Davis mom writes book to support her child, scores deal with major literary agent

By: Hanna Nakano

When Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez’s child came out to her, she asked if being gay was “natural”. A classmate had suggested otherwise.

As a Professor of Animal Behavior at UC Davis, Calisi-Rodríguez was overjoyed to be in the expert position to share with her daughter the thousands of animal species that express homosexuality.

Wild Pride: A Colorful Celebration of Same-Sex Relationships in the Animal Kingdom was written, illustrated and self-published by Calisi-Rodríguez in November.

From elephants, to dragonflies, to seals, the species of the animal kingdom display just how natural same-sex relationships are. With more than 190 pages of fun facts and family-friendly illustrations, Wild Pride is an entertaining and eye-opening look at how love knows no boundaries.

“I originally self-published this book as a dedication to my kiddo, so she could see it for real out in the wild (well, on Amazon),” Calisi-Rodríguez told The Dirt. “I never imagined how quickly it would take off.”

The book Calisi-Rodríguez wrote to support her child is now paying off in dividends—after just three weeks.

“Just yesterday, something extraordinary happened. A literary agent at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret (yes, the same agency that represents Barack Obama and Colleen Hoover) reached out to take me on and work with me on my next book,” she said. “I’m still wrapping my head around it all!”

Calisi-Rodríguez says her biggest hope now is to channel this success into spreading love and acceptance.

Paperback & Kindle versions of Wild Pride are available on Amazon. Follow along on Instagram here.