There were so many great LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books and music albums this year that it was hard to choose a selection for this gift guide. Here are more than 60 that I feel stand out for their overall quality and/or the representation they offer.
Click the titles below for longer reviews and purchase options. Again, this is not a complete list of all the LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books published this year—please visit my full Database of LGBTQ Family Books, Media, and More for many others, searchable and filterable by various topics and identities.
Board and Picture Books
General LGBTQ Representation
Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (Orca). An alphabet book with a fun story arc about a multiracial queer family’s day at a Pride celebration, bursting with diversity across LGBTQ and other identities.
They’re So Flamboyant, by Michael Genhart, illustrated by Tony Neal (Magination Press). A “flamboyance” of flamingos moves into a new neighborhood, where the other groups of birds—a gaggle of geese, a charm of finches, an unkindness of ravens, and more—worry about potential disruption by their colorful new neighbors. Can they learn to value their differences? The witty wordplay and adorable illustrations balance a serious message.
Llama Glamarama, by Simon James Green and illustrated by Garry Parsons (Orchard Books/Scholastic). Larry, a proper, rule-following llama, has a secret: he loves to dance! “But llamas aren’t SUPPOSED to dance,” we learn. Larry feels sad and wonders if he should he stop. (Spoiler alert: no. He finally finds community and self-pride.) There are no overt LGBTQ identities in the story, but the analogy is clear. Such analogies can have their limitations, but this is such a fun and humorous tale that it’s impossible not to like it.
Love in the Wild, by Katy Tanis (Mudpuppy). Celebrates the many types of love found in the animal kingdom. It’s impossible to tell from the illustrations what sex or gender most of the animals are, so the point doesn’t come across as strongly as it could, but the illustrations are beautiful and full of rainbows, with a message of “love is love,” making this a bright addition to storytime reading, regardless. Adults might use it to launch further discussions of sex and gender.
This Little Rainbow: A Love-Is-Love Primer, by Joan Holub and illustrated by Daniel Roode (Little Simon). A board book that profiles 11 famous LGBTQ people. The information on each person is necessarily short, but seems fitting for the target age group. Even so, some of the information (particularly on the right-hand pages) may go over the heads of toddlers, but they should enjoy the rhymes—and can take in further information as they grow.
As Babies Dream, by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Taia Morley (Magination Press). Offers gentle rhymes about animal parents and offspring, both wild and domestic, going about their lives and eventually settling in to sleep, as the Earth, moon, and stars continue their movements around them. The families portrayed include two with a mom and a dad, one with two moms, one with two dads, and one with a single mother.
Families Can, by Dan Saks and illustrated by Brooke Smart (Penguin Workshop). A simple board book about different family structures, including immigrant families, ones with single parents, divorced/separated parents, and live-in grandparents. One page depicts a two-dad family, and notes, “A family can have/Two daddies or two moms. Any way you count it,/There are big loving arms.”
A Color Named Love, by M. Ellery, illustrated by Clara Reschke (Rainbow Factory). A child learns to feel love from first two, then three, then four parents. The book was written with children of polyamorous parents in mind, but feels broad enough that it might also work for families of three or more parents who are not all romantically linked (say, a couple and their donor/surrogate and partner who are all co-parenting). Joyous and celebratory.
Gender, Bodies, and Pronouns
What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns, by Katherine Locke and illustrated by Anne/Andy Passchier (Little, Brown). A nonbinary child welcomes the visit of their nonbinary uncle, who supports the child’s exploration of pronouns. It presents pronouns as one of many types of words that can be used to describe oneself and shows that finding one’s own words/identity is a journey.
Being You: A First Conversation About Gender, by Jessica Ralli and Megan Madison, and illustrated by Anne/Andy Passchier. A board book offering a simple but thoughtful overview of gender identity and expression as well as gender stereotypes and myths. While slightly advanced for a board book, it nevertheless feels like an excellent first book for pre-K and up.
The lauded “A Kids Book About’’ series (named to Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2020) published three books in 2021 by “champions” of the GenderCool Project, a youth-led movement of transgender and non-binary teens. The books are aimed at children ages 5 to 9 and include A Kids Book About Being Transgender, by Gia Parr, and A Kids Book About Being Inclusive, by Ashton Mota and Rebekah Bruesehoff (who are both trans), and A Kids Book About Being Non-binary, by Hunter Chinn-Raicht. One other from the same publisher is A Kids Book About Gender, by Dale Mueller, a non-binary trans adult. In each volume, the authors talk directly to readers as they share their personal stories and illuminate their book’s core concepts. The books use bright backgrounds and a variety of fonts rather than pictures, keeping the focus on the words and the conversational feel.
Bodies Are Cool, written and illustrated by Tyler Feder (Dial). A joyous exploration of the many different types of human bodies, in various shades, sizes, ages, genders, and abilities. Queer couples and transgender and nonbinary people are plentiful.
On a similar note, the latest edition of The Bare Naked Book, by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Melissa Cho (Annick Press) is a celebratory and body-positive book about all the different parts of a human body, from hair and nose to nipples and genitals, and seamlessly inclusive of physical differences, body types, and all genders.
Transgender Boys/Men
Calvin, by JR Ford and Vanessa Ford, illustrated by Kayla Harren (G.P. Putnam’s Sons). The story of a Black transgender boy who transitions with the love and support of his family, teachers, and friends, showing how a community can work together to empower a trans child. Authors JR and Vanessa Ford, parents of a transgender child themselves, deftly capture Calvin’s quiet joy in becoming himself.
Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope, by Jodie Patterson, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow (Crown). Another positive story of a Black trans boy. Penelope is “no ordinary kid,” but rather a ninja—strong and smart, with ninja moves. It’s hard to be a ninja with a name like “Penelope,” though, when everyone calls you “cute.” And no one sees that Penelope is a boy—so he has to tell them, in an affirming picture book that is also a true story, written by the real boy’s mother.
Over the Shop, by JonArno Lawson and illustrated by Qin Leng (Candlewick). A beautifully illustrated wordless tale about found family. In it, a White girl and her gender-ambiguous grandparent rent out the apartment over their run-down shop to a queer couple, one of whom reads as a dark-skinned woman; the other as Asian and as either nonbinary, a transgender man, or a butch/masculine woman. The couple help fix up the building and brighten both the grandparent’s grumpy attitude and the whole neighborhood.
He’s My Mom!: A Story for Children Who Have a Transgender Parent or Relative, by Sarah Savage, illustrated by Joules Garcia (Jessica Kingsley). The child protagonist introduces readers to their mom, a transgender man, and their fun and loving life together. (See also Savage’s She’s My Dad, published last year.)
Transgender Girls/Women
The Loudest Bark, by Gail M. Schwartz and Lucie Gagnon, illustrated by Amélie Ayotte (Rebel Mountain Press). The a sweet story of a child with medium-dark skin coming out as a transgender girl and socially transitioning with the support of a neighbor and the acceptance of parents. Also available in French.
Guthli Has Wings, by Kanak Shashi (Tulika Publishers). The story of a child name Guthli, growing up in India, who has to convince her parents that she is a girl, not a boy as everyone believes. The plot doesn’t stray far from other books about transgender girls and gender creative boys who want to wear dresses and face opposition from family or peers, but stands out for its warmth, setting, and focus on an Indian family, as well as for the bright, textured, cutout illustrations.
Nonbinary Characters
The Little Library, by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Schwartz & Wade). A White boy who is “a slow and careful reader” gets help from a librarian (who happens to be nonbinary) in finding just the right book for his interests and abilities.
Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They, by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, and illustrated by Chris Case (Magination Press). The gender-creative, White children we met in Jacob’s New Dress and Jacob’s Room to Choose appear again here, as we’re introduced to 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).
Toby Wears a Tutu, by Lori Starling and illustrated by Anita Dufalla (Brandylane Publishers). The titular character, a Black boy, sometimes feels like a boy, sometimes like a girl, and most times in between. When other kids tease about whether Toby is a boy or a girl, Toby’s mother advises that labels don’t matter and encourages Toby to speak with the other kids. Toby summons the courage to do so and concludes “It’s amazing to just be a me.”
Siblings of Trans Children
Sam Is My Sister, by Ashley Rhodes-Courter, illustrated by MacKenzie Haley (Albert Whitman). A young White boy isn’t quite sure what’s happening when his younger sibling, whom he thought was a boy, begins to want long hair and to wear dresses, but he ultimately realizes that she’s still the same person. By the mother of a transgender daughter.
My Sister, Daisy, by Adria Karlsson and illustrated by Linus Curci (Capstone Editions). A White boy addresses his sibling and describes his response when she told him she was a girl, not a boy as people had assumed. While he struggles sometimes to remember to use the right name and pronouns for her, and sometimes resents the extra attention she seems to be receiving, he ultimately realizes that they can still have fun together and he loves her as his sister. By the parent of a trans child.
Gender Creativity
When Langston Dances, by Kaija Langley, illustrated by Keith Mallett (Simon & Schuster). A young Black boy dreams of dancing like his hero, Alvin Ailey, in a joyful book about having the confidence to be oneself. Langston isn’t explicitly queer, but his gender atypical activity and queer hero make this a book that may appeal strongly to queer children, among others, while the message of self-acceptance is for all.
The Spectacular Suit, by Kat Patrick, illustrated by Hayley Wells (Scribble US). A rare story about a gender creative girl, with a White protagonist who wants a spectacular suit for her birthday party and her family who helps realize her wish.
Fred Gets Dressed, by Peter Brown (Little, Brown). A White child who uses male pronouns enjoys dressing up as both his mom and his dad. His parents support his gender-creative play and even join in the fun.
Patrick’s Polka-Dot Tights, by Kristen McCurry and illustrated by MacKenzie Haley (Capstone Editions). A White boy loves to wear his sister’s purple polka-dot tights in many creative ways. When his sister accidentally stains them, Patrick is distraught, but his whole family comes to the rescue in this delightful story that doesn’t involve anyone questioning or harassing him for his gender creativity.
My Shadow Is Pink, by Scott Stuart (Larrikin House). A White boy whose “shadow is pink” finds acceptance and love from his burly, masculine, blue-shadowed dad in a picture book inspired by the author’s real-life story.
Rainbow Boy, by Taylor Rouanzion and illustrated by Stacey Chomiak (Beaming Books). A White boy tries to answer the question grown-ups always ask: “What’s your favorite color?” He loves his pink tutu, red crayon, orange basketball, and more. His mom tells him at the end that his heart is too big for just one color: “You need a whole rainbow to fill it up.”
Téo’s Tutu, by Maryann Jacob Macias and illustrated by Alea Marley (Dial Books). A joyous book about a gender creative Black boy who loves to dance and wear a tutu. Although he senses that some people are not comfortable with his choice of outfit, his parents and teacher fully support him.
Lesbians/Queer Women
Lola Sleeps Over, by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw (Charlesbridge), is the latest book of the long-running Lola Reads series. Here, Lola, a Black girl, is excited about her first sleepover, with her cousin Hani and Hani’s two moms, Lola’s aunts. The fact that they’re a two-mom couple is a non-issue.
Aaron Slater, Illustrator, by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts (Abrams). A Black boy struggles with reading but ultimately learns how to use art to express the stories he wants to tell. He happens to have two moms, but that is incidental to the story, a lovely bit of seamless inclusion.
Early One Morning! by Lawrence Schimel, illustrated by Elina Braslina (Orca). A bright board book showing a slice of life for a White boy in a two-mom family.
Fastest Woman on Earth: The Story of Tatyana McFadden, by Francesca Cavallo and illustrated by Luis San Vicente (Undercats). A biography that traces McFadden’s life from an orphanage in Russia to becoming a 20-time Paralympic medalist. Along the way, she is adopted by a two-mom couple, learns to play many sports, and always does things her own way.
Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman, by Sharice Davids with Nancy K. Mays, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (HarperCollins). A strikingly illustrated autobiography by one of the first two Native American women and the first openly lesbian Native American elected to Congress.
Megan Rapinoe (Little People, Big Dreams). A cheery book that shows the evolution of Rapinoe’s realization that she is gay while she also climbs the ladder of soccer superstardom. The main premise, that “by being truly herself on and off the field, little Megan became one of the most beloved soccer players in the world—and the best possible Megan she ever dreamt to be,” is a necessary message.
Gay/Queer Men
Mr. Watson’s Chickens, by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi (Chronicle Books). The hilarious tale of one White man, his 456 mischievous chickens, and his patient (to a point) Asian partner/husband. One of the funniest books of the year.
Adventures with My Daddies, by Gareth Peters. A sweet picture book about a White girl who loves having her dads read stories to her (especially the one about her adoption). Uplifting and empowering.
Grandad’s Camper, written and illustrated by Harry Woodgate (Little Bee Books). A rare picture book about a queer grandparent, in which a White girl convinces her Grandpa to go out again in the camper that he used to adventure in with Gramps before Gramps died.
Roger and Matthew, by Michel Thériault and illustrated by Magali Ben (Fitzhenry & Whiteside). A gentle story about the lives of a retired, White, two-man couple who have known each other since elementary school. Because they were different, people were often mean to them, we read—but the focus is on the happiness that they found together and on their quiet strength.
Bedtime, Not Playtime! by Lawrence Schimel, illustrated by Elina Braslina (Orca). A bright board book showing a slice of life for a White girl in a two-dad family.
Prince & Knight: Tale of the Shadow King, by Daniel Haack and illustrated by Stevie Lewis (Little Bee Books), is the continuation of the romantic fairy tale of Prince & Knight. Here, they must save the land from the Shadow King, whose self-hatred has spilled out to blight the land after he himself experienced harassment because of how he spoke and dressed, and who he loved.
Whole Whale, by Karen Yin and illustrated by Nelleke Verhoeff (Barefoot Books). Is there room for a whale to join the fun as 100 animals gather? A pair of male lions and their cubs are among the wide variety of animals shown in this frolicsome tale—but the book’s message of inclusion and making room goes beyond just their appearance.
Joy to the World! Christmas Around the Globe, by Kate DePalma and illustrated by Sophie Fatus (Barefoot Books), depicts families around the world celebrating Christmas in different ways, but with a similar spirit. The Canadian family is multiracial (Black and White) and has two dads.
Tuesday Is Daddy’s Day, by Elliot Kreloff (Holiday House). The story of a dark-skinned girl whose mom and dad are divorced and whose dad is living with a new, male partner (although his gender is never an issue). A sweet story about a family working together in the best interests of the child, even after a divorce.
Two Grooms on a Cake: The Story of America’s First Gay Wedding, by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Robbie Cathro (Little Bee). The true story of the first same-sex couple in the U.S. to legally wed—in 1971—told entertainingly by the two groom figurines on their wedding cake.
Stitch by Stitch: Cleve Jones and the AIDS Memorial Quilt, by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jamey Christoph (Magination Press). A lyrical and moving book that conveys a life, an era, and a somber topic in a way both informative and age appropriate. Sanders does not talk down to his young audience but also manages to make the story accessible, clear, and respectful of its subject.
RuPaul (Little People, Big Dreams), by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illustrated by Wednesday Holmes (Frances Lincoln). We travel with RuPaul from his childhood through his rise to fame. His enthusiasm for performing and dedication to being himself comes through clearly, as does his importance as a role model for many.
Early Readers and Early Chapter Books
The Mermicorn Island series by Jason June, illustrated by Lisa Manuzak Wiley (Scholastic), stars Lucky, a half mermaid, half unicorn mermicorn, who lives in a magical undersea world. Lucky seems somewhat gender creative, and one of his friends has two dads, introduced in Volume 3, Too Many Dolphins!
The Popcorn Bob series by Maranke Rinck, illustrated by Martijn Van Der Linden (Levine Querido), centers on a girl (who happens to have two dads) and a piece of popcorn that comes to life as a hungry, cranky, but somehow lovable creature.
Who Is RuPaul? by Nico Medina and illustrated by Andrew Thomson (Penguin Workshop). A good biography of RuPaul for those ready for something a little more substantial than the picture-book biographies, but still at a reasonably easy reading level. The emphasis is more on his impact and less on the details of his life, which feels appropriate for the age.
Jordan and Max, Showtime, by Suzanne Sutherland, illustrated by Michelle Simpson. Jordan, who lives with his grandmother, stuck out at his old elementary school for having long hair and a protruding belly. He just wants to be invisible at his new one. He’s not going to tell anyone that he and his grandmother spend their evenings singing and dancing together in glamorous wigs and dresses from her closet. When he’s paired with Max, another loner, for a school project, Jordan worries that Max’s loud mouth and desire to perform will ruin his own wish to blend in. Ultimately, though, Jordan helps Max learn not to be so pushy, and Max helps Jordan find the strength to let his true self shine.
A Whale of a Tea Party, by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Sam Ailey (Simon Spotlight), contains (to the best of my knowledge) the first nonbinary character in an early reader series. The protagonist, Whale, lives near Tiny Island and enjoys tea parties with her three friends, who are all rocks. She dreams of someday having friends who are not rocks, though. One day, she throws a tea party and is surprised by two visitors, Quail and Snail. Whale at first mistakes Snail for another rock, but Snail clarifies, “The name’s Snail,” and hands Whale a business card that also includes their pronouns, “they/them.” This is presented as a matter of course, with no special attention drawn to it. There are some misunderstandings when Snail accidentally knocks over Whale’s rock friends, but Whale is forgiving and the three new friends soon enjoy their tea party together. The book’s messages about friendship, forgiveness, and not making assumptions are lightly done, without weighing down this whimsical tale.
Middle Grade and Up
The middle grade books I read this year were all excellent, so I’m only highlighting a few here. Please visit this link to see the many others listed for this year in my database.
Two anthologies are great additions to any collection:
This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us, ed. by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby (Alfred A. Knopf). A superb middle grade anthology with stories across the LGBTQ spectrum by many of the luminaries of the genre.
Growing Up Trans: In Our Own Words, ed. by Kate Fry and Lindsay Herriot (Orca). A vibrant collection of stories, essays, art, and poems by trans youth ages 11 to 18.
Three LGBTQ-inclusive titles were among the five titles shortlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (and one won):
Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff (Dial). A coming-of-age story and a mystery rolled into one—the first middle-grade novel from the author of the Stonewall Award-winning When Aidan Became a Brother and the Max and Friends series, all about trans boys.
The Legend of Auntie Po, by Shing Yin Khor (Kokila). A middle grade graphic novel about a Chinese American girl living at a Sierra Nevada logging camp in the late 19th-century. Mei, who has a crush on the foreman’s daughter, finds strength in the face of camp politics and systemic racism by reinventing the stories of Paul Bunyan to star an elderly Chinese matriarch.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo (Dutton). A young adult lesbian love story starring a Chinese American girl and set in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1954, rich with both historical detail and captivating characters. While I don’t typically cover YA (books for younger kids keep me busy enough), I’m making an exception for this one, the winner of the 2021 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
Music
The Rainbow Lullaby, by Ryan Bauer-Walsh and Friends (Broadway Records). Offers soothing melodies and inclusive, loving lyrics by 15 award-winning LGBTQIA+ writers, performed by more than 30 LGBTQIA+ artists, including many Broadway stars. All proceeds from purchases of the album support the Ali Forney Center for LGBTQ+ youth.
The Grumpytime Club, by queer and gender nonconforming artist Carrie Ferguson. An album full of songs about accepting differences, getting in touch with one’s feelings, and being oneself—as well as silly ones that are simply fun to dance to. Clever and heartfelt lyrics and a variety of musical styles make this an album you won’t mind having on repeat.
“What’s Your Name?” A single by Canadian singer-songwriter Mandy Morris about meeting a new friend and respectfully asking what their name and pronouns are. Verses show what to do if one accidentally misgenders someone and offer an example of why using the right pronouns is respectful.
Originally published with some variation as my Mombian newspaper column.
