In celebration of International Non-Binary People’s Day today, here are some of my favorite children’s books, songs, and shows with nonbinary characters—perfect for any day of the year! Some are specifically about being nonbinary; others include characters whose nonbinary identity is incidental to the story.
The books below include ones with nonbinary children—for children’s books with nonbinary parents and other adults, please see my post for Nonbinary Parents Day this past April. Also, while most of the books below are about children who specifically identify as nonbinary, as other than a boy or a girl, and/or use “they” pronouns, there are a few in which the character’s gender identity is ambiguous, but they could easily be read as nonbinary.
Board Books with Nonbinary Characters
- We Are Little Feminists: Families, by Archaa Shrivastav and illustrated by Lindsey Blakely (Little Feminist), is a board book that celebrates many types of families via photos of real families around the world engaged in everyday activities. Several of the families include children who seem nonbinary or gender creative. There are also families with two moms and two dads and one image of a transgender man who is pregnant. This is truly a joyous book that belongs in any library or bookshelf for young children.
- Pride Puppy, by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (Orca), is an alphabet book with a fun story arc, plus a seek-and-find game, all wrapped up in a package bursting with diversity across LGBTQ and other identities. None of the characters’ genders are stated; several children and adults could be read as nonbinary. Full review.
- My Family, Your Family! by Kathryn Cole and illustrated by Cornelia Li (Second Story Press), is a simple board book celebration of different types of families, including ones with same-sex parents and one with a child who uses “they” pronouns (and maybe a nonbinary adult on the page, too). (The page for “Blended family,” however, shows a multiracial family, and young readers may mistakenly think “blended family” means “multiracial” instead of “a family in which the parents each had children before starting their relationship.” Adults will need to explain.)
Picture Books About Being Nonbinary
- A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary, by Hunter Chinn-Raicht (A Kids Book About) is a personal look at what it means to be non-binary. The book is one of a set of three titles by “champions” of the GenderCool Project, a youth-led movement of teens who are speaking out to show that transgender and non-binary youth can thrive. Chinn-Raicht explains what being non-binary means to them and shares the various ways they express their gender. At the same time, they emphasize that “Non-binary means something different to everyone!” They also offer assurance to those struggling to understand gender identity and use the proper words. Full review.
- A Kids Book About Gender, by Dale Mueller (A Kids Book About) is also from the same publisher and by a nonbinary author (though not one of the GenderCool champions). It similarly reads like a conversation with the author. The combination of an authentic personal story and simple but not simplistic definitions make this work. Mueller reassures readers that it’s OK if they don’t quite understand, and assures them that everyone explores their gender. Full review.
- What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns, by Katherine Locke and illustrated by Anne Passchier (Little, Brown), is a thoughtful book about gender-inclusive pronouns, by a nonbinary author and illustrator and starring a nonbinary child named Ari. There’s a lot to like here, including the presentation of pronouns as one of many types of words that can be used to describe oneself; the message that finding one’s words is a journey and not necessarily a linear one; and that we each must find our own words that fit. Full review.
- In Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They, by Ian and Sarah Hoffman and illustrated by Chris Case (Magination Press), the gender-creative children from Jacob’s New Dress and Jacob’s Room to Choose appear again, as we’re introduced to Ari, a new character who uses “they” pronouns. Jacob also learns the difference between what one wears and who one is on the inside (or as we would say, the difference between gender expression and gender identity). Full review.
- Toby Wears a Tutu, by Lori Starling and illustrated by Anita Dufalla (Brandylane Publishers) is told from the first-person perspective of Toby, a young child dressed for the first day of school in a “dapper blue bow tie, and frilly pink tutu.” Other kids tease about whether Toby is a boy or a girl. With encouragement from their mother, Toby tells the other children how they sometimes feel like one or the other or in between. In the end, they invite Toby to play kickball. “It’s amazing to just be a me,” Toby concludes. Full review.
- In What Riley Wore, Elana K. Arnold and illustrated by Linda Davick (Simon & Schuster), protagonist Riley loves to dress up in ball gowns, hard hats, and bunny costumes and doesn’t acknowledge a gender label. A completely positive tale of gender identity/expression. Full review.
- In Ogilvy, by Deborah Underwood (Henry Holt), the medium-length garment of a gender-ambiguous bunny confuses the other bunnies, who tell Ogilvy, “Bunnies in dresses play ball and knit socks,” but “Bunnies in sweaters make art and climb rocks.” Ogilvy relabels the outfit at will and plays accordingly, until one day the other bunnies demand a fixed choice. Ogilvy convinces the other bunnies that everyone benefits from wearing and doing what they choose. A good lesson with Seussian-style rhymes. Full review.
- Jamie Is Jamie: A Book About Being Yourself and Playing Your Way, by Afsaneh Moradian and illustrated by Maria Bogade (Free Spirit Publishing) shows Jamie—gender unidentified—exploring a new school and playing with both boys and girls who are doing traditional “boy” and “girl” activities. The other children are puzzled (but not negative) about whether Jamie is a boy or a girl. In the end, they accept Jamie and learn to expand their own ideas of how they play. Full review.
- Jamie and Bubbie: A Book About People’s Pronouns, is a sequel to the above, though either can be read independently. Here, Jamie’s Bubbie comes for a visit, but mistakenly misgenders several of the people they meet on their neighborhood walk. Jamie, whose gender is never specified, knows everyone’s correct genders and pronouns, though, and gently informs Bubbie, who is receptive to the feedback. Full review.
- In Is That for a Boy or a Girl? by S. Bear Bergman and illustrated by Rachel Dougherty (Flamingo Rampant), short poems show children of many genders and various racial/ethnic identities making independent choices about clothes, toys, activities, and bathroom usage. Also available in Spanish as ¿Es de Chica o de Chico?
- Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl? by Sarah Savage and illustrated by Fox Fisher (Jessica Kingsley) stars a nonbinary child named Tiny who moves to a new town and is asked the titular question by classmates. One bully says, “Tiny is not a he. Tiny is not a she. Tiny is an it!” which could be scary for young readers. Nevertheless, Tiny remains confident in themselves and refuses to be labeled other than “I am me!”
- Stacey’s Not a Girl, by Colt Keo-Meier and Jesse Yang, is the story of a nonbinary child with supportive parents who explains how they don’t feel like either a boy or a girl.
- Meet Polkadot, by Talcott Broadhead, stars a nonbinary child who explains that there aren’t only two genders, and they are tired of being asked to choose one. Everyone is an expert on their own gender, they say, and should be believed when they talk about it. This is a sympathetic introduction to the topic, if a bit pedantic. Polkadot also asserts that they are transgender, like some of their friends, but this term is not explained.
- They Call Me Mix/Me Llaman Maestre, by Lourdes Rivas and illustrated by Breena Nunez, is a bilingual story in which a child explains how they sometimes feel like both a boy and a girl and sometimes neither. They do get misgendered, they say, but have found support with other “smart, talented, and beautiful nonbinary people.” The last few pages show the child, now grown, explaining that they became a teacher (whom we realize is the author). It’s a rare (at least in picture books) and needed vision of a nonbinary child who grew up into a successful adult.
- 47,000 Beads, by Angel and Koja Adeyoha and illustrated by Holly McGillis (Flamingo Rampant), stars a Lakota child who gets a little help from her aunt, mother, cousin, and a two-spirit elder in expressing a two-spirit self and dancing at a pow wow. (I mention this book with the understanding that being two-spirit and being nonbinary aren’t always coterminous, as this article makes clear.)
- Ho’onani: Hula Warrior, by Heather Gale and Mika Song (Tundra Books), is based on the true story of a Native Hawaiian child who feels neither wahine (girl) or kane (boy) and who wants to join the school performance of a traditional kane hula chant.
Picture Books Where the Character’s Nonbinary Identity Is Incidental to the Story
- Peanut Goes for the Gold, by Jonathan Van Ness and illustrated by Gillian Reid (HarperCollins), stars a nonbinary guinea pig named Peanut, who has their own way of doing things—but that’s a strength in this delightful story by one of the stars of Queer Eye. Full review.
- A Plan for Pops, by Heather Smith and illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan (Orca), is a wonderful book starring a gender ambiguous child and her two grandfathers, who are a couple. When one grandfather gets injured and falls into what adults will see as depression, the child comes up with a plan to help him. Full review.
- In The Great Space Adventure, by Ryka Aoki and illustrated by Cai Steele (Flamingo Rampant), a nonbinary child finds inspiration and self-acceptance by dreaming they are traveling to the moon and planets.
- A More Graceful Shaboom, by Jacinta Bunnell and illustrated by Crystal Vielula (PM Press), is a surreal romp of a book that follows a nonbinary child with “an extravagant collection of belongings” that they find hard to keep organized until they encounter a magical purse. Full review.
- Bell’s Knock Knock Birthday, by George Parker and Sam Orchard (Flamingo Rampant), shows a gender creative child welcoming their gender diverse friends and family to their birthday party in this fun book that will have you doing the sound effects. The guests also include “Grandmani,” who uses “they” pronouns.
- In Call Me Tree/Llamame arbol, by Maya Gonzalez (Children’s Book Press), a child whose gender is never specified moves through this lovely bilingual story that parallels personal growth and growth in the natural world.
- Hooray, What A Day!/¡Viva, Qué Día! by Molly Allis, is cheery day-long bilingual adventure as two gender creative children (one who uses “they” pronouns) explore their queer and colorful community. Full review.
Music, Kids’ Shows, and Toys
- Ridley Jones, a new kids’ show from Netflix, is about an adventure-loving girl who lives in a museum with her mother and grandmother—and whose friends include a nonbinary bison and a mummy girl with two dad mummies. It’s the latest show from Chris Nee, creator of Doc McStuffins and Vampirina (and also a lesbian mom). Full review.
- Dreamworks Animation’s kids’ show Madagascar: A Little Wild (Hulu and Peacock) has introduced a nonbinary character, voiced by a nonbinary actor—and also brings us a new song for Pride that’s bound to stick in your head. Full review.
- The Trans and Nonbinary Kids Mix is a multi-artist, multi-genre music album offering transgender and nonbinary children and youth songs that reflect and support who they are. Download it free at the link; if you choose to make a donation, it will go to Camp Aranu’tiq, a summer camp for transgender and nonbinary youth. Full review.
- “What’s Your Name?” is a new children’s song by Canadian musician Mandy Morris about meeting a new friend and respectfully asking what their name and pronouns are. While it doesn’t specifically mention nonbinary people, its message of using people’s correct pronouns is an important part of including people of all genders, including nonbinary ones. Full review.
- The Creatable World Dolls from Mattel come without pre-assigned genders and with long and short hairstyle options and a variety of wardrobe pieces including pants, skirts, and more, so kids can make them fit whatever gender identity and expression they wish.
Looking for more? Check my database for other books and media with nonbinary kids and nonbinary parents/adults—both new ones that came out after this post and a few older ones I didn’t mention here.
