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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9781555835439
Format: Special Edition
ISBN number: 1555835430
Label: Alyson Books
Manufacturer: Alyson Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 32
Printing Date: June 01, 2000
Publishing house: Alyson Books
Age index: Ages 4-8
Sale Popularity Level: 80830
Studio: Alyson Books
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Originally self-published in 1989, Heather Has Two Mommies became the very 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.
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 Matzo Ball Moon) 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 Heather Has Two Mommies 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. --Regina Marler
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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My daughter likes this book, she seems to get it. And its given her permission to talk about having two mommies.
Rated by buyers 
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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.
"Heather has Two Mommies" is a fascinating relic of its time. Back when it was very 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 IVF&adoption. "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.
"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 gloomy&a 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.
"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 very first appeared.
Rated by buyers -
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 very 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.
Rated by buyers 
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It is a good book. It would be nice if it had colours and was not only grey 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.
Rated by buyers 
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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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