By Terry Hong
Book Dragon
September 29, 2011
In case you needed another reminder, Banned Books Week continues for a couple more days . . . hope we’ve got lots of rebel readers out there! Since #1 on the “Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2010” is again And Tango Makes Three, I thought this newest title from author Cynthia Chin-Lee would make a lovely companion title to adorable Tango.
Alex
goes to school one day to have her friend Zach tell her they “can’t be
best friends anymore.” The reason he gives—directly from his father—is
because of Alex’s parents. According to Zach’s father, Alex’s parents
aren’t married: “‘My dad says two women can’t be married.’”
When Alex
tells Mama Kathy what happened, she assures her young daughter that, of
course, they’re married. When Mama Kathy and Mama Lee were denied a
marriage license years and years ago, they instead held a commitment
ceremony, complete with legal contracts that permanently bound their
lives together. Temporarily reassured, that night Alex, her younger
brother Nicky and both parents share warm laughter watching the video of
Mama Kathy and Mama Lee’s commitment ceremony. And in the morning, Alex
has a plan . . .
Now that the laws have changed and their two mothers can legally marry, Alex and Nicky devise Operation Marriage.
But they need to move quickly before the laws change again; already,
even some of their neighbors—including Zach’s father—are posting signs
in their yard, ready to deny same-sex couples the right to marry.
Just
in time, Alex and Nicky get their mothers to the altar: “Most kids
don’t get to see their parents marry. But we’re not most kids.” And
Zach? Well . . . cookies speak louder than words!
For those who believe, true love does conquer all.
Tidbit: When I first opened Operation Marriage—all
I knew about it was that I admired the author’s previous titles—Cynthia
Chin-Lee’s dedication jumped out at me: “To the real Alex and Nikki,
who inspired this, and to the First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto.” I
don’t see that spelling of “Nikki” often … and a little light started
going full tilt in my head. Then I saw the names Kathy and Lee as I
turned the pages, and had a near heart attack . . . of joy. Immediately,
I sent a message of delighted shock and gleeful surprise . . . !!
So
it turns out, I’m in the book (by association)—in that commitment
ceremony video the family enjoys together. I was there in that lovely
old stone church in Harvard Square those many, many years ago (we
really were oh so young then!) celebrating the marriage of my favorite
college running buddy Lee (how many endless times did we run Balch Hill
and Occom Pond??) to the love of her life Kathy. I didn’t make it to
ceremony #2 (alas, alas), but I am seeing Lee next month. Hopefully the
rest of the crew soon, too!
Like I said, for those who believe, true love conquers all. Makes little miracles happen, too. For penguins and people, ahem!
Back to Cynthia Chin-Lee’s Author Page | Back to Lea Lyon’s Artist Page
