Bay Area Mosaic
Index of Mosaic FilmsThat's a Family

RESOURCES

Bibliography for Teachers

* Preschool through Grade 2 ** Grade 3 through Grade 6 ***Grade 7 through 9
Although the stars indicate grade levels, picture books for KÐ2 can also be used effectively in the older grades to introduce segments and for more challenged readers.

Suggested Books About Families in General

* All Kinds of Families, by Norma Simon, A. Whitman, Chicago, 1976.

* Celebrating Families, by Rosmarie Hausherr, Scholastic, 1997. No two family structures are alike in this engaging portrait of 14 American families. No single family is presented as the norm here, and all are celebrated for their strength and diversity.

* Everybody Bakes Bread, by Norah Dorley, ill. Peter J. Thorton, Library Binding, 1995.

* Everybody Cooks Rice, by Norah Dorley, ill. Peter J. Thorton, Library Binding, 1992.

* Families, by Meredith Tax and Marilyn Hafner, Oxford Press, 1992. Six-year-old Angie tells everything she knows about families. Realities such as divorce, stepfamilies, adoption, single-parenting, and Gay and Lesbian parenting are explored through her curious, affectionate, and nonjudgmental eyes. Also in Spanish.

* Families: A Celebration of Diversity, Commitment and Love, by Aylette Jenness with photographs by the author, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990. Seventeen young people describe a rich variety of families Ñ all different in composition but all alike in loving and caring for their members.

* Families Are Different, by Nina Pellegrini, Holiday House, 1981.

* Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch, Firefly, 1996. This highly recommended book traces the circle of love from young mother with infant son to grown man with aged mother. A family favorite for all ages.

* I Got A Family, by Melrose Cooper, illustrations by Dale Gottlieb, Henry Holt & Company, 1993. In poetic form, this young child describes each member of his extended family (mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandmother and so on) in terms of the loving experiences they share.

* WhoÕs in a Family? by Robert Skutch, illustrations by Laura Nienhaus, Tricycle Press, 1998. Beautiful illustrations and text affirm the many ways humans and animals form families.

** The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, Vintage, 1984. Short, easy-to-read, poetic descriptions of daily life and family relationships bring the authorÕs family to life and inspire comparisons to oneÕs own family experience.

** MamaÕs Bank Account, by Kathryn Forbes, Harcourt, Brace, & World Inc., 1943. These stories of a Norwegian immigrant family adapting to American ways show values of love and trust.

Suggested Books About Gay and Lesbian Families

*** Am I Blue? Coming Out From the Silence, edited by Marion Dane Bauer, Harper Collins, 1994.

* Anna Day and the O-Ring, by Elaine Wickens, Alyson Wonderland, Boston, 1994.

* AshaÕs Mums, by Rosamund Elwin and Michele Paulse, illustrated by Dawn Lee, WomenÕs Press, 1993. When AshaÕs teacher questions her two mothersÕ signatures on her field trip form, it affords AshaÕs mums the opportunity to teach the teacher that you can have two mums, and gives Asha the chance to look around at the diversity of families in her class.

*A BoyÕs Best Friend, by Joan Alden, illustrated with photos by Catherine Hopkins, Alyson Wonderland, 1999.

* Daddy's Roommate, by Michael Willhoite, Alyson Publications, 1991. A boy whose parents are divorced describes what he does with his father and his fatherÕs partner, Frank. The boy's mom gives one of many possible explanations for what "Gay" is: "one more kind of love, and love is the best kind of happiness."

** From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun, by Jacqueline Woodson, Scholastic, 1995. Melanin is a 14-year-old boy who lives with his mom, a law student. When his mother falls in love with a woman of another race, his journals disclose how she told him, his responses and the reactions of his friends.

** How Would You Feel If Your Dad Was Gay? by Ann Heron and Meredith Maran, illustrated by Kris Kovick, Alyson Publications, 1994. Jasmine and Michael live with their two Gay dads. Jasmine feels comfortable sharing that information with other kids while Michael is taunted by his fifth-grade classmates until another student, who has a Lesbian mom, says that having Gay parents is Michael's "private business." A school assembly gets called to talk about family diversity. For older children.

* Is Your Family Like Mine? by Lois Aramchik, illustrated by Alaiyo Bradshaw, Open Heart, Open Mind, 1993. When Armetha is asked why she doesnÕt have a daddy, she decides to interview her friends to find out how her family with two moms might be similar to and different from theirs. She encounters families with foster parents, stepparents and single parents. This book reinforces the idea that it is love that connects us and makes us families.

*** Jack, by A.M. Holmes, MacMillan, 1989.

* Jennifer Has Two Daddies, by Patricia Galloway and Ana Ariml, WomenÕs Press, 1985.

*** Living in Secret, by Cristina Salat, Bantam, 1993.

* My Two Uncles, by Judith Vigna, WomenÕs Press, Toronto, 1995. EllieÕs Gay uncles are wonderful to her, and she canÕt understand why Grampy doesnÕt want Uncle Phil at his 50th anniversary party.

*One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dad, by Johnny Valentine, Alyson Wonderland, 1994.

* Saturday Is Pattyday, by Leslea Newman and Annette Hegel, New Victoria Press, 1993.

*** The Skull of Truth, a Magic Shop Book, by Bruce Coville, Harcourt Brace, 1997.

* Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe, by Vera B. Williams, William Morrow & Co., 1986.

* ZackÕs Story: Photographs Growing Up With Same-Sex Parents, by Keith Elliot Greenbury, Learner Publishing Group, 1996.

* Zinnia and Dot, by Lisa Campbell Ernest, Picture Puffin Book, 1992.

Instructional Resources for Teachers and Parents
The following resources are intended to help teachers and parents find further information on topics introduced in ThatÕs a Family! New resources are developed all the time, and this is not intended to be a comprehensive list.

General
Family Diversity Project
www.familydiv.org
For information, e-mail info@familydiv.org
P.O. Box 1209, Amherst, MA 01004 (413) 256-0502
Creators of touring photo text exhibits including: In Our Family: Portraits of All Kinds of Families; Love Makes A Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People and Their Families; Of Many Colors: Portraits of Multiracial Families.

Teaching Tolerance
www.splcenter.org/center/tt/teach.jsp
c/o Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 264-0286
Vibrant magazine for teachers about ways to address bias and multicultural education in the classroom.

Bibliography for Teachers and Parents

Creating a Caring Classroom: Hundreds of Practical Ways to Make It Happen, by Nancy Letts, Scholastic, 1997. Teacher-tested strategies for building community in the classroom.

Is It a Choice? Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gays and Lesbians, by Eric Marcus, Harper San Francisco, 1993.

ItÕs So Amazing! A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families, Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley, Candlewick Press, 1999. An excellent read-aloud book about babies, bodies, love, sex, reproduction and family.

Learning the Skills of Peacemaking, by Naomi Drew and Susan Remkus, Jalmak Press, 1995. KÐ6 activity guide on resolving conflict.

Love Makes a Family Antibias Book Project, with manual covering several themes: race, Gay and Lesbian parents, divorce, immigrants and refugees, disabilities, and grandparents.
c/o Therese Pritschet, 3748 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55409
(612) 824-8090

The New Press Guide to Multicultural Resources for Young Readers, edited by Daphne Muse, The New Press, 1997.
A comprehensive guide to multicultural childrenÕs literature featuring more than 1,000 critical book reviews.

Pact's Multicultural Book Source: An opinionated guide to books that reflect, open, and address issues for: adoptive families, blended families, families of color, foster families, interracial families, Gay or Lesbian families, kinship adoption, multiracial families, single-parent families, families with special-needs kids, transracial families. Pact, an Adoption Alliance, 1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 111, San Francisco, CA 94111 For information, e-mail info@pactadopt.org
(415) 221-6957
(510) 482-2089 (fax)

Rethinking Our Classroom: Teaching for Equity and Justice, by Bill Bigelow et al, Rethinking Schools Limited, 1994.

Rethinking Schools: An Agenda for Change, edited by David Levine, Rethinking Schools Limited, 1994.

Understanding Homosexuality, Changing Schools: A Text for Teachers, Counselors and Administrators, by Arthur Lipkin, Westview Press, 1999.

Videos and Other Resources

It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School (video with viewing guide) From the makers of That's a Family! , this highly acclaimed film provides inspiring examples of ways teachers can address anti-Gay prejudice with young children. Women's Educational Media
www.womedia.org
For information, e-mail wemfilms@womedia.org
2180 Bryant Street, Suite 203, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 641-4616
(415) 641-4632 (fax)

Overcoming Homophobia in the Elementary Classroom: A Workshop for Educators and Administrators, Presenter's Guide, Lesbian & Gay Parents Association, 1996. For use with the video "Both of my Moms' Names Are Judy."
519 Castro Street, #200; San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 522-8773
For information, e-mail lgpasf@aol.com

Preventing Prejudice: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Lesson Plan Guide for Elementary Schools, Lesbian and Gay Parents Association, Buena Vista Lesbian and Gay Parents Group. Order through Women's Educational Media, cited above under It's Elementary.

Strengthening the Learning Environment: A School Employee's Guide to Gay and Lesbian Issues, National Education Association, January 1999. Order through the NEA Professional Library, (80) 229-4200, or online through the NEA Web site, www.NEA.org

Scouts Honor Film that highlights a young Gay rights advocate who supports the membership of Gays in the Boy Scouts of America. To order the documentary from New Day Films, please call (88) 367-9154. For a discounted rate for educators, go to www.newday.com/films/Scouts_Honor.html

Support and Advocacy Groups:

COLAGE: Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere
www.colage.org
For information, e-mail colage@colage.org
3543 18th Street #17, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 861-5437
(415) 255-8345 (fax)

Family Pride Coalition (for families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender parents)
www.familypride.org
For information, e-mail pride@familypride.org
P.O. Box 3433, San Diego, CA 92163
(619) 296-0199
(619) 296-0699 (fax)

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
www.glsen.org or www.glsen-sfeb.org
For information, e-mail respect@glsen-sfeb.org
GLSEN San Francisco - East Bay
1924 Grant Street, Suite 4, Concord, CA 94520-2426
(925) 685-5480
Has excellent online library, bookstore and listserves with resources for educators.

Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)
www.pflag.org
For information, e-mail info@pflag.org
Local offices:
Hayward PFLAG
P.O. Box 3493, Hayward, CA 94544
Helpline: (510) 782-5462
Oakland/East Bay PFLAG
P.O. Box 21195, Oakland, CA 94620-1195
Helpline: (510) 562-7692
San Francisco PFLAG
PO BOX 640223, San Francisco, CA 94164
Helpline: (415) 921-8850

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