Nan's donut dilemma
by Mary E. Ryan
illustrated by Colleen Muske
Language: English
Keen Editions, c2011.
32 p. : col. ill. ; 19 x 23 cm.
ISBN: 9780984660308; 0984660305
My annotation: Nan, a little girl in kindergarten, one day gets teased by her classmates because she does not have a dad and goes home to ask her mom, “why don’t I have a dad?” “Everyone has to have a mom and a dad,” says one of her classmates after all. Nan’s mom sits her down and tells her for the first time that that is a little bit true and a little bit untrue and begins to explain to Nan that it does take a man and a woman to make a baby but that in their case it was Doctor Deb and a “good man” she “never met” who “helped” her have her. She goes on to explain that that man is not her dad though because it takes “lots of love to make someone a mom or a dad.” Nan’s mom goes on to explain that she used to dream of falling in love and having children like her own mom, but that it just didn’t work out that way and that she “couldn’t wait one more second to find my way to you.” Although the words “sperm” and “donor” are never used, it is obvious that Nan’s mom used a sperm donor to conceive her little girl. The book conveys clearly how much her little girl was wanted and is loved and explains in a very gentle and loving way how children can be conceived this way. This book takes a family-building approach and employs the “helper” and “families are made differently” scripts. The full color illustrations are professionally rendered and the book is recommended for ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.nanstories.com/
Mom and Dad and the Journey They Had!
by Molly Summer
illustrated by Monica Meza
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2010
26 pp.
ISBN: 9781451550054; 1451550057
Summary: The Thompson home is bustling with excitement because soon they will be welcoming a new baby into their family and Patrick will be a big brother for the very first time! As they are preparing the house, Patrick asks his parents to tell him about when he was a baby. They tell him about the incredible journey they took to have him, with the help of an egg donor.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Mom-Dad-Journey-They-Had/dp/1451550057
Available: http://lovemakesafamilybooks.com/books-assisted-reproduction.html
Surrogacy Helps Make a Family Grow
by Sharon LaMothe and Tina Rella
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2010
30 pp.
ISBN: 9781456486808; 1456486802
Summary: Surrogacy Helps Make a Family Grow! is the heartfelt story of a family who decides to help a couple start of family of their own through gestational surrogacy. This book acts as an educational tool for children of gestational surrogates to better understand what their mothers are going through and the tremendous gift of family.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Surrogacy-Helps-Make-Family-Grow/dp/1456486802/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338375831&sr=1-1
Why I'm So Special: A Book about Surrogacy with Two Daddies
by Carla Lewis Long
illustrated by Tyler Simone Newman
edited by Bryna Jean-Marie
Language: English
AuthorHouse, 2011
40 p. ; col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 9781468500073; 1468500074
My annotation: Narrated by the daughter of a gay couple, the unnamed child recounts the story of how her two daddies met in college, fell in love, got married, and wanted to start a family. She explains that the only way her daddies could have a baby of their own was through the help of a “special doctor” and a surrogate. Surrogates, she tells us, “are very special ladies who can carry babies in their tummies for daddies.” The two men visit an agency and are introduced to Polly, who would agree to become their surrogate. After a trip for all three to Paris, they go back to the special doctor who puts the “baby in Polly’s tummy so that it could start to grow.” Whose sperm is used is not mentioned. Nor is it mentioned whether an egg donor was used or whether the surrogate used her own egg. Nonetheless, the surrogate gives birth to a baby girl and the surrogate hands over the child to her two daddies. This book takes a family building approach and employs the “helper” script. The very good illustrations are by a nine-year-old child. Recommended for ages 3-5 because it is a very cursory introduction to surrogacy.
Available: http://www.carlalewislong.com
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Why-Im-So-Special-Surrogacy/dp/1468500074
Tabitha and Timothy Grow a Flower
by Sarah Shackleton
illustrated by Gillian Coulson
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2010
36 pp.
ISBN: 1453630139; 9781453630136
Summary: A simple story to explain the concept of egg donation to a young child. There are several books that explain the specific details of egg donation and refer to biological fertilization, eggs, sperm, donors, pregnancy, etc, etc. Tabitha and Timothy Grow a Flower is for a much younger child. It is a starter book on the subject of third party reproduction. It was written to introduce the idea of egg donation, and to provide a conceptual reference for later conversations. Since many people choose to keep their circumstances private and not share with anyone that their child was conceived via third party reproduction, this book does not mention egg donation either within its pages or on its cover. The story is very simple... Tabitha and Timothy want to grow a flower, but it doesn't happen as easily as they expect. After many unsuccessful attempts with their own seeds, they find out about a kind lady who can help them. With her assistance, they achieve their dreams and grow a beautiful flower.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453630139/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Our Story
by Mandy Leitenberger
Language: English
Lulu, 2007
24 pp.
$22.80
Summary: The heartwarming true tale of how Ella and Hanna joined our family!
Available: http://www.lulu.com/shop/mandy-leitenberger/our-story/hardcover/product-1010275.html
Special man
written and illustrated by Yevgeniya Kanterezhi
Language: English
Lulu, c2012.
16 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 28 cm.
ISBN: 9781105630033
My annotation: Special man is about two women who “loved each other very much” and wanted to start a family. The “special man” referred to in the book is the sperm donor who provided his “special seed” so that these two women could have children of their own. Throughout the book there is a strong sense of gratitude for this act of kindness on the donor’s part although the words “sperm” and “donor” are not used in the book, rather “special seed” and “special man” are used throughout. The child-like drawings depict real people, are in color and hand drawn by the author, and picture a loving family throughout.The donor is depicted as a man with a smile on his face. The book is autobiographical, written for the author’s children, specifically a boy and a girl, but would be suitable for other lesbian couples who also built their family through sperm donation. At one point in the book, the author’s son asks why he does not have a mommy and a daddy like his friend Mary, but it is explained to him that all families are “different” and “unique.” This book takes a family-building approach and employs the “helper” and “families are different” scripts. Recommended for children ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.lulu.com/shop/yevgeniya-kanterezhi/special-man/paperback/product-20077666.html
