Trivia Question: What Was the First Children’s Book in the U.S. to Feature Lesbian Moms?
Lesbian mom trivia question: What was the first children’s book in the U.S. to feature lesbian moms? Hint: It’s probably not what you think.
Books for Kids
LGBT-Inclusive Books for Middle-Grade Readers
My son’s a middle-grade reader—beyond picture books, although not quite ready for young adult fare. LGBT-inclusive books for this age group seem to get less coverage than picture books and young adult ones, but here’s a nice new list—along with a longstanding one.
Lesbian and Gay History for Teens
(This is a slightly revised version of a piece I wrote for my Mombian newspaper column several years ago, but which seemed worth reposting in honor of LGBT History Month.)
Gay AmericaLGBT History Month is the perfect time to write about Linas Alsenas’ Gay America: Struggle for Equality (Amulet: 2008), a history of gay men and lesbians in the U.S. from the mid-nineteenth century through 2005. It fills a much needed gap, not because of the subject (there are a small but a growing number of LGBT-specific histories), but because of its audience: teens.
Celebrate Banned Gay-Inclusive Books for Kids!
It’s Banned Books Week once again — a national celebration of the freedom to read! Check out these children’s and young adult books that have been challenged in the past year because of gay- or lesbian-related content.
New Board Books for the Youngest Children of Same-Sex Parents
Two new titles double the number of lesbian- and gay-inclusive board books available for the very youngest children. I’m excited. Are you excited?
Progress and Problems: Family Diversity in the Media
I write a lot about LGBT representation in children’s media. But as a number of sources have made clear recently (and many of us can attest personally), children’s media needs to do a better job representing families that are diverse in many dimensions.
Second Book Giveaway: “What Makes a Baby”
Congratulations to Stacy, who won a copy of What Makes a Baby earlier this week. Here’s a second chance to win Cory Silverberg’s picture book that explains human reproduction in a way that works for all families.
Book Giveaway: “What Makes a Baby?” — a Book for All Families
One of the most frequent questions I get from readers is “Do you know of any children’s books about reproduction that work for my family?” Now, no matter how you created your family, and no matter what your gender identity, I’m happy to say the answer is “Yes.” And I’m giving away signed copies. What
Author of Transgender Comics Character Has Good Advice for All
We could all use some lighter news about now, right? Here’s a great quote from Batgirl comic writer Gail Simone—it’s in reference to her introduction of the first transgender character in mainstream comics, but it applies quite broadly to diversity in all kinds of media. It has particular resonance for me when I think about LGBT-inclusive children’s books.