Ursula Nordstrom had an outsized impact on American children’s literature as editor of Where the Wild Things Are, Charlotte’s Web, Goodnight Moon, and many other classics. A new middle grade biography also shows her as a queer woman, a champion of books centering marginalized identities, and an opponent of censorship.
For Women’s History Month, let’s take a trip back to 1985, when a book for lesbians considering parenthood—one of the first books about queer parents—offered some wisdom that still feels relevant today.
As a queer mom who started my family via assisted reproduction in a doctor’s office, I’m tired of my son being exposed at school to stories of heterosexual families, most of whom were created via sexual intercourse.
Two terrific new middle grade novels out today offer different looks at queer tweens who feel invisible—figuratively or literally. One protagonist is a genderqueer youth on a dark, fantastical adventure (just don’t call him the hero); the other is a girl beginning to realize her asexual identity.
This week’s new LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books include a delightful trans-led chapter book from the incomparable Kyle Lukoff; a book for LGBTQ families (and others) exploring faith; and the U.S. edition of a funny tale about a girl, a unicorn, and her magical veterinarian dads.
It’s not Halloween season, but it’s always a good time of year for gripping stories of LGBTQ youth, youth with LGBTQ parents, and their friends tackling—and overcoming—monsters, beasts, and curses. Two standalone titles join four sequels to ongoing series for a wealth of spooky, exciting, and empowering reading for tweens.
The three chapter books here are all the third books in their respective series—happy evidence that LGBTQ-inclusive tales have staying power. Each offers a different look at what we do when things don’t go as planned.
House Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban books, activities, and programs that mention trans people—and potentially all LGBTQ people—from K-12 public schools nationwide.
I’m back with a roundup of some new LGBTQ-inclusive picture books, including a sweet board book for new families, a celebration of libraries, a new-sibling tale (sort of), two biographies that explore creativity, and a hairy fairy tale. Share them with the young readers in your life!
Three-time Emmy Award-winning children’s TV screenwriter and producer Chris Nee and Emmy Award-winning animation casting and voice director Kristi Reed spoke with me about increasing queer representation in children’s media, the state of the industry, and what we can all do to help.
