One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads

by Johnny Valentine, Melody Sarecky (Illustrator)

Two children, one with two blue dads and one with a more traditional family, compare notes and wonder what is so different about dads who are blue.

Genres: Picture Books, LGBT, Childrens, Queer, Family, Poetry

32 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my boys, who used to look skeptically at me when I talked about gay marriage (we just don't have any examples in our daily life), this book was perfect. It takes the issue from the side, making the point not that there are two dads, but that they are blue. It's genius. A great opener for the topic of marriage equality.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure damn genius, this is. It's not only a smart way to look at family diversity, it's also a witty, well-written children's book, with illustrations that add something to the text every time. One for every family with kids to have on the bookshelf because it's good, as well as doing a good thing.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two dads isn't that strange. What about blue dads? Hey, as long as they love each other and their children, they're ok too.

This book makes a great point that most people are just people, regardless of what they look like or who they love. I was admittedly a little confused when the book tried to rhyme but then didn't? But overall, this book made me smile a lot, and I wish it were easier to find so I could recommend it more.

[Samantha Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the normalization of fathers being together and raising a child. The way that children are able to ask these questions and realize that all dads are the same, they still care about their child and love them. The way it talks about single fathers, step fathers, and day fathers is important and sends a strong supportive message to all children.

[Audrey's Picture Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a perfectly serviceable book for what it's trying to do. It's lighthearted, if blatantly didactic. You could do much worse, but I hope this book is quickly superseded by efforts that are more artistically satisfying.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feel like it missed the mark. I understand what it was trying to do by comparing having two dads to just having one and how they both do the same thing. But i feel like them being blue was where the understanding will stop for kiddos

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't love this.

[Darius Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this on a regular to our kids when they were little. Love this very well written book.

[Michel Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads is a children’s book by Johnny Valentine that tells the story of two children comparing their lives. Lou and his friend discuss what it is like having two blue dads. They discuss various aspects of everyday life that seek to show that although Lou has two blue dads, his family is completely normal. As a literacy teacher, I would employ this book to break down stereotypes about same sex parenting. The author does an amazing job of taking the focus off of the fact that the main character has two dads by focusing on something funny, such as the dads being blue. This book covers a topic that can be difficult for some teachers to teach because it is a complex subject, but this book makes it really easy to teach students about this subject and break down the stigmas surrounding it. Although there isn’t any personal information about the author available, he has written many children book’s about same sex families. He writes in a really authentic manner that makes it easy to understand what he is trying to convey, and the illustrator does an amazing job at portraying the author’s words. For the purpose of exploring various family units, this children’s book is great because it presents children with a same sex family without overcomplicating the story.

[Andrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads is a children’s book by Johnny Valentine that tells the story of two children comparing their lives. Lou and his friend discuss what it is like having two blue dads. They discuss various aspects of everyday life that seek to show that although Lou has two blue dads, his family is completely normal. As a literacy teacher, I would employ this book to break down stereotypes about same sex parenting. The author does an amazing job of taking the focus off of the fact that the main character has two dads by focusing on something funny, such as the dads being blue. This book covers a topic that can be difficult for some teachers to teach because it is a complex subject, but this book makes it really easy to teach students about this subject and break down the stigmas surrounding it. Although there isn’t any personal information about the author available, he has written many children book’s about same sex families. He writes in a really authentic manner that makes it easy to understand what he is trying to convey, and the illustrator does an amazing job at portraying the author’s words. For the purpose of exploring various family units, this children’s book is great because it presents children with a same sex family without overcomplicating the story.

[Bryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: K-3 Concept Book (?) Poetry (?)
Grade: K-3
Banned Book List

This is a book that is meant to help children understand why someone may have two dads, and not a mom. It is written in rhyme, which is fun, and follows a young African American boy as he explains to his Caucasian girl friend that he has two dads that are blue. He explains that his dads are no different from her dad by giving her specific examples of all the things they can do. At the end of the story they meet a little girl who has two green dads.

This book is banned because it presents a lifestyle that many people do not agree with. I think it would be good to read to children who may be questioning why their friend does not have the same physical appearance as their parent, or why a child may have two of the same parent. I can see how it would be pulled from the shelves in a school or public library because it might be a book that would be better for a parent to read to a child, rather than a child reading it for themselves. Also, so many people are unaccepting of this type of lifestyle that they wouldn't want their children to learn that it may be okay to be this way, which is unfortunate.

[Sarah Ziskend · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this rhyming fiction story, author Johnny Valentine and Illustrator Melody Sarecky, create a world where a young African American boy has two dads that are blue. The story is told through his voice as he explains how normal his life and parents are to his Caucasian girl friend. In the end they meet another little girl with two green dads. I would for sure use this book in my classroom as a teacher. I loved how it included different races and ethnic groups, making it an all inclusive narrative. I would use it when teaching about different types of families to grades Pre-k through second or third grade. The author does a great job of creating a silly world where people can be white, black, green, and blue; young children will be drawn in by the cheery picture. One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dad teaches about equality amongst not only race and ethnic groups, but sexual orientation as well.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This banned picture book explains what it is like for a boy named Lou to have two blue dads. It explains the ever though they are different then most families they still do similar activities as other families. It also explains how the dads became the color blue. At then end of the book it talks briefly about a girl named Jean with two green dads.

This book is banned or challenged because it talks about a boy that had two dads with two different races and this topic upsets people. I believe that thus book should not be banned because it is important for children to learn that there many different types of family situations.

[H. Givens · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a slightly dated style, but I don't think that really hurts it -- the rhyme is lively, and I like the approach of talking about "blue dads" to illustrate that the differences are basically just cosmetic.

[Mrdiavalo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really? I could not believe how expensive this book is. Definately one to avoid.

[Allie Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every night, you say, "Daddy" and push the book into one of our hands. We read it repeatedly since you discovered the story