Guest post by Dano Moreno
Many thanks to the team at Gays with Kids—and to you for reading! I’m excited to share why my new picture book, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke, is so meaningful to me.
Our Wish For You was inspired by my family’s experience with open adoption. When our son was born in 2017, I struggled to find a picture book that explained open adoption. Books showing families with two dads were also in limited supply. But I could see that things were changing. Publishing was starting to welcome new voices, so I began to write. Our Wish for You is the story that landed me with an agent and my first book deal.
I think of Our Wish for You as a love letter to adoptees—and to birth parents, adoptive parents, and LGBTQ+ parents. I hope it feels like a warm hug to its readers. I hope it opens up conversations about what it means to be a family. And at a time when books are being banned in record numbers, I hope it has a fair chance to reach kids.
Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Ryan O’Rourke from Our Wish for You by Dano Moreno. Used with permission from Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
According to the American Library Association, more than 2,500 library books were challenged in 2022—and the vast majority were written by or about LGBTQ+ people or people of color. Why is that? When we read about people with experiences that are different from our own, we develop empathy. And when we see ourselves in a story, we feel validated. The rise in book bans is a coordinated effort to limit who receives empathy and validation. It’s an attempt to control who is visible and who has a voice.
Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Ryan O’Rourke from Our Wish for You by Dano Moreno. Used with permission from Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Still, I remain hopeful. Book bans have motivated me and so many others to continue sharing stories that celebrate diversity. They have motivated people and organizations to take steps to protect freedom of expression—organizations like the ACLU and PEN America. I’m endlessly grateful for their work. And I’m grateful for the supportive community created by Gays with Kids. LGBTQ+ people and families are here to stay. So are our stories.
Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Ryan O’Rourke from Our Wish for You by Dano Moreno. Used with permission from Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Our Wish For You releases from Charlesbridge Publishing on September 12, 2023 and is available for preorder. Dano Moreno lives in Portland, OR with his husband and son. You can find Dano online at danomoreno.com or @dano_moreno_.
