Heather Has Two Mommies - by Leslea Newman

About the Book

When Heather goes to playgroup, at first she feels bad because she has two mothers and no father, but then she learns that there are lots of different kinds of families and the most important thing is that all the people love each other.

Book Synopsis

Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with a beautifully illustrated edition.

Heather's favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn't have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn't matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another." This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

Review Quotes

It's hard to fathom now the scorn and fear this mild-mannered tale of a girl and her two moms occasioned when it was published in 1989. With attractive new art by Cornell, life in their 'little house with a big apple tree in the front yard' looks pretty idyllic, and the first day of school is fun, too...
--The New York Times

"Heather has two mommies--and a new look! Newman's picture book about Heather and her mommies first appeared 25 years ago as the product of desktop publishing and a determination to create a story reflecting family diversity. This updated version includes new illustrations by the commercially successful Cornell, which supply humor and avoid lesbian stereotypes that dogged earlier versions. . . . Welcome back to Heather and her mommies."
--Kirkus Reviews

The author's text is simple yet powerful in its ability to move readers of all ages. Cornell's fluid watercolor and gouache illustrations breathe life into this delightful story. Each page is artfully and distinctly rendered to be a visual depiction of the beauty and joy of diversity.... Readers will be warmed by this glimpse into Heather's family, whether revisiting the text or experiencing it for the first time.
--School Library Journal

The details are different, but the nontraditional-ness is held in common.
--The Horn Book

Though a quarter of a century has passed, the book holds up well. With new illustrations and a slightly revised text, it remains a charming, sweet-spirited story that still fills a need...Newman and her new illustrator Cornell deserve kudos for bringing fresh life to this standard title.
--Booklist Online

Now a modern classic, the children's book "Heather Has Two Mommies" is the perfect Mother's Day book, times two.
--Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Lesléa Newman is the author of more than seventy books for children and adults, including the groundbreaking children's classic Heather Has Two Mommies. She has received poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation. She lives in Massachusetts.

Laura Cornell has illustrated many books for children, including the best-selling picture books by Jamie Lee Curtis. She lives in New York City.