A picture book and an early reader bring us delightful new stories with nonbinary protagonists. One is a deliberate celebration of queer identities, while in the other, the character’s nonbinary identity is completely incidental to the tale. Readers should value both approaches!
In Getting Glam at Gram’s, by Sara Weed, illustrated by Erin Hawryluk (Arsenal Pulp), a child named Alex tells readers all about their Sunday family dinners at Gram’s house, and introduces us to themself and their cousins: Alex (they/them); Evan (he/him); Ty (he/him); Sunny (she/her); and Mona/Mo (she/her and they/them). Gram has lots of clothes, glasses, shoes, jewelry, and wigs, so after dinner, the kids “get glam,” dressing up in sparkles, heels, hats, and dresses, regardless of gender. Even their uncle gets involved, helping transform shirts and scarves into dresses.
Despite a small mishap with a pair of Gram’s glasses, everyone is having fun. When Gram announces the fashion show, Alex’s two moms take photographs and the aunts and uncles cheer.
This is a sweet slice of life in an extended family, diverse in racial identities, with multiple queer people in it, where everyone is supportive of everyone else and small details (like rainbow and nonbinary flag pins and stickers) testify to both pride and allyship. It’s a recommended title full of queer joy!
Whale and the Mystery Mango, by Erica S. Perl, illustrated by Sam Ailey (Simon Spotlight), brings friends Whale, Quail, and Snail back for the third volume of this delightful early reader series. Here, the three very different friends are waiting for the mango high on a tree to be ripe. When will it be ready? Quail insists it’s not ready yet. “Fishsticks!” says Whale.
While they wait, Snail teaches the others a new dance—with unexpected consequences!
The stakes are low here, but they’re entertaining, with light lessons about patience and friendship—plus silly dance moves that young readers will likely want to try. Add in the seamless use of they/them pronouns for Snail, and this is a recommended tale for newly independent readers (though there’s no reason it couldn’t be a read-aloud for younger children, too).
(Also check out the first two volumes of the series, A Whale of a Tea Party and When Whales Fly.)
For even more kids’ books with nonbinary characters, filter my Database of LGBTQ Family Books by the “Nonbinary/genderqueer kid” or “Nonbinary/genderqueer parent/adult(s)” tags.
