Heather Has Two Mommies: 10th Anniversary Edition (Alyson Wonderland) | 
 enlarge | Author: Leslea Newman
Creator: Diane Souza
Publisher: Alyson Books
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.74
You Save: $7.21 (48%)
New (34) Used (16) Collectible (1) from $6.52
Rating:  35 reviews
Sales Rank: 106294
Format: Special Edition
Media: Paperback
Edition: 10 Anv
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Pages: 32
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.2
ISBN: 1555835430
EAN: 9781555835439
ASIN: 1555835430
Publication Date: June 1, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. Delivery is usually 5 - 8 working days from order, International is by Royal Mail Airmail
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Amazon.com Review
This handsome 10-anniversary edition of a minor classic presents the story of Heather, a preschooler with two moms who discovers that some of her friends have very different sorts of families. Juan, for example, has a mommy and a daddy and a big brother named Carlos. Miriam has a mommy and a baby sister. And Joshua has a mommy, a daddy, and a stepdaddy. Their teacher Molly encourages the children to draw pictures of their families, and reassures them that "each family is special" and that "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other." In the afterword, the author (whose other children's books include IMatzo Ball Moon/I) explains that although she grew up in a Jewish home, in a Jewish neighborhood, there were no families like hers on the television or in picture books. She came to regard her family as somehow "wrong," since there was no Christmas tree in the living room and no Easter egg hunt. Whatever the religious right may wish to think about nontraditional families, there is no denying that any child enrolled in an American school will encounter friends with single parents, gay parents, stepparents, or adoptive parents. This new, revised version of IHeather Has Two Mommies/I offers an enjoyable, upbeat, age-appropriate introduction to the idea of family diversity. The book is essential for children (ages 2 to 6) with gay parents or family members, and a great addition to a Rainbow Curriculum. I--Regina Marler/I
Product Description
Originally self-published in 1989, Heather Has Two Mommies became the first title in Alyson's newly formed Alyson Wonderland imprint in 1990. The simple and straightforward story of a little girl named Heather and her two lesbian mothers was created by Newman and illustrator Diana Souza because children's books that reflected a nontraditional family did not exist, but a firestorm of controversy soon ensued. Attacked by the religious right, lambasted by Jesse Helms from the floor of the U.S Senate, and stolen from library shelves, it was an uphill battle for Heather. Thanks to the overwhelming support of booksellers, librarians, parents, and children, however, Heather Has Two Mommies has sold over 35,000 copies, launched a minor industry in providing books for the children of gay and lesbian parents and, as attested to by a recent New Yorker cartoon, become part of the cultural lexicon.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 30 more reviews...
 Heather has Two Mommies June 1, 2008
L. Bandych (Hampton Bays, N.Y.)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
My daughter likes this book, she seems to get it. And its given her permission to talk about having two mommies.
 Heather has a Major Controversy February 7, 2008
Amaranth (Northern California)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Leslea Newman's "Heather has Two Mommies" was controversial when it came out-so to speak-nearly two decades ago. It has become a staple in school libraries, most public libraries don't relegate it to a forbidden corner, yet it still provokes challenges... like the Harry Potter series. While the boy wizard has sparked debates about witchcraft, "Heather has two mommies" still inflames with its depiction of lesbian parenting. br / br /"Heather has Two Mommies" is a fascinating relic of its time. Back when it was first published, lesbian parenting wasn't common. High-profile celebrity lesbians like Melissa Etheridge weren't raising children. It was enjoyed by few. Now, lesbians can have children easily through IVFadoption. "Heather has two mommies",ironically,hearkens back to a more conservative time. The plot is simple: two women decide to have a child. When Heather grows up, she asks about families at day care. She learns that her family is part of a spectrum of families. There's no norm. br / br /"Heather has two mommies" brings up more questions than it answers, especially when one considers presenting the issue of homosexuality to children. In the recent anniversary edition, the artificial insemination beginning of the book has been excised. A little cut- but it means so much. Why self-censorship on Newman's part? The illustrations are also gloomya little odd. It doesn't have children's book approachability, like "Daddy's Roommate." It comes across as a glum tome. The two mommies fit the butch/femme stereotype. br / br /"Heather has two mommies" functions better as an artifact of the controversy about lesbian parenting than as a children's book. It hearkens back to a time when society still questioned whether lesbians could be suitable parents. It's proof that times have changed-- but the book is still facing controversy like when it first appeared.
A wonderful book November 3, 2007
Carly Stanton (Houston, TX)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
First of all, I'd like to mention that most of the bad reviews here are for the original edition and not the 10th anniversary edition. The latter contains no mention of artificial insemination or any other particularly controversial subjects. It is a sweet story in which Heather attends her first day of school and joins her class in talking about their families and drawing their pictures. All kinds of families are represented in this book, and Heather and her mothers are represented as a normal loving family. Also, an informative note from the author explains her reasons for changing the text for the tenth anniversary edition, which addresses the problems some reviewers had with the book as it was originally written.
 Two Mommies September 25, 2007
Astarti Mela (Greece)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
It is a good book. It would be nice if it had colours and was not only black and white but still one should definitely buy it. It is important to grow our children whether the parents are gay or not with the open mind that one needs to be a human being.
 Totally Awful June 18, 2007
robie (San Francisco, CA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Hey, I'm a lesbian mom myself. I have two great kids. I was given this book as a gift. What a horrible book. Difficult to read, full of 1970s impossible to comprehend propaganda. Almost seems like the crazy right-wing wrote it, there is so much to object to. How on earth is artificial insemination a subject for kids, and if it was, surely there is a less textbook, more creative positive way to portray it?? Surely. At best, this book is an artifact of good intentions, and little more.
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