I am thrilled to reveal a project I’ve been working on for months (and in some ways, years): the Mombian Database of LGBTQ Family Books, Media, and More: over 500 books, music albums, movies, games, and toys for and about LGBTQ families. This is not just a booklist: you can search and filter by categories, tags, and more. Want board books with queer dads? Picture books starring Black transgender girls? Memoirs by queer moms about adoption? You can find them, among many other combinations!
What sets this database apart from other LGBTQ-inclusive booklists is the searching and filtering. You can choose broad categories of age and type of media, then narrow down your results with tags for LGBTQ identities, racial/ethnic identities, subject matter, and more. You can also filter by writer/creator/director, illustrator, publisher, and publication date.
I’ve tagged books based on the sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and racial/ethnic identities of protagonists and their families, but not of every character. I’ve tried to design all the tags to be specific enough to be useful without creating too many tags to wade through. Tagging each item involved many judgment calls; I’ve probably made mistakes or overlooked things (500+ items was a lot to process), which I will work to fix. Drop me a note if you catch anything, and please be kind; this was essentially a part-time, one-person project, with no funding (though my son helped with some of the data entry).
One important tag is “Incidental queerness,” for items in which the story isn’t “about” the characters’ LGBTQ identities. This is something I’ve very often heard LGBTQ parents asking for. Sometimes these are called “everyday” stories—but I also want to encourage more stories about LGBTQ families that aren’t just about our everyday family lives (we need intergalactic space adventures and fantastical journeys, too!), so I’m using a different term.
Another tag to know is “Character w/bias or misunderstanding of LGBTQ.” Many LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books depict someone questioning or being hostile to LGBTQ people and families. These topics are important to discuss (though far from the only storylines we should have), but parents and teachers may also want to be careful about when and how they introduce them, lest they raise fears or concerns that weren’t there before. I’ve tagged items that deal with these topics so you can make the decision that feels right for your children.
Each item contains a brief description. For ones that I’ve reviewed at more length on my blog, I’ve provided a link to the review.
A big thanks to my son for his help with the data entry. He’s far too old now for the kids’ books, many of which I wish had been available when he was younger—but I’m delighted he helped create this resource for the next generation.
What’s Here and What’s Not (Yet)?
LGBTQ-inclusive picture books (including board books)
These are the majority of entries (over 300!), most from the past 15 years or so. Earlier works are more sporadic, although I am working to add more. They include books from mainstream publishers, small presses, and self-published efforts.
I have not included all self-published books, however. Many are great and may push boundaries of inclusion that books from mainstream publishers do not; I’ve tried to include those. LGBTQ kids’ literature began with such efforts. Others are highly derivative or otherwise of lesser quality. If I’ve missed something that you think worth considering, however (especially more recent ones I may have missed), please drop me a note and I’d be happy to consider it.
Books for grown-ups on LGBTQ Families
These include how-to guidebooks for LGBTQ parents, memoirs and anthologies by LGBTQ parents and our grown children, social science studies about LGBTQ families, and books on LGBTQ inclusion in schools.
LGBTQ-inclusive middle-grade books
This is a much smaller collection than of picture books, because I can’t do everything and there have been so many picture books in recent years. I’ve included a number of them to get folks started, however.
There are no young adult books, since my site is aimed at parents; young adults are generally finding and choosing their own reading materials.
Kids’ music albums that are LGBTQ inclusive or expand ideas of gender
This is probably not a comprehensive list, but I’ve included a number that I know of.
Films about LGBTQ families
The current listings are documentaries and educational films for grown-ups, but I am working to include the growing number of LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ shows and movies—stay tuned; in the meantime, see this post, which rounds up a number of them, and my compilation of YouTube videos for and about LGBTQ families.
LGBTQ-inclusive games and toys
Dolls, building sets, and card games that showcase diverse families and gender identities/expressions.
Please Note
Inclusion of an item in the database is not necessarily a recommendation. I’ve included some problematic items that you may come across and indicated why they may be problematic.
While I’ve made efforts to ensure the data is accurate, I make no guarantees. This was a part-time, unfunded project done mostly by one person (me, with some help from my son on the data entry), using off-the-shelf WordPress plugins. I hope to continue improving it.
Purchasing
I’ve provided links to Amazon and Bookshop for each item, when available (though because of technical limitations, you’ll only see the Amazon link unless you click through to each individual item). Many people prefer Bookshop for the way that it supports independent bookstores; many LGBTQ-inclusive books, however, especially by independent creators, are only available on Amazon, and Amazon is often a little cheaper. I’ve therefore included links to both (when available) so that you can buy where it feels right to you. Additionally, some items are available only through the creators’ websites, in which case I’ve included links to those sites instead. And a few books are available to read free online (at Open Library or elsewhere), so I’ve included those links, too, as applicable.
As an Amazon Associate and a Bookshop Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is part of how I am able to maintain Mombian. I’m also just as happy if you ask your local library or school to stock these items.
Going Forward
This is a work in progress. I’ll be adding to the database as new books and other items come out this year. (I already have a number on my radar, but if you know of any, please let me know.) I’ll also be adding LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ movies and television shows, refining tags, and filling in some of the other gaps noted above.
I hope you find this useful!
Huzzah! What a fantastic way to corral the wealth of content here! Thank you for this – an epic undertaking indeed, and so priceless.