and is visibly upset.
However, in the more recent edition, Heather is simply more curious about this
difference rather than getting upset. In the 2015 version the teacher immediately
alleviates the situation by turning it into a classroom-wide activity, emphasizing the
theme that everyone has different families that are all united through love.

In terms of language and imagery, once again, differences can be seen.

Overall the 2015 edition is much more concise in its language than the 1989 edition.
The 1989 edition uses a lot more descriptive language and a more minimalist
approach to its illustrations--all the the pictures in the 1989 version are in black and
white. Whereas the 1989 version includes more descriptions and higher vocabulary,
the 2015 version uses simpler language and relies more upon colorful and detailed
illustrations to get the message across. Though the 2015 edition uses simpler
language, whenever there is a more difficult word used it is often explained either
through the illustrations or description. One of the standout more challenging words
is veterinarian, which is followed by a description of this job as well as other jobs
that other students parents have. And, according to Tunnell and Jacobs, it is the
function of a picture book to teach and describe new concepts to children that may
have previously been unfamiliar (Tunnell and Jacobs, pg. 32). Using this definition it
is easy to see that Newman does a great job normalizing different types of families
by putting it into kid-friendly words accompanied by colorful pictures.
Finally, in the 2015 edition there is a greater effort made to make the student
multicultural as well as having different types of families, whereas in the 1989 edition
the unconventional families were more prevalent. Using Vasquezs second tenet that
students cultural knowledge and multimedia literacy practices should be used,
students can approach this book with their own cultural background knowledge
about diverse and multicultural families (Vasquez, pg. 3). The illustrations in this
book and Miss Mollys discussion of acceptance of all families can allow students to
consider where they have seen diversity in their own lives. This book can help
broaden their perspective on what it means to be a part of a family. In the 1989
version of this book, the descriptions from each of the other students families vary

from those in the 2015 version. There is more direct dialogue from the students in
the older version, whereas the 2015 version has more descriptions of the families
and the diverse family lives, rather than dialogue between the students and the
teacher. For instance, the 2015 version discusses the variety of jobs and family
members that raise the students, such as grandparents, stepparents, etc.
Despite the differences between the 2015 and the 1989 editions the
overarching theme and message stays the same throughout the years. It can clearly
be seen that diverse, as well as unconventional families are welcomed and
accepted. And Newman is trying to normalize this idea by introducing it to children
from a young age.

Annotated Reading List:

1. My Mom Is A Foreigner, But Not to Me by author and actress Julianne Moore

would be an excellent addition to our class discussion of diverse and multicultural
families. The beautifully textured illustrations describe the different experiences of
families with foreign parents. Its depictions of customs from all different cultures
integrated with the American lifestyle helps to normalize an often-ostracizing feeling
that children reading this book may have experienced. This book breaks down
pretenses about foreign parents by making the differences in cultures appear fun
and happy, and it shows that families are still bound together by experiences that all
families can share, such as laughter, singing, dancing, family meals, and - most
importantly - love.

Moore, Julianne, and Meilo So. My Mom Is a Foreigner, but Not to Me. San
Francisco: Chronicle, 2013. Print.

2. Whos In My Family? by author Robie H. Harris and illustrator Nadine Bernard

Westcott provides an all-encompassing perspective on nearly every type of diverse
family imaginable. It tells the story of a racially diverse family, and references how
families can differ not just in skin color but in siblings, stepparents, two mommies
and daddies, food preferences, and family activities. It opens the conversation for
children to ask questions about their own families, and the accessible language and
vocabulary give this book a matter-of-fact tone to help children understand that all
families are special, no matter their degree of differences.

Harris, Robie H., and Nadine Bernard Westcott. Who's in My Family?: All about Our
Families. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2012. Print.

3. Mom and Mum Are Getting Married! by author Ken Setterington and illustrator
Alice Priestley tell the tale of a loving family whose two mommies are getting
married. It centers around the wedding day, and each event has a deep sense of
normalcy that could translate to any couple, no matter the sexual orientation. This
book ties back to Heather Has Two Mommies by exploring the central theme of love
that transcends other prejudices.

Setterington, Ken, and Alice Priestley. Mom and Mum Are Getting Married!Toronto:
Second Story, 2004. Print.

4. Papa and Me by author Arthur Dorros and illustrator Rudy Gutierrez offers a look
into the lives of a young boy and his father, who speak two different languages
(English and Spanish). Though they may not understand each other by words alone,
their passion for different activities such as music and art shine through, and it
becomes clear to the reader that the love they share does not need to be constricted
by trivial things such as a language barrier. The author integrates both Spanish and
English into the text of this book, and any reader would be able to recognize what
the author is saying despite their knowledge of either language. Like Heather Has
Two Mommies, this book can be used to teach the importance of emphasizing love
over small details, no matter what may be considered normal to the outside world.

Dorros, Arthur, and Rudy Gutierrez. Papa and Me. New York: Rayo, 2008. Print.

5. Mommy, Mama, and Me is written by Leslea Newman, the same author as

Heather Has Two Mommies. In this board book intended for very young children,
Newman maintains the underlying theme from her original book in a more accessible
way. The language in this book is very simple which makes it clear to young children
that the little girl described has two mommies who love her very much, shown
through their various day-to-day activities. The illustrations are extremely friendly and
depict the love shared not only between the child and her moms, but also between
her two mommies.

Newman, Leslea, and Carol Thompson. Mommy, Mama, and Me. Berkeley: Tricycle,
2009. Print.

Social Justice Project:

For our social justice project, we decided to divide it into two parts. To start off, the
teacher will ask each students to draw a portrait of his/her family, similar to what
Miss Molly asked of her students in Heather Has Two Mommies. After a brief
discussion of what family means to them, the students will then hang their portraits of
their families up in the form of a mural in the classroom. This will provide an overall
view of how everyones family can be different, but they all share the common thread
of unconditional love. Additionally, it portrays how family can mean something
different for everyone. The second part of our project is to bring in an outside guest
speaker from an organization such as Human Rights Campaign (HRC) or Parents,
Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) to discuss the importance of
accepting all people for who they are, regardless of their differences. After this guest
speaker discussion, students can write a brief reflection on how they can take what
they have learned and apply it to their own lives, or how their perspectives have
been shaped by this book, the mural, and/or the guest speaker.