I love books, which is no surprise because I’m a writer. (It’d be weird to be a writer who never reads, right?) So, when I saw there is a new children’s book that aims to explain marriage equality, I was supremely excited. And, I can say–I’m not disappointed either.
“Worm Loves Worm“ is an illustrated book that tells of the story of what happens when two people fall in love and want to get married. It’s written by J.J. Austrian and illustrated by Mike Curato. While it seems like an incredibly difficult topic to talk about with kids, it’s actually really not; this book proves it.
When two people fall in love, they fall in love, and that’s it. Pretty simple, actually. Whenever you don’t know how to broach the subject with your kid, just quote this passage from the book:
“WHEN A WORM meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next. They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux? The answer is: it doesn’t matter. Because Worm loves Worm.”
This topic hits home for Curato, the illustrator, who wrote on his blog:
READ: 9 Life Lessons You Can Learn from Alan Rickman’s Portrayal of Snape
“We are all a little different. This has been a fact that I’ve been reminded of daily. Every day. For most of my life, I doubted that I could ever be married. This wasn’t because I thought that I was incapable of finding true love; it was because the law would have prevented me from doing so.”
Curato dedicated the book to his husband, who he married in 2013 right after same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state. He finished illustrating the book in February of 2015, which was incredibly good timing, as the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage for all citizens just four months prior.
Mike Curato
Love is the most beautiful part about being alive–and being able to share and give love with others is the entire point of living. We should encourage our children to love fully and entirely, not look down at love that may look unconventional to some. Because love is love is love, just like the air we breathe is the same air everyone else breathes. Books like these are the best gifts we can give, because it allows us all to learn, and love.
