New Board Book Teaches the Colors — and Feelings — of Pride

A sweet new board book for toddlers explores the different colors of the LGBTQ Pride flag—and author Robin Stevenson has shared with Mombian readers her thoughts on writing it.

Stevenson, an award-winning author of more than 20 children’s and young adult books, is a queer mom herself. Her previous book, Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community, is a Stonewall Honor Book aimed at middle grades, and blends a history of the event with a broader look at the struggle for LGBTQ equality and what it means to come out.

Her latest work, Pride Colors, is for the very youngest children. It takes the original meanings of the colors in the Pride flag, as envisioned by creator Gilbert Baker, and turns them into a poem from parent to child, with couplets such as, “Yellow sunshine, smiles so bright./I’ll hug you, kiss you, hold you tight.” Stevenson takes the simple concept of seven colors and transforms it into a joyous celebration of self and relationships. There’s a mention of “Pride Day fun” at the end, but the book is less about LGBTQ history and more about the sentiments behind the colors—sentiments that extend far beyond a single day or month. That feels perfectly appropriate for the age group. Parents will enjoy reading Stevenson’s loving words as much as children will enjoy the uplifting statements, gentle rhythms, and bright photos of children (and a few parents) on the pages.

Stevenson told me:

I wrote Pride Colors for babies and toddlers, because I think there is something so special and so bonding in the experience of reading to a little one, and because I believe that the words we say matter, even with the youngest of little ones. The message of the book—that the child is loved just as they are, that they are free to be themselves, and that they will always be loved—is one I think every child deserves to hear, hopefully over and over! The line “I’ll love the person you grow to be” is, to me, a big part of what parenting is all about. You don’t know who this small human will become, and they might surprise you in all kinds of ways as they get older—but you can commit to always being there for them and to loving and supporting them just the way they are.

Most of the photos in the book are of (adorable) babies and toddlers, but there are also some images of babies with two moms or two dads. I think all kids deserve to see families that look like theirs in the books they read—and when my son was a little kid with two moms, these books were so hard to find! I also think it is important for all kids to know that there are lots of ways to be a family, and that what matters is that people love and care for each other. I think a lot of parents feel the same way and actively seek out books that include all kinds of families, and I hope Pride Colors helps meet that need.

Pride Colors is a delightful addition to the small number of LGBTQ-inclusive board books and to young children’s books celebrating LGBTQ history and Pride. It comes out March 12, but you can preorder it now. (It would make a great baby shower gift!)

(I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.)