Michael Willhoite facts for kids

Michael Willhoite is an artist and writer. He is famous for his children's books. These books show families with gay parents. His book Daddy's Roommate (1990) was very well-known. It was one of the most discussed books in American libraries in the 1990s.

Early Life and Artistic Journey

Michael Willhoite was born on July 3, 1946. His hometown is Hobart, Oklahoma. He spent part of his childhood living with his aunt. In their home, books were very important. They were often read and talked about.

From a young age, Michael loved movies and art. He once said that everyone expected him to become an artist. In high school, he really enjoyed drawing caricatures. Caricatures are drawings that exaggerate someone's features.

Drawing for Newspapers

In the 1980s, Willhoite drew for the Washington Blade. This was a newspaper for the gay community. He created caricatures of famous gay men and lesbians from history. Many of these drawings were later put into books. These books were called Members of the Tribe (1993) and Willhoite's Hollywood (1994). He also published a book of his cartoons called Now for My Next Trick (1986).

Creating Children's Books

Michael Willhoite started working on his most famous book in 1990. His publisher, Sasha Alyson, began a new series. This series was for children's books. It aimed to show families with gay and lesbian parents.

Alyson asked Willhoite to write a book for this new series. After thinking about how to present the topic, Willhoite created Daddy's Roommate. This was the first children's book to feature two gay men as parents.

The Impact of Daddy's Roommate

Daddy's Roommate quickly became a topic of discussion. It was included in a reading list for a curriculum in New York City. This curriculum was called "Children of the Rainbow." Many people talked about the book.

The book received good reviews from magazines like Publishers Weekly. Because of these reviews, many libraries bought the book. Some library users did not agree with the book's content. The American Library Association reported that it was a very challenged book. This means many people asked libraries to remove it.

Other Works and Awards

After Daddy's Roommate, Willhoite wrote Daddy's Wedding (1996). In 1991, he won a Lambda Literary Award for Daddy's Roommate. This award recognized his work.

He also wrote novels for older readers. His novel The Venetian Boy came out in 2011. The Goddess of Destruction was published in 2014. In 2021, Willhoite released another children's book. It is called Calvin and the Girls. This story is about a shy farmer. His cows help him find a wife. The book is also made easy to read for children with dyslexia.