Sword-swinging nonbinary protagonists return in the next volumes of two of my favorite middle grade fantasy series. Each is very different, but both explore issues of privilege, power, and social justice even as they give us rousing adventures.
Last August, rapper Snoop Dogg drew widespread criticism for his response to a grandson’s questions about same-sex parents in a movie. Now, he’s partnered with GLAAD and queer singer Jeremy Beloate to release “Love Is Love,” a new kids’ song about family diversity. Has he redeemed himself?
Black lesbian poet and activist Staceyann Chin has long offered incisive observations on motherhood, identity, and more. A powerful new documentary shows how parenting her own daughter led her on a journey to reconnect with the mother who abandoned her and to find a path towards healing. See a trailer here.
Today marks the theatrical release of Fairyland, based on Alysia Abbott’s memoir about growing up with a single gay dad during the 1970s and 80s. Go see it—then read the book and these other memoirs by people who grew up with queer parents in roughly the same era.
Just in time for Banned Books Week, the Mombian Database of LGBTQ Family Books now has 1,900+ entries! Come see what’s new for kids 0 to 12 and for grown-ups, search and filter by topic and identity, and read my in-depth reviews. Even as these books are under attack, we must continue to uplift them.
Today starts Banned Books Week, and a new report from PEN America is blunt about the current wave of book bans in the United States: “Never before has access to so many stories been stolen from so many children.”
For LGBTQ History Month, I spoke with Margaret Mooney, editor of a new anthology of essays by lesbian mothers who raised children in the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s. The book not only sheds light on the past, but also offers wisdom for today.
I am thrilled to be kicking off LGBTQ History Month with the cover reveal of Willi Ninja: Vogue Legend, the first book in the exciting new Rainbow History series from Candlewick Press! Read on for a review, a Q&A with author Joy Michael Ellison, and a bonus interior spread from illustrator Nabi H. Ali.
Grab your sword and prepare for adventure! This week’s featured new LGBTQ-inclusive middle grade titles are two stories of action and fantasy: one is the latest volume set in a beloved fictional universe; the other is among the best series starters I’ve ever read.
As the season winds down, here’s a roundup of some of the best LGBTQ-inclusive picture books published over the summer—an array of stories highlighting a range of topics.
