Full-time educator Rob Sanders specializes in language arts, but the fourth grade teacher also loves history. The growing number of children’s picture books he’s penned makes that clear.
The author strongly believes that representation matters, both off and on the page, something he’s stressed throughout his body of work. His resume includes the groundbreaking “Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag” and “Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution.”
Each book has made history in its own right, introducing readers of all ages to major milestones impacting the LGBTQ community in unprecedented ways. Their critical acclaim is likely what led publisher Henry Holt and Co. to contact Sanders in early 2019 about Pete Buttigieg, then the openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana and soon a rising candidate for U.S. president.
As an openly gay Midwesterner himself, Sanders had already taken an interest in Buttigieg. He was halfway through reading his autobiography when he received an unexpected call.
“It was a totally different experience than with any of my other books,” Sanders recalls. “An editor had contacted my agent and asked if I would be interested in writing a proposal for a picture book about Mayor Pete.”
Sanders began the process right away, and within the next week a second publisher reached out with the same request. “It was obviously that Pete’s story needed to be told,” he says.
The author stuck with Henry Holt, working directly with Christian Trimmer, the openly gay editorial director of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. He finished his initial draft within three weeks.
“It was the fastest project I’ve ever worked on,” he says. “Thankfully there was a lot going on with Pete during that time – I had all kinds of insights into his life.”
“Mayor Pete” was initially slated for an April 2020 release, exactly one year from when Sanders wrote it. It was delayed until July in response to COVID-19, allowing revisions as new developments in Buttigieg’s campaign unfolded.
“We knew that Pete had ended his presidential campaign before we went to the printer,” Sanders says, “so we changed subject matter a little bit to reflect that.” The former candidate’s decision didn’t alter the book’s message, however, since Buttigieg had already earned his place in American history.
While Buttigieg ended his campaign March 1, the 38-year-old did so as the first openly gay man to earn presidential delegates. He won the 2020 Iowa caucuses with more than 25% of the vote, with his husband at his side. Mayor Pete had become a household name, even if some struggled to pronounce his last one.
That isn’t where Sanders’ book begins, however. Instead, it examines key moments in his life that led to his historical campaign.
“Before the nation knew him as ‘Mayor Pete,’ he was a boy growing up in a Rust Belt town, a kid who dreamed of being an astronaut and a high schooler who wondered about a life of public service,” the book’s synopsis reads. “Without a doubt, no one could have imagined who Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, the boy who lived in a two-story house on College Street, would become.
“Through victories and defeats, and the changes that the seasons bring, the young boy from South Bend grew into a man devoted to helping others,” it continues. “‘Mayor Pete: The Story of Pete Buttigieg’ celebrates the life of an American who dared to be the first and who imagined a better world for everyone.”
To help Sanders tell the tale, his publisher enlisted another openly LGBTQ creator: Levi Hastings. He specializes in stories about the natural world and LGBTQ history.
“At its heart, this book is about a boy growing up with a desire to serve his community, who learns from his defeats and turns those lessons into future victories,” Hastings described “Mayor Pete” in August. “On the way, he learns to accept his identity and in turn is embraced by the community he serves. It’s a story whose themes go beyond any specific candidate or campaign, and one that I hope will resonate with many young readers.”
The collaboration marked the second time Sanders had worked with an openly LGBTQ editor and illustrator on one of his books, something he says caused the project to take on new meaning.
“We know it’s a part of the canon of LGBTQ books for kids,” he says, “and there are so few of these books out there that are chronicling our history and our heroes. It’s really special when we’re able to work on stories like these together.”
While the author isn’t certain if Buttigieg has seen the book, he’s hopeful that its message resonates with readers across the nation he continues to serve.
“There’s a recurring line that says ‘only time will tell’ what Pete will become,” Sanders says. “We see it about the young Pete; the high school student Pete; the mayoral candidate Pete; the presidential candidate. Only time will tell who he will become – and that’s one of the biggest takeaways for young readers. Only time will tell who they become.
“I hope that readers of all ages see Pete as another American hero, a person who’s used his life for public service and to make this country a better place,” he says. “Anyone who does that should be celebrated.”
As for what’s next, Sanders will continue celebrating historical heroes within the LGBTQ community. “Two Grooms on a Cake: The Story of America’s First Gay Wedding” will publish in early 2021.
“I just want to encourage people to read and understand our history,” Sanders says. “Rights won can be rights lost. We need to know our history and we need to preserve it.”
“Mayor Pete” is currently available wherever books are sold. Autographed copies of Sanders’ work can be found at Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg and TomboloBooks.com. For more information about Sanders and his work, visit RobSandersWrites.com. For more information about Levi Hastings and his artwork, visit LeviHastings.com.
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