Okin the Panda Bear Finds his Family
Story
by Jeff Lutes
Illustrations by Hiroko Sakai
Join the adventure as Okin meets his two
daddies, travels to a new home in a new country and learns how
to express himself through the beauty of sign language.
Okin is truly a magical
tale about diversity, deaf culture, adoption, and
non-traditional families.
With colorful characters like Quick Paws the Panther; Baldy the Tiger; and panda friends Pang, Kang, Bang, Kew, Pu, and Bao Yu; Okin The Panda Bear Finds His Family is a wonderful tale that shows that God loves all kinds of families . . . even pandas and tigers and panthers that talk with their paws!
Reviews & Praise:
Not since And Tango
Makes Three has there been such a joyful book about the
experience of same-gender loving parents and their adopted child.
From a rich story to colorful illustrations, Okin the
Panda Bear Finds his Family adds the diverse elements of
sign-language and as my own children pointed out, an interracial set
of same-gender parents with one dad being a panther and the other a
tiger; my own children said that, "that Okin’s parents reminded them
of me and my partner, Antonio."
The story is short, sweet and to the point, my
kids’ only complaint was that it was too short!
I think diverse and not so diverse ‘modern families,’ of all
sorts will enjoy this book and it will become a staple in the
library of little-ones everywhere!
- Dr Tony Zimbardi-Le Mons, licensed family therapist and author of Forever Dads; A Gay Couple's Journey to Fatherhood.
Here’s some great news for
Heather Has Two Mommies, and all of their fans. An
irresistible new family is moving into the neighborhood. Okin the
Panda Bear, who cannot hear, and his new tiger and panther dads will
delight and reassure adopted children and their loving parents no
matter their race, gender and special ability. And I wouldn’t
be surprised if this beautifully illustrated book turned learning
American Paw Language into a new national youth fad.
Okin the Panda Bear Finds his Family
belongs in the children’s library of any school, community, or
family committed to challenging bullying, teasing, and stigma too
often visited upon any child or family who seems different from the
majority.
- Judith Stacey, Professor of Sociology, NYU, and author of Unhitched: Love, Marriage and Family Values from West Hollywood to Western China
I must admit to a little melancholy
on reading this heart-achingly beautiful little book about a panda
bear and his diverse, loving family. Why must a world where "all
creatures are loved and all families are cherished" exist only in
tales for children? But then my wife and I read it with our 6 year
old daughter, who both adored the story and seemed altogether
unsurprised at the love and acceptance in Okin's family. And I
thought to myself, that world really is only a generation away. But
only if we tell our children that such a world is theirs to create.
That is why Okin the Panda Bear Finds his Family
will sit prominently on a bookshelf in our house.- Ryan Valentine, Deputy Director, Texas Freedom Network
For far too long youth have been bullied for being different.
Indeed, sometimes bullying is seen as a rite of passage. Okin
the Panda Bear Finds his Family, by Jeff Lutes, celebrates
a different cultural and family value in which our differences
are cherished rather than shunned or even merely tolerated.
This touching and beautifully illustrated story is exactly the
imaginative exploration of our human uniqueness that kids and
parents will treasure.
From
author Jeff Lutes comes this long-awaited, enchanting, and
beautifully crafted story of Okin the Panda. Okin
the Panda Bear Finds His Family gives us an
astoundingly original story that will change everything you've ever
thought about family. If only all "Pandas" could be so fortunate as
Okin. Okin's tale has a timeless appeal and one I am certain readers
will treasure.
-
Candice Towe, Executive Director & Chief Development Officer, Out
Youth.
Okin the Panda Bear Finds his Family
Story
by Jeff Lutes
Illustrations by Hiroko Sakai
This book includes activates for children to learn sign language.Click here for Pre Order:
MSRP: $14.95
Okin The Panda Bear Finds His Family Story DVD by Jeff Lutes, Illustrations by Hiroko Sakai CHIP's first children's book turned into a DVD for the Hearing Impaired and for anyone who loves a great story. The DVD contains a video of the author reading the book to his children, and a video of Gary Stein an ASL certified interpreter signing the story as you read along.
MSRP: $12.95
Click here to Order: