In some parts of the world, being LGBTQ can mean being jailed or worse. That’s a weighty topic, but in a new children’s book, we learn of the struggles and resilience of a same-sex couple who fled Indonesia for fear of persecution. The secret to telling the tale in a compelling, age-appropriate manner? Their cat. Here’s a sneak peek.
Ever wanted to write or illustrate a children’s book with LGBTQIA+ characters or themes? Created one before, but want to improve your skills? I know some—perhaps many—of my readers can answer “yes”! Learn from two of the most prominent authors in the genre, Rob Sanders and Lesléa Newman, along with rising writer and entrepreneur medina, at an upcoming workshop hosted by the Highlights Foundation.
Orca Book Publishers of British Columbia, Canada, is an independent publisher that has produced two of my recent favorite LGBTQ-inclusive children’s books: Pride Colors, by Robin Stevenson, a bright board book for the youngest tots, and A Plan for Pops, by Heather Smith and Brooke Kerrigan, a poignant story about a two-grandfather couple and their gender-ambiguous grandchild. Publisher and owner Andrew Wooldridge was kind enough to speak with me recently about the 35-year-old company and its goal of offering “reading material that represents the diversity of human experience to readers of all ages.”
The first trailer for The L Word: Generation Q is here—and it’s already giving me parenting feels. As with the original series, I’ll be taking a close look at any and all storylines related to parenting, so let’s start with the trailer.
For back-to-school time, here are some new and soon-to-be-published picture books with LGBTQ and gender creative characters, all involving schools and classmates.
A hip-hop song about trans, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit heroes? Yes! It’s part of the Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers’ new, intergenerational music album, full of songs on gender, race, allyship, social justice, and more. Watch the lyric video here.
Podcast series The Two Princes is a queer fairy tale for teens (and up!) with an all-star cast. It’s a definite delight and adds to a growing genre!
A new picture book now being crowdfunded is about the “revolutionary friendship” between pioneering transgender women of color, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson.
If you or your kids are fans of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, the Flash, or any of the other superheroes from the DC universe, you’ll love a new picture book in which they extol the powers of families—including ones with same-sex parents.
Hulu’s new animated children’s series, The Bravest Knight, stars a young girl training to be a knight with the help of her two dads. It’s a charming and fun show with an all-star cast—and Hulu has just released a bunch of coloring and activity sheets to go with it!
