LGBTQ-inclusive picture books just keep coming! Recent ones include an intriguing look at a facet of LGBTQ history by the lauded Kyle Lukoff; an amusing tale of fatherly strength; a thoughtful story about a parent with a mental illness; a hilarious take on nursery rhymes, and the adventures of two boys at their uncle’s wedding.
Click images or titles for full reviews!
In Are You a Friend of Dorothy (Simon & Schuster), Newbery Award honoree and two-time Stonewall Award winner Kyle Lukoff and illustrator Levi Hastings bring us an informative and original picture book about an intriguing facet of LGBTQ history: how the titular question became a codeword for being gay at a time when it was even more dangerous to be out—and how the phrase sent government investigators on a fruitless quest. While the book looks at some difficult topics, like anti-LGBTQ laws and persecution, it’s also a testament to queer community and resilience and shows how “learning about the ways we survived in the past could help people in the future.” Highly recommended and more necessary than ever.
My Dad Is the Best, by Fran Pintadera, illustrated by Joan Turu (Charlesbridge Publishing). One boy says his dad can pick up a truck—and another says his dad can pick up a truck filled with elephants. They continue to pile objects onto their imaginings, and the book’s illustrations show the ensuing feats of strength—until it all comes tumbling down and we see the real relationship between the two men (which you can probably guess if you’re reading this blog). This simple tale pokes gentle fun at masculine posturing, while also offering a rare picture book depiction of a blended (or blending) two-dad family. Funny and sweet.
Mama Moon: A Story About Love and Mental Health, by Noah Grigni (Henry Holt), is the thoughtful, rhyming tale of a child whose parent has bipolar disorder. The child knows Mama’s phases will pass, but her shifting moods are clearly challenging. Baba, the other parent (who is never gendered), offers support and reassurance. While Grigni acknowledges the child’s negative feelings about Mama’s illness, they never position Mama as an unfit parent. There’s a lot of love in this household, and that shines through, while the lunar metaphor feels apt and relatable. For children with a parent or other family member who has a mental illness, this is an affirming and recommended title.
POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme, by Betsy Bird, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi (Union Square Kids), shows sensible Secretary Bird trying to narrate some classic nursery rhymes. But the mischievous weasel keeps POP-ing up to steal the punchlines. Young readers (and even some of us older ones) will laugh out loud as the sneaky weasel bursts in to interrupt “Jack and Jill,” “Little Miss Muffet,” and more, leading to spilled curds and whey and other mishaps. The chaos builds until Secretary Bird declares an end to the nonsense … maybe. The queer content is incidental, but the two sweethearts shown during “Roses are red, violets are blue” are two frilled lizards wearing skirts and bows, presumably intended to be a same-gender couple. Completely silly in the best way.
Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers, by Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews, illustrated by Tommy Doyle (Penguin Workshop), is the picture-book debut of Emmy Award-winning TV host and producer Mathews (The Drew Barrymore Show, RuPaul’s Drag Race) and his husband García-Mathews. It tells of young brothers Evan and Andy, who are traveling from the U.S. to their tíos’ (uncles’) wedding in Mexico, where they will be ring bearers. While they worry about all that could go wrong, they are excited about the ceremony and having fun with familia and friends. The somewhat wordy story echoes several earlier titles in exploring the experiences of nephews/nieces at their uncles’ or aunts’ nuptials, but the Mexican setting and Latine cultural context add originality, as does the show of sibling support and cooperation.
Also available in Spanish.