Saturday, June 22, 2013

Receptenboekje hoe baby's worden gemaakt

Receptenboekje hoe baby's worden gemaakt 
by Carmen Martínez Jover 
illus. by Rosemary Martínez 
Language: Dutch 
Carmen Martínez Jover, 2013. 
31 p. : col. ill. ; 22 cm. 
ISBN: 6070066332 ; 9786070066337 
Summary: Omdat mensen nietzelf kunnen kiezen volgens welk receptzijhun kinderwens vorm geven, is begnip en respect erg belangrijk. Dit boekje is een schitterend instrument om kinderen te introduceren in de complexe wereld van fertiliteitsbehandelingen. Het ontdoet de problematiek van de taboes waarmee fertilieteitsbehandelingen vaak nog zijn omgeven en helpt inzien dat het niet uitmaakt volgens welk recept je op de wereld gekomen bent. Kortom, een aanrader voor groot en klein. 
Annotation: Using the metaphor of cake-making, where milk, flour, eggs, butter and an oven are needed, the author introduces children to the ingredients for making a baby: sperm, an egg, and a tummy. While a cake takes thirty minutes in the oven, a baby takes 9 months in a woman’s tummy. When sperm and egg join, (there is no information on lovemaking), the egg is fertilized and becomes a single cell until it begins to divide to form an embryo and then a fetus, which is carried for nine months. This is the “classical recipe” for making babies. When things don’t work out this way, the book goes on to describe several other methods for making a baby, all of which require a doctor’s help. In vitro is discussed, as well as sperm donation, egg donation, embryo donation, surrogacy, and adoption, and all necessary vocabulary is introduced, “fertilization,” “embryo,” “fetus,” and “pregnancy.” One small critique I have is that for the discussion of in vitro, there is a picture of a test tube instead of a petri dish, which could be confusing to children if their parents combine this book with other books to explain IVF to their children. The description of sperm donation is also combined with the in vitro procedure, “The doctor fertilizes Mummy’s egg in a test tube with the donated sperms,” and “When the embryo starts growing the doctor places it in Mummy’s womb,” which is not always the case with sperm donation. Each procedure for sperm donation, egg donation, etc. is reinforced by accompanying pictures at the bottom of a two-page spread, showing the need for sperm, an egg, a test tube, and a womb. The book ends by reassuring children that no matter how they were conceived, one way is no better than another and that “No matter with which recipe you were born or how you came into Mummy and Daddy’s arms, they love you just the same because they had been longing for you to be part of their family.” Cartoon drawings depict nudity and lovemaking although there is no verbal description of lovemaking. Recommended for children ages 3-5. 
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Receptenboekje-babys-worden-gemaakt-Edition/dp/6070066332

La chase au tresor pour bebe kangourou, comment des parents homosexuels forment

La chase au tresor pour bebe kangourou, comment des parents homosexuels forment 
by Carmen Martínez Jover 
illus. by Rosmary Martínez 
Language: French 
Carmen Martínez Jover, 2013 
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 22 cm. 
ISBN: 6070008685 ; 9786070008689 
Summary: A sweet children's story of how two kangaroos: Jack and Sam, a gay couple, have their own baby by means of an egg donor and surrogacy. Using kangaroos in the story enables children to easily understand the methods related to their conception in a simple and loving way.
Available: http://www.amazon.fr/Kangourou-Comment-Parents-Homosexuels-Forment/dp/6070008685

The twin kangaroo treasure hunt : [a gay parenting story]

The twin kangaroo treasure hunt : [a gay parenting story] 
by Carmen Martínez Jover 
illus. by Rosemary Martínez 
Language: English 
Carmen Martínez Jover, 2013. 
24 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm. 
ISBN: 607006545X ; 9786070065453 
My annotation: Jack and Sam, a gay kangaroo couple, want very much to have their own twins after seeing little kangaroos all around them at a visit to the fair. They decide to pay Wise William a call to get his advice. Wise William pulls out a scroll from his trunk that lists the three things needed for a “Twin Kangaroo Treasure Hunt:” sperm, eggs, and a womb. They know they already have the sperm, but they will need the eggs and a womb, so they go see Kind Kamila and Sweet Susan who both readily agree to give Jack and Sam what they need. Having obtained the final two ingredients, they visit Wise William once more who tells them to go see Dr. Good Gotunda who knows how to mix the ingredients together in order to make a set of twins. It is not clear here that twins are not guaranteed every time a doctor mixes sperm and egg together in a “test tube” but still, two embryos are fertilized and both are placed in Sweet Susan’s pouch. This book is an introduction for the children created via donor egg and surrogacy and introduces the terms “egg donor” and “surrogate.” The book takes a child-conception approach and employs the “helper” script. Recommended for children ages 3-5.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:

  • Kangaroos -- Behavior -- Pictorial works -- Juvenile fiction
  • Parental behavior in animals -- Pictorial works -- Juvenile fiction
  • Homosexuality -- Juvenile fiction

Available: http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Kangaroo-Treasure-Parenting-Story/dp/607006545X