The Stream

Singaporean library yanks books for not ‘promoting family values’

National library’s decision to pull several children’s stories sparks heated debate.

Book covers of “And Tango Makes Three” and “The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption“, two books removed by Singapore’s National Library Board.

At least two books featuring gay relationships have been pulled from Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) for not “promoting family values”. The move sparked a wide public debate online.  

NLB yanked “And Tango Makes Three” and “The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption” after reportedly receiving complaints that the books were not “pro-family”. “And Tango Makes Three” tells the story of two male penguins that behave like a couple and raise a young penguin, based on true events. “The White Swan Express” focuses on the adoption of children and features a single mother and lesbian couple among others. 

In a statement on Facebook, NLB commented on the decision to remove the books: