AUTHOR WRITES INCLUSIVE BOOKS FOR GAY PARENTS

AN author has penned THREE versions of her new children’s book – to cater for gay and lesbian parents.

Sallyann Phillips, who has a gay daughter, was inspired to create the versions when she realised some kids might not be able to relate to her story Good Night Mummy Good Night Dad.

“I thought what about the other families?” the 46-year-old said.

“Not every family has a mum and a dad. Some have a mum and a mum and some have two dads.

“So I altered the words to ca- ter f for all ll families.”f The other titles are Good Night Mummy Good Night Mum and Good Night Daddy Good Night Dad. “There are books for children but they are usually books that say: ‘You’re not unusual’ – but in a sense that tells children they are unusual,” Sallyann said. Her daughter is “over the moon”. “She is absolutely thrilled with it because, althoughlh hhhshe has not t started her family, they are trying to have one,” Sallyann said.

“She’s got a load to give friends in the gay community.”

Sallyann, who has written 18 books, originally wrote Good Night Mummy Good Night Dad for her son when he became a dad.

“I gave it to him, being a new father,” she said.

“To get some feedback I said, ‘What do you think?’

“He said, ‘You didn’t write that!’ I said, ‘Yes, I did.’

“He said he would buy them for the boys in work because they have got little kids and he thought they would like something like this.”

So far Sallyann has not had any negative feedback.

“My daughter said to be prepared for it because there are still horrible people out there that are not too happy about people being gay.

“A lot of people seem to think a family is not a family unless there is a mum and dad and 2.4 children.”

The author from Penyrheol, Swansea, added: “Because my daughter is gay she was left out of a lot of things when it came to school.

“There were different reactions from teachers and people would not invite her to things because she was gay.

“When she came out she really learned who her true friends were.

“There are still a lot of people out there with narrow points of view though it is not as rife as it used to be.”

The books, which are aimed at three to five-year-olds, are available on Amazon. Downloads are £2.69 and paperbacks £5.09.