looking for books with Queer Jewish families

[Queermama]

hey all,

any of you know of books for babies that have queer families or vague families?  Most of the books we have so far in the Jew realm show daddy with a nice beard.  I would love to find some that show 2 Ema's or at least don't have a daddy.

best.

[2moms3kids]

I wish! I have yet to see any. We just have lots of different books, some with a mommy and a mama, some with a mom and a dad and some with an Ima and an Aba. I think it is good for kids to understand that there are all different kinds of families and they are all special.  Let me know if you find any with 2 imas though!!!

[Jacob Rhys]

Hey, my wife and I are raising Jewish babies too. I would love to find some of these materials. I am not a lesbian, but I am a FTM transman. So far we have not found much.  Everything I have found is GLBT or Jewish. We should create a market :) Make our own...

http://www.baby-memory-books.com/Gay_and_Alternative_Baby_Books_s/46.htm

http://www.armory.com/~web/gaybooks.html

http://booksforkidsingayfamilies.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Bedtime-Shma-Sarah-Gershman/dp/0939144549/ref=pd_sim_b_5

http://www.nicknamepress.com/ourbooks.htm

[osker]

Not sure if she has books with the two together, but the author of Heather has two mommies writes children's books and GLBT books and Jewish books... surely one of them must put all three together?  

http://www.lesleanewman.com/biography.htm

If not, maybe you could write her a letter and ask her to write one! :)

[Queermama]

jacob,

Yes yes, let's write our own!!! 

[gamitzer]

Hey guys, our Jewish son gets a monthly book from the PJ library.  It's not queer friendly...yet!  My parents are really involved in Keshet, which is a GLBT org in the Boston area.  They are seeking manuscripts for a Jewish children's book with GLBT characters.  I think their plan is to eventually get it added to the PJ library.  Check out this link!

http://keshetonline.org/news/index.php/2010/12/09/announcing-keshet%E2%80%99s-jewish-childrens-book-writing-contest/

You guys should definitely write something! :)  -Meredith

[smilingsara]

does anyone have an idea for a story? 

I'm a photographer and would love to take pictures for a book, but cannot think of any concepts I'd like to do a story on. 

[wishin'&hopin']

What about a book for Passover?  A youngest child anticipating asking the questions.  Older siblings can give advice, candles can be lit, food prepared--all under the loving gaze of a two mom or dad family.

[andreaatkeshet]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to gamitzer for letting folks know about the Keshet Children's Book contest. Full disclosure, I'm the director of education for Keshet - the organization sponsoring the contest and we are really excited to see so much interest. We've been aware for years that there is a huge need for Jewish children's books with GLBT characters/families. We are hoping that this contest will yield some great manuscripts.

Leslea Newman does have a couple board books "Mommy, Mama, and Me" and "Daddy, Papa, and Me" that don't have Jewish content but are sweet picture books. For those of you who are Hebrew readers, I wanted to let you know about an Israeli book that includes same-gender families: "Everyone and Their Family" (in Hebrew "Kol Echad V'Mishpacha Shelo") is in Hebrew. It is a story told from the perspective of a kindergarten child who is anticipating his birthday at school and in the process tells about all the different types of families that his classmates come from including a two mom family, a single parent family, and others. It doesn't have Jewish content beyond the Israeli setting but it's something. 

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have questions about Keshet's work or the contest. I can be reached via our Keshet website www.keshetonline.org or by email andrea - at - keshetonline.org. Please also spread the word about the contest. 

thanks,

Andrea

[smilingsara]

wishin' & hopin' that sounds like a cute story idea! now I just need some more jewish kids to take pictures of! dunno if I'd find that around here so well...

[andreaatkeshet]

smilingsara - don't worry about photo's or illustrations we (Keshet) is really only looking for the story text at this point. 

[wishin'&hopin']

Does keshet care if the author is Jewish?

[andreaatkeshet]

We are looking for Jewish content in the story but I don't know if the author needs to be Jewish. Presumably a good children's author who does research could create a book with authentic Jewish and GLBT themes without being either one.