Zak’s Safari by Christy Tyner

• Plot Summary: Zak’s Safari is a book about donor-conceived kids of two-mom families.When the rain spoils Zak’s plan for a safari adventure, he invites the reader on a very special tour of his family instead. Zak shows us how his parents met, fell in love, and wanted more than anything to have a baby—so they decided to make one. In the first half of the book, Zak teaches us about his biological origins. Using simple but accurate language, we learn about sperm and egg cells, known-donors, donors from sperm banks, and instructions called genes that make up who we are. Zak's enthusiasm, combined with his scientific curiosity and gratitude for his inherited "awesome genes" make him the perfect tour guide for this contemporary conception story. The second half of the book celebrates family. Gorgeous illustrations depict Zak and his two moms living the adventure of everyday life: eating meals together, playing at the beach, going for nature hikes and hanging out with friends and family. Zak’s Safari aims to provide a starting place for many future conversations with your kids about their conception story and donor. Zak's Safari is written in a style that is genuine, informative, casual, and easy to understand.

• Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e__O9KxQYLs

• This book is a very specific informational narrative about sperm donors and how that whole process works, with a framing story about a little boy and his family. This book tries to explain how non-biological families, like the author’s own, can be made. One reviewer noted that it was less “casual” and more “technical,” however.