A simple exploration of some of the people, emotions, and ideas that have contributed to queer history.
“A is for abundant, because we are many; our histories show we are diverse and plenty,” begins the rhyming volume, taking us all the way to “Z is for zeal, of which you have plenty,/to share all you know about these queer histories.” In between, each letter of the alphabet offers one or more words about concepts (delight, everyone, family, groundbreaking, etc.), moments (Stonewall), and identities (X-gender). Names of various historical and contemporary queer heroes are mostly woven in to illustrate other words (e.g., “N is for notable, like the legendary figure Marsha P. Johnson”), though two people’s names are (somewhat randomly) used for the actual alphabet letters, Osh-Tisch and Tennessee Williams.
I like that most letters are used to illustrate several words rather than just one (e.g., “Sometimes our friends offer strength and support,/like fantastic poets Pat Parker and Audre Lorde”), which makes the book more wide-ranging and flexible. Some of the rhymes and meter bump awkwardly, however (e.g., “G is for great, like Barbara Jordan,/the first queer United States Congresswoman,” or “Though the hurdles were many, he strove for justice/and supported a bill to outlaw prejudice”), and feel challenging to read aloud. Nevertheless, the joyful, affirming, diverse and resilient character of the LGBTQ community comes through in both author Seema Yasmin’s words and the colorful, fun illustrations of Lucy Kirk, making this a happy addition for young readers’ bookshelves.
