And Tango Makes Three: Twenty Years On

“On the surface, it's a sweet tale about animals. But beneath that, it’s something much more powerful: a story about love, family, and belonging.

I remember the first time I read this book. It was before my husband and I adopted our two wonderful boys. At the time, it felt like a small beacon of hope — a quiet reassurance that our future family, though not yet formed, would have a place in the world of children’s literature. Now, reading it with our sons, it's even more profound. They see a story that mirrors their own — two dads raising a child with love, care, and joy.

In a world that often tries to define what a "normal" family should look like, And Tango Makes Three gently pushes back. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t argue. It simply tells the truth: that families come in many forms, and that love is what makes a family whole.

For schools, this book is more than a story. It's an opportunity — to show representation, to open up conversations, to teach acceptance without judgment. When children read stories like this in the classroom, they learn that every family is valid. They learn empathy. They learn that difference is not something to be feared, but something to be understood and respected.

And for children with families like mine, it offers something incredibly powerful: visibility. It tells them, you belong here. It tells them, your story matters.

Twenty years on, And Tango Makes Three is still a must-read. Not just for children with two mums or two dads — but for all children. Because when we share stories that reflect the rich diversity of the world around us, we raise kinder, more accepting humans.

And that’s a future I want for my boys — and for everyone’s children.”

As Dan points out, And Tango Makes Three is a quietly powerful read. 

When Zookeeper Mr Gramzay notices Roy and Silo’s closeness, he says to himself: ‘They must be in love’. This matter-of-fact observation stood out to me for its simplicity. Mr Gramzay does not express amusement, judgement or panic that the penguins are behaving differently. He merely recognises their connection, later ‘hatching’ (pun intended) a plan to give them an egg of their own. The book is full of these subtle affirmations of Roy and Silo’s relationship, from Gramzay’s observation, to children cheering excitedly to see the first penguin chick with two daddies, to the very last line:

“There they snuggled together and, like all the other penguins in the penguin house, and all the other animals in the zoo, and all the families in the big city around them, they went to sleep”.

Whilst Roy and Silo’s story might have been a novelty at the zoo, there’s nothing particularly novel about their love. As they snuggle up for sleep, just like so many other couples (penguin and human), we are reminded that love really is a universal language, regardless of who it is shared between. 

Our Writing Root for the book, much like the text itself, nurtures compassion and empathy alongside literacy development, teaching young readers that families can come in all shapes and sizes. 

In Session 4 of the planning sequence, children come up with answers to the question ‘Why might Roy and Silo have wanted an egg?’. Through oracy, pupils are encouraged to place themselves in the shoes (or webbed feet) of the penguin protagonists. They then use an On the Dot or Not resource, deciding where to place different feelings that Roy and Silo might be experiencing: ‘left out’, ‘joyful’, ‘lonely’ and ‘excited.’

Later, in session 7, the class discovers something exciting… They enter school to find signs reading ‘Welcome Tango’ and ‘Shhh! Baby sleeping!’ Having empathised with Roy and Silo’s frustration earlier in the story, children are now also able to share in their excitement. This joyous moment provides an opportunity to write a congratulations card as a class and discuss the myriad forms family can take.