Several authors of queer-inclusive kids’ books are making their stories available free—one just for today!
- Free today only is the Kindle download of Rumplepimple Goes to Jail, by Suzanne DeWitt Hall, the second volume about a terrier with two moms. (The first volume, The Adventures of Rumplepimple, is only $1.99 for the Kindle version. You can also get a print copies—for a little more—at the links.)
- Free via a brand-new read-aloud video is Promised Land, a fairy tale by Adam Reynolds and Chaz Harris about a prince and a farm boy who fall in love. (If you want a hard copy, you can purchase it here.)
- Also free for online viewing (and has been for some time) is Zak’s Safari, by Christy Tyner, in which a boy introduces us to his family and how he was created through assisted reproduction and sperm donation. (I’ve had trouble viewing this on some browsers; Internet Explorer seems to work, though. If you want a hard copy, purchase it here.)
- If you have Hulu (or want to start a free trial), you can also see videos of Daniel Errico’s The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived, about a poor but brave knight who marries a prince; and his Rosaline, read by The Fosters’ Teri Polo, about a female farmer who outwits a witch and has a girlfriend.
- Finally, a half dozen older queer-inclusive kids’ books are available for free borrowing through Open Library, as I detailed in a previous post. It bears repeating, as I said in that post, that as with all such books of earlier eras, I advise parents to read through them before sharing them with your children. Many include characters who make negative comments about gay or lesbian parents. Even though the books take steps to counter such comments, some children may still be frightened. Make your own decision based on your kids’ ages, temperaments, and experience. Regardless, do read them yourselves and be proud of the pioneers who knew decades ago that our children needed books that reflect their families.
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