Ordering new books for the "Takoma Park Connection" aspect of Summer Quest's reading plan, I found an unexpectedly beautiful and poignant picture book called My Big Brother by Miriam Cohen, sensitively illustrated with watercolours by Ronald Himler, an outstanding artist/illustrator. In an understated way, the relationship between a young boy and his kind and loving older brother is developed. "My big brother is really smart, but college costs a lot. So he is going into the army." The quiet pain and grief of the mother and the brave attempts of the little boy to be the big brother now are both dignified and heart-rending.
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson is the charming true story of two bonded male penguins at the New York Central Park Zoo who yearn for a chick of their own. By the way, the Library owns the scholarly Biological Exuberance : Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity by Bruce Bagemihl which is often refered to in this context.