Penguins are lovable. And it is hard to believe a children’s book on such an inoffensive bird can trigger a controversy.
But that’s exactly what happened with And Tango Makes Three in 2005. Based on a true New York zoo story by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, the book tells the tale of two male penguins bringing up an orphaned chick—it raises the question of what makes a family.
It has been blacklisted in most US libraries and is ranked among the most challenged books. In October, the American Library Association will observe “A Banned Books Month” and campaign for 460 such books.
“Many people take the freedom to read for granted,” Angela Maycock, assistant director, Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, said. The campaign will show how unconstitutional the ban is, she added.