16 LGBTQ-Inclusive Picture Books and Board Books You May Have Missed
I’ve been adding books fast and furiously to my database and haven’t mentioned them all individually on the blog—so here are a few newish ones that are worth a look!
“I’ll Build You a Bookcase” Celebrates Diverse Families and a Love of Reading
A lovely rhyming story shows diverse people and families, including one with two dads, as it seeks to inspire a lifetime love of reading. It’s also available in four different bilingual editions!
In Memoriam: Daunte Wright
Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot by a White police officer during a traffic stop in Minnesota this past Sunday. Regardless of whether this was an intentional or accidental shooting, Wright’s is another Black life lost in a country where Black people are three times more likely than White people to be killed by police. My fellow White people—this is yet another tragic reminder that racism remains for us to fix.
“The Girls” and “The Boys” Show the Power of Lifetime Friendships Across Difference
One of my favorite LGBTQ-inclusive picture books from the past few years has largely flown under the radar here in the U.S., so I’m mentioning it again just as a follow-up book comes out. The first book looks at the power of female friendships as it follows the intertwined stories of four girls from childhood into adulthood; the second follows four boys and gives us insight into not only male friendships, but also societal pressures around masculinity. There are queer characters in both, along with a message of unconditional allyship.
Family Equality’s New CEO: “I Have Been Preparing for This Role My Entire Life”
Stacey Stevenson, the recently hired CEO of Family Equality, is serious about the work ahead. “This isn’t about a job for me; this is about survival,” she told me in an interview. “Through all of the adversity I have faced over the years, I feel I have been preparing for this role my entire life.”
“My Shadow Is Pink” Shows the Love of a Dad
A young child, assigned male at birth but whose “shadow is pink,” finds acceptance and love from his burly, masculine, blue-shadowed dad in a new picture book inspired by the author and his child’s real-life story.
Children’s Book with Transgender Protagonist Tops Most-Challenged List Again, Though Challenges to Antiracist Books Rise
For the third year in a row, George, a book about a transgender girl, topped the American Library Association’s (ALA’s) annual list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books, and LGBTQ-themed books remained dominant among all the censorship attempts tracked by the ALA. Unlike in the previous few years, however, books with themes of race and racial justice, not LGBTQ themes and characters, made up the majority of books in the top 10. That’s still awful.
Michigan Appeals Court Recognizes Parental Rights of Same-Sex Parents–and Points the Way Forward
Last week, the Michigan Court of Appeals recognized that both women in an unmarried same-sex couple, one the genetic mother and one the gestational mother, have parental rights. This is a clear victory—but the ruling also indicates what is still needed for even fuller protection of all families, no matter who’s in them or how they are formed.
“Adventures with My Daddies” Is Storytime Fun
A sweet new picture book about a girl who loves having her dads read stories to her (especially the one about her adoption) is uplifting and empowering.
Happy Anniversary to Us
Today, my spouse Helen and I are celebrating our second anniversary in a pandemic and our 28th overall. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather quarantine with than you, dear—and that’s no April Fool’s joke.