Celebrate Pride Month with these LGBTQIA+ children’s books tailored for kids, teens, and families.
Get ready for a glimpse of the book titles included in the classroom kit, set to be unveiled on Monday, June 3, 2024.
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride by Michael Genhart, illustrated by Ann Passchier
Introduce young readers to the rainbow colors and their significance in celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride. [board book, ages 1 and up]
Mommy, Mama, and Me by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Carol Thompson
With rhyming text, this picture book depicts a loving lesbian couple with their toddler. [board book, ages 3 and up]
Marley’s Pride by Joëlle Retener, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley
Marley wants to celebrate with their grandparent at the Pride parade, but the crowds and loud noises give them anxiety. This year is different because Marley’s grandparent is receiving an award so Marley decides to brave the crowd and go. Marley finds that it’s easy to make friends here. When their grandparent goes on stage, Marley finds that Pride Day is a place to celebrate belonging, community, and love. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Julián Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love
On the way home from swimming at the pool with his abuela, Julián sees beautiful mermaids on the subway. He decides to be one too and assembles a costume while his abuela is in the bathroom. She looks at him and gives him a necklace to complete his outfit. Then, she takes him to the beach to find the mermaids he saw on the subway. This is a story about accepting others as their authentic selves by giving them unconditional love and support. [picture book, ages 2 and up]
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn, illustrated by Noah Grigni
Your feelings about your gender are real. Listen to your heart. No matter what your gender identity is, you are okay exactly the way you are. And you are loved. It feels good to be YOURSELF, doesn’t it?
It can be very confusing to understand gender identity. This is the perfect picture book to explain transgender, cisgender, non-binary, and pronouns. The gentle text is easy to understand and straightforward; it is truly a book that can be used for all ages, including adults! [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Pride Puppy by Robin Stevenson, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin
There is a lot to celebrate in this alphabet-rhyming picture book. A family goes to a Pride celebration but when their puppy gets loose, it takes a village to reunite it with the family. The vibrant illustrations depict a celebration of joyous LGBTQIA+ diversity. Readers can also build vocabulary using the Search and Find word list at the end to locate the words within the book. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Riley Reynolds Crushes Costume Day by Jay Albee
Graphic novel spreads scattered throughout the book are helpful both as visual narration and for explaining LGBTQ+ terminology. It’s dress-up day on Friday, and the kids are going to go as characters in a book. Riley comes through for their classmates when they struggle with costume ideas. I found it helpful that this book uses Riley’s nonbinary pronouns “they/them/theirs” and uses Riley’s skills as a costume visionary to highlight a nonbinary child in everyday circumstances in which their gender isn’t the point of the story. Instead, this book models the normalization, acceptance, and beauty of a nonbinary child. [early chapter book, ages 7 and up]
Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes from Past & Present! by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones
53 LGBTQ role models from all over the world are detailed in this anthology from Sappho to Audre Lorde to Frida Kahlo to Leonardo Da Vinci to Tim Cook. The short profiles are engaging and informative and the list of 53 notables is eye-opening and inspiring. [nonfiction anthology, ages 8 and up]
The Deep and Dark Blue by Niki Smith
Twin brothers Hawke and Grayson witness a coup against their father and brother in their kingdom in which a cult of magical women, the Communion of the Blue, spin threads that can alter the course of events. They seek sanctuary with them, pretending to be girls, Hanna and Grayce. Assigned to different tasks, Hanna becomes a novice weaver, and Grayce trains as a warrior. When they discover a way to avenge their father and reclaim their rightful place in the kingdom, Grayson is happy to return to his old life but Hawke discovers that her place is with the Communion of the Blue to live her life as a girl. [graphic novel, ages 8 and up]
Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker
Zenobia July is starting over. She moves from Arizona to Maine to live with her Aunts after her father dies. Her previous life was traumatic and now she gets the chance to live as the girl she is inside. But, starting a new middle school is tricky. She makes new friends at the “outcast” table, but what will happen if her new friends find out that she’s transgender? When hateful memes appear on the school’s website and her new friend is outed, she decides to use her formidable hacking skills to find out who the bully is. Lisa Bunker slips in short chapters narrated by supporting characters, allowing them to give their perspective of what is happening. This helps the reader develop empathy and gain a deeper understanding of LGBTQIA+ struggles. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
Melissa (previously published as George) by Alex Gino
A coming out story of a boy who identifies as a girl. He really wants to play the role of Charlotte in the school’s play Charlotte’s Web and hopes by doing so, his family will realize and accept that he’s really a girl inside a boy’s body. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Eliot Katayama is obsessed with ghosts. It’s because her beloved grandmother, Babung, passed away without saying goodbye. Worse, Babung suffered from Alzheimer’s and forgot who she was. How can Babung pass to the other side if she is missing her memories? Eliot’s parents move them across the country to Maine, hoping that this change of scenery will help Eliot move on. But when she discovers a haunted house in her new town, Honeyfield Hall, she meets a girl her age, Hazel, who is happy to help her with the ghosts in the house who need help finding their missing memories. Hazel might be the key to helping her Babung, but she also might lose her new crush from this quest. This is a satisfying paranormal mystery about the bonds of family. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
These are just a few of the titles because there are more than 40 picture books, graphic novels and middle grade titles in the classroom kit! Make sure you opt-in for the classroom kit here. You do not want to miss it!
Did you think we’d end this list without a Young Adult recommendation? You’re going to love these magical LGBTQIA+ YA books with titles from 10 amazing authors. You’ll also enjoy these LGBTQIA+ Books Bridging The Gap of “Other” from authors e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, Mark Oshiro, Adib Khorram,Riley Redgate, Sara Farizan, Meredith Russo, and Kelly Loy Gilbert,
Looking for more booklists? We’ve compiled a list from our favorite bloggers and websites here. Don’t miss these inspiring stories from authors Afsaneh Moradian on supporting our LGBTQIA+ Kids and the two authors who wrote a book featuring two moms!
While Pride Month is a month of celebration we must also keep in mind to advocate for the visibility and support of LGBTQIA+ individuals not only during this month but all-year round.
We’re excited to announce the celebration of LGBTQIA+ at Read Your World!
At our annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day virtual party in January 2023, participants requested LGBTQIA+ book lists and resources. The Read Your Team had the honor to work closely with a group of LGBTQIA+ authors to provide valuable resources to you: our community of supporters.
Watch the replay of the virtual event dedicated to celebrating LGBTQIA+ and Pride Month. During this event, we unveiled our classroom kit: Creating Inclusive Classrooms: LGBTQIA+ Classroom Kit, and heard from our guest authors. The classroom kit includes a comprehensive book list of over 55 titles, along with resources, activities, lesson plans, and more. Additionally, we’re offering an exclusive LGBTQIA+ Books Saves Lives Merchandise! That you can order today. Keep reading!
This Read Your World Celebrates LGBTQIA+ Virtual Event was held on Monday, June 3rd! 7:00 p.m. EST On this day we will chat with authors Federico Erebia, C.K Malone, Afsaneh Moradian, and Michael Genhart, Ph.D., and the Read Your World Team, unveil our classroom kit: Creating Inclusive Classrooms: LGBTQIA+ Classroom Kit, give away books and so much more.
The classroom kit will have so many resources but the one we’re super excited about is the book list! Get your classroom kit here.
Get your exclusive LGBTQIA+ Books Saves Lives merch to support our newest classroom kit, Creating Inclusive Classrooms: LGBTQIA+ Classroom Kit. Order your merch today! So you can have it in time for Pride Month!
