Pride is almost upon us, so why not start the celebration with some great kids’ books about it? Several have come out since last year, so here’s a roundup of old and new!
Please note that I’m focusing narrowly here on books specifically about Pride celebrations and/or the Stonewall Riots that led to them. There are happily a growing number of other kids’ books that look at different aspects of LGBTQ history and that are simply LGBTQ inclusive—I’ll save those for other posts (here are two new ones) so this list doesn’t get too unwieldy (and there are some great new titles coming out very soon, so stay tuned).
Books new since last June are marked with an asterisk (*).
For the Youngest Children
*Pride 1 2 3
, by Michael Joosten and illustrated by Wednesday Holmes (Little Simon), is a counting board book set at a Pride celebration. “1 parade in the month of June; 2 DJs spin fabulous tunes,” start the rhymes, continuing up to ten. The bright illustrations show a diversity of people and Pride flags, along with affirming messages like “You are magical.” (Looking for more LGBTQ-inclusive board books? There are many!)
Robin Stevenson’s Pride Colors
board book (Orca) takes the meanings of the colors in the Pride flag, as envisioned by creator Gilbert Baker, and turns them into a poem from parent to child, coupled with images of babies and toddlers and sometimes their two moms or dads. “Yellow sunshine, smiles so bright./I’ll hug you, kiss you, hold you tight,” says one spread. There’s a mention of “Pride Day fun” at the end, but the book is more about the sentiments that extend far beyond a single day or month.
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride
, by Michael Genhard and illustrated by Anne Passchier (Magination Press), uses essentially the same concept, but in a more literal way. “Red means life,” it says, showing a red-laden image of two dads happily holding their newborn. It continues through all the colors of the rainbow and ends with a spread of families waving rainbow flags. It’s a less warmly personal book than Stevenson’s, but makes a bright introduction to the colors of Pride and images of LGBTQ families.
Our Rainbow
, by Little Bee Books and a variety of artists, is a board book published in partnership with LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD, and again takes a similar approach. It shows the meanings of the colors as exemplified through simple acts of kindness–but also includes brown and black. These additional colors originated with the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs’ 2017 More Color More Pride campaign and were meant to represent people of color. The book, however, says they represent simply an unspecific “diversity and inclusion.” While diversity and inclusion across many aspects of identity is generally a good thing, these stripes were intended to underscore a particular point about the inclusion of people of color, and to my mind should retain that meaning. Published in partnership with LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD.
*Kevin Keller’s Favorite Colors
, from Little Bee Books, stars the Archie comics’ first gay character explaining the meaning of each of the colors in the Pride flag, as other characters from the comic demonstrate. Like Our Rainbow above, it includes the recent additions of black and brown. It says black is for diversity and notes that “The black stripe honors people of color,” but the page about brown says only that it is for inclusion, mentioning nothing about people of color, which feels weak. Other than that, the book is fine, but three very similar books on Pride colors came out this past year (above), including one from Little Bee. Aside from the use of Archie characters, this book adds little that is different—and one might wonder whether a comic depicting high schoolers will really appeal to children still learning their colors. Adult fans may want it for their children, though, even if the genre feels saturated.
This Day in June
, by Gayle Pitman and illustrated by Kristyna Litten (Magination Press), is a Stonewall Book Award winner that takes us on a joyous trip to a Pride Parade, where we meet a diverse group of people including dykes on bikes, drag queens, people in leather, marching bands, LGBTQ parents with their children, and parents of LGBTQ children.
M Is for Mustache: A Pride ABC Book
, by Catherine Hernandez and illustrated by Marisa Firebaugh (Flamingo Rampant), takes us through an alphabet of Pride-related words through the eyes of a Filipino American child.
For Elementary School Ages
*Be Amazing: A History of Pride
, by “Drag Kid” Desmond Is Amazing (Farrar Straus Giroux; on sale July 21), is less a detailed history than a short overview of the Stonewall Riots and the first March one year later; brief biographies of Stonewall icons Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera; and a personal description of the influence Pride has had on Desmond’s life. A mention of President Obama’s declaration of Pride Month in 2009 makes it (incorrectly) seem as if that action legitimized the observance. The book is more effective when Desmond tells us about his first time at Pride, becoming a “viral drag sensation,” and how he was inspired by RuPaul (who gets a short bio) and other LGBTQ icons (several of whom are named without further information). What it lacks as a full history it makes up for with an enthusiastic message to “Be amazing,” and with dazzling illustrations from Dylan Glynn.
Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution
, by Rob Sanders (Random House), uses the perspective of the Stonewall Inn itself to create a simple yet compelling story that focuses on the people in the neighborhood. Jamey Christoph’s evocative illustrations capture their diversity of race, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
, by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Steven Salerno (Random House), is an inspiring biography of Milk that emphasizes his friendship with Gilbert Baker, who designed the rainbow flag. It mentions Milk’s assassination, although as gently as possible, but parents should still be prepared to address kids’ concerns there.
Sewing the Rainbow: A Story About Gilbert Baker
, by Gayle Pitman and illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown (Magination Press), takes us along with Baker from his childhood, through adversity, to his creation of the rainbow flag and regaining his sparkle. A few things (such as Baker’s draft letter) may take adult explanation, but all will be inspired by this story.
Gloria Goes to Gay Pride
, by Lesléa Newman, author of Heather Has Two Mommies, is out of print, but available free in digital form through openlibrary.org. The 1991 story holds up remarkably well, despite dated illustrations and use of “Gay Pride” rather than “LGBTQ Pride.” In it, Gloria and her two moms meet other families and people from their neighborhood at a Pride parade. Most of the spectators cheer, but a few have a sign saying, “Gays go away.” One of the moms explains, “Some women love women, some men love men, and some women and men love each other. That’s why we march in the parade—so everyone can have a choice.” A good choice for parents who need to explain anti-LGBTQ protesters.
For Tweens and Up
*Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle
, by Robin Stevenson (Orca), is an updated and expanded edition of her Stonewall Honor-winning book for middle-graders on Pride and the LGBTQ-rights movement. It blends a history of the event with a broader look at the struggle for LGBTQ equality around the world, and offers an inspiring call to action.
Gayle Pitman’s The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets
(Abrams) is organized around 50 representative objects from the era and the event, such as photos, matchbooks, picket signs, and more. Pitman weaves the stories behind these objects into a narrative that feels both accessible and substantial.
What Was Stonewall?
by Nico Medina, looks at Stonewall in the context of the broader movement for LGBTQ equality both before 1969 and after, through 2016.
The Stonewall Riots: The Fight for LGBT Rights
, by Tristan Poehlmann (Essential Library) is a solid overview, but only available in a $30 library edition, which may make it a better library pick than one for home bookshelves.
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