Four new LGBTQ-inclusive picture books stand out for their art as much as their stories. Bring some beauty—and some uplifting, inspiring stories—into your homes, schools, and libraries with these books.
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What happens when Coretta Scott King Author Honoree, two-time NAACP Image Award winner, and three-time Caldecott Honoree Carole Boston Weatherford teams up with Rob Sanders, the critically acclaimed author of several LGBTQ picture-book biographies? Good things: namely A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington (Henry Holt & Company). Add in debut illustrator Byron McCray, who has a background in graphic design and clients like Sony Music and the National Black Theatre, and things get even better.
The trio give us a thoughtful biography of Rustin, the gay Black man who organized the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin, whose gay identity was not always accepted by other Civil Rights leaders, has long been overshadowed by others in the movement. Weatherford and Sanders now sing his praises—and take the concept to another level with suggestions for songs on each spread, drawn from the Civil Rights movement and Black spirituals. It’s an approach that should help readers emotionally connect with both the man and the spirit of the era. McCray’s paint-and-collage illustrations are textured and bold, adding to the story’s strong appeal. Extensive back matter will satisfy those wanting to know more or to use this as a starting point for school projects.
My Paati’s Saris, by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Art Twink (Kokila), is a poetic story about the relationship between a grandmother and grandchild and the joy that can be found when children are allowed to express themselves freely, regardless of gender norms. “My paati’s saris are stories,” a Tamil boy tells us as the tale opens. He waxes poetic about their patterns, textures, and colors as he wraps them around himself. After a day spent with his paati (grandmother) and the sights and scents of their community and home, he tries on one of her saris, then runs out to the garden to twirl for his parents and grandfather. “They see me. ME,” he says joyously.
Gopal’s text treads the line between poem and story, focusing more on feelings than a structured plot. Twink’s illustrations are lush and bold, capturing (as much as a printed page can) the colors and patterns of the saris and the vibrancy of the people in the community. The book is a swirling, colorful delight, and notable for showcasing a gender creative boy without anyone questioning or teasing him.
Butterfly Child, by Marc Majewski (Katherine Tegen Books), is about a young child who reads as male but is never explicitly gendered, and who loves to dress up as a butterfly. We see him “spin and swirl, twist and twirl, flutter and flap.” When four other kids tease him about his wings (while a fifth looks on, distressed but not actively intervening), he throws them away in disgust. His bearded, masculine-looking father helps him rebuild his wings and gain the confidence to go outside with them again. As he swirls around in them again, he finds a friend in the fifth child (who reads as a girl) and this time, can even fly!
The storyline feels similar to other books about gender creative boys who are teased and then find courage to be themselves with the help of a supportive parent or other adult (e.g., My Shadow Is Pink, Sparkle Boy, Carlos, The Fairy Boy/Carlos, El Niño Hada, Jesse’s Dream Skirt), but the gorgeous illustrations (particularly the verdant outdoor scenes) make it stand out.
Finally, in My Fade Is Fresh, by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Kitt Thomas (Penguin Workshop), NAACP Image Award Winner Thomas’ dynamic illustrations showcase both the many hairstyles mentioned and the many people in this vibrant community. I posted about this book starring a gender creative girl a few days ago, so I’ll say no more here—but I couldn’t leave it off a list of recent, beautiful books.