LGBT-Inclusive Children’s Gifts

(Originally published in Bay Windows, November 29, 2007.)

Looking to find children’s gifts inclusive of LGBT families? Try some of these books and videos from 2007:

For Young Children

We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families, by Todd Parr (Little, Brown Young Readers: 2007), showcases families of many configurations. Paired phrases like “We belong together because . . . you needed a home, and I had one to share” accompany Parr’s signature bright colors and bold lines. Those wanting to explain details of the adoption process may find this unsatisfying, but for those wishing to focus on the why and not the how, Parr delivers with sensitivity and gentle humor. Non-adopted children may also appreciate the message of sharing and acceptance. Some may find Parr’s message too saccharine or his drawings too simple, but few books get at the emotional heart of the matter so directly.

Mini Mia and her Darling Uncle, by Pija Lindenbaum, translated by Elisabeth Kallick Dyssegaard (R & S Books: 2007): Four-year-old Ella loves hanging out with her Uncle Tommy while her parents are on vacation. He calls her “Mini Mia” after her favorite soccer player, Mia Hamm, dyes her hair, and takes her to interesting places. All goes well until Tommy brings home his new boyfriend, Fergus. Ella doesn’t like this—only because Tommy isn’t spending as much time with her as she’d like, not because he’s gay. The clever Ella tries to get Fergus to go away, but to no avail. When Tommy gets a cold, however, Ella and Fergus find common ground on the soccer field.

Dottie’s Magic Pockets: The first children’s television series created especially for those with LGBT parents, the Dottie DVD includes two episodes of stay-at-home mom Dottie and the bevy of cheerful puppets who keep her company while her son is in school and her partner at work. Produced on a budget, without the slickness of network shows, Dottie is nevertheless unfailingly earnest. Preschool and early elementary school children will find much in the characters and music to entertain them.

BuddyG: My Two Moms and Me: The second children’s television series aimed at LGBT families, BuddyG is the first fully animated one, with 3D graphics and a catchy soundtrack. As with Dottie, BuddyG is a labor of love, time, and money by two lesbian moms searching for images of families like theirs. The show highlights the everyday adventures of five-year-old BuddyG, his two moms, and his seven-year-old friend Owen, aided by BuddyG’s armband computer, Socrates, an electronic device with a personality of its own. There are a few rough edges: the creators’ son Grayson is the voice of BuddyG, and does a fine job but lacks the polish of a trained actor; the Web site is still getting some finishing touches. BuddyG nevertheless entranced my own four-year-old with images of a boy “just like me.”

For Older Children

What If Someone I Know Is Gay?: Answers to Questions About What It Means to Be Gay and Lesbian, by Eric Marcus (Simon Pulse: 2007): A revision of the 2000 edition, this is an invaluable resource for straight teens with gay classmates, teens who may be questioning their own sexuality, and teens dealing with a parent’s coming out. Even children raised from birth in lesbian or gay families may find it addresses questions that teen awkwardness prevents them from asking their parents. This edition also boasts a new chapter just for parents—both those with gay children and those who simply want to be able to explain gay issues to their kids. The book is unfortunately brief on gender issues, although it does distinguish between sexual orientation and gender identity.

grl2grl: Short fictions, by Julie Ann Peters (Little, Brown Young Readers: 2007): The 10 stories in this collection explore early relationships and blossoming sexuality through a candid look at attraction, queer identity, coming out as lesbian and transitioning as transgender, as well as darker topics like harassment and abuse. Peters pulls no punches, tracing the highs and lows of teenage emotions with an intensity heightened by the briefness of the tales. There is enough variety of characters, settings, and personalities that people of all orientations and identities should find something familiar.

Saints of Augustine, by P. E. Ryan (HarperTeen: 2007): Sam, one of the two protagonists, is a rare gay character because he also has a gay dad. The focus of the story, however, is the relationship between Sam and his friend Charlie. When Sam realized he was gay, he cut Charlie out of his life. Charlie also has other concerns, dealing with an alcoholic father and his own debt to a pot dealer. A crisis in each boy’s life, however, drives them back together. A sensitive but honest look at friendship.

Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Knopf, 2007): Naomi and Ely’s friendship was strong enough to survive Naomi’s dad’s affair with one of Ely’s two moms. To protect their bond, straight Naomi and gay Ely created a list of men neither can kiss. (Maybe LGBT children of LGBT parents are a rising literary trend.) When Ely kisses Naomi’s current boyfriend, however, it strains their relationship almost to breaking point, and forces Naomi to confront her own attraction to Ely. Funny, hip, and full of pop culture references. (The protagonists are college freshmen, making this best for older teens.)

Happy holidays!