A family that’s different, just like mine.Middle-grade readers with two same-sex parents cannot find literature reflecting their own families. Twin Cities author Genta Sebastian has answered that need with her newly released Riding the Rainbow.
Saint Paul, Minnesota – May 14, 2015 – Breaking new ground, author Genta Sebastian has written an adventure story for middle-grade readers (3rd-6th grades) about living in a rainbow family. Riding the Rainbow is available on Amazon.com and bookstores worldwide on Thursday, May 14, 2015 from Shadoe Publishing.
Tweeners growing up in rainbow families have been ignored in literature. Kids who live with two same-sex parents have no representation reflecting their life experiences. Riding the Rainbow will fill the gap between picture books for toddlers/emerging readers (Heather has Two Mommies), and coming-of-age tales for teens (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit).
Kids in this age group struggle with hard questions. “Why are you gay? Does that mean I will be gay, too? What do I do when I’m bullied?” With gay marriage a front-page issue, many middle-grade students find themselves in alternative households. Riding the Rainbow reassures them their families are as real as any other.
About Genta Sebastian
Genta Sebastian, a retired elementary school teacher and storyteller, uses her unique perspectives as a lesbian and author to provide answers to these and other questions in Riding the Rainbow. “I wrote the book the year my youngest grandchild was born,” she said. “By that time I’d been through it with my two daughters, and three older grandchildren. I recognized a need.” Children in rainbow families will be glad she did.
