Jill Twiss’s parody of Vice President’s rabbit Marlon Bundo hippity-hopped to No. 1 on Amazon  a day before the release of Pence’s daughter Charlotte’s children’s book about their real family pet entitled Day in the Life of Vice-President.  So popular, Twiss’s book sold out in a day and 400,000 copies have been ordered for the second printing.

Touted Last Week Tonight by John Oliver, and written by staffer Jill Twiss with charming ilustrations byEG Keller, the spoof beat out ex FBI Director James Comey’s memoir and Pence’s book intended  to educate children about the position of the Vice President in the White House as viewed by the pet rabbit Marlon. The illustrations are by Second Lady Karen Pence.

The gay romance touted by Oliver is intended as a jab to Pence’s views on LGBT equality and same-sex marriage. With the Trump Administration rescinding previous LGBT gains made under Obama, Pence has been a target by LGBT activists.

In this runaway hit, Marlon Bundo falls in love with a boy bunny named Wesley.  Of course, there are obstacles in the way.  “Stinkbug,” loosely based on Pence, decrees that male bunnies can’t marry each other.  Like most children’s books, the ending is happy and the bunnies get married.  All the participants in the wedding are gay:  the official is a cat named pajama who brought her wife, there are two otters as groomsmen who hold hands. 

Proceeds of this allegory go to the LGBT suicide Hotline The Trevor Project as well as AIDS United.  Charlotte Pence’s book is donating its sales to A21, an organization that fights human trafficking as well as Tracy’s Kids which provides young cancer patients with art therapy. Says Charlotte, 24, “Oliver’s book is contributing to charities that I think we can get behind.  We have two books that support giving to charities that are about bunnies so I’m all for it, really.”  She doesn’t like the competition over the two books.  “It doesn’t have to be divisive. I think everyone can come together over Marlon.”

More than a spoof, Oliver’s book can be a learning tool for kids who may feel different, may feel thwarted by bullies, and resolve issues in the end.  It can open up dialogue about what it means to form a non-traditional family.  Studies have shown that children usually start to figure out whom they are attracted to between ages of nine and twelve, some earlier. 

It may be helpful for kids, gay or straight, to know that humans are not the only mammals who are gay.  Reports suggest that about 1500 animal species are known to practice same-sex coupling.