I saw an interview with the writer, Linda de Haan, on television just now. I knew about the book, but I hadn't heard about the controversy it caused when it was translated into English and sold in the UK and USA.
Here is what I found on Wikipedia:
King & King (ISBN 1-58246-061-2) is a young children's book by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland. It was originally written in Dutch ("Koning en Koning"), but later translated into English. Approximately 15,000 copies have been sold in the United States. There is a sequel,
King & King & Family.
Plot:"On the tallest mountain above (a) town," a young prince still has not married, as is the custom in his kingdom. His mother, a grouchy Queen insists he must find a princess to marry. The prince tells his mom "Very well, Mother.... I must say, though, I've never cared much for princesses." His mother marches princess after princess through the castle, but they fail to interest the prince. After a while along comes princess Madaleine escorted by her brother Prince Lee, who causes the prince to exclaim, "What a wonderful prince!" The prince immediately falls in love with the prince, and they begin marriage preparations at once. The story ends with a kiss between the two kings.
Controversy:In some areas of the United States the book has been the subject of controversy. In a suit against a Lexington, Massachusetts school where the book was read, opponents claim the book intends to indoctrinate children by failing to portray homosexuality in a negative light. The teacher in question has said that reading the book was not intended as sex education but was appropriate in the context of a lesson being given on the subject of marriages. Massachusetts is the only state where same-sex marriages are legal. The teacher and the school board also claimed that there was no obligation, either before or after the reading, to inform the parents of the book having been read.
LawsuitIn 2006 Joseph and Robin Wirthlin and David and Tonia Parker filed a federal lawsuit against the school district of Estabrook Elementary School their second grader attends in Lexington, Massachusetts. They claim that using the book in school constituted sexual education without parental notification, which would be a violation of their civil rights and state law. Robin Wirthlin appeared on CNN, saying "We felt like seven years old is not appropriate to introduce homosexual themes." and "My problem is that this issue of romantic attraction between two men is being presented to my seven-year-old as wonderful, and good and the way things should be."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_and_KingWhat do you all think?