Staff picks

In honor of Pride Month, which is an annual celebration of gender identity for people of all ages, this post includes some of the many LGBTQAI+-friendly children’s books that our librarians recommend, followed by a list of a few LGBTQAI+ resources for parents.

Here is a selection of our staff’s favorite related picture books from our children’s collection. Click on a book title below to take you to our online catalog where you can view a brief summary of the book and also place it on hold, if you’d like.

Fiction:

The Adventures of Honey and Leon by Alan Cumming

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman

Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne and Max Lang

The Family Book by Todd Parr

Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O’Leary

Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima

Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman

Home At Last by Vera Williams

In Our Mothers’ House by Patricia Polacco

Jerome by Heart by Thomas Scotto

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

King and King by Linda de Haan

Maiden & Princess by Daniel Haack

My Two Moms and Me by Michael Joosten

Our Rainbow by Little Bee Books

Plum by Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogle

Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson

Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack

Rainbow : A First Book of Pride by Michael Genhart

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer

When Aidan Became A Brother by Kyle Lukoff

Willow and the Wedding by Denise Brennan-Nelson

Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian

Nonfiction:

I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders

Sewing the Rainbow : A Story About Gilbert Baker by Gayle E. Pitman

Stonewall : A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution. by Rob Sanders

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman

The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter

When You Look Out the Window : How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Built a Community by Gayle E. Pitman

For more information on Pride Month, see:

For more information on learning about gender identity and talking with your children about gender identity, see:

We all know that books can broaden our views of the world and provide us a window or a door into the lives of people who are different from us: different cultures, ethnicities, historical time periods, and even worlds. Books can also be a mirror for us, showing us characters who are much like ourselves, facing life and challenges similar to our own. In difficult times, we turn to books to learn, to grow, to entertain, and to comfort.

Stories can affect even the youngest children in the very same way. And what they learn from books can help shape who they become later on and how they will perceive people and events in their world.

In response to recent events—and because these are some of their best-loved choices, regardless – our children’s librarians have created a list of some of their favorite picture books that feature children of color.

Click on a book title below to take you to our online catalog where you can view a brief summary of the book and also place it on hold, if you’d like.

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill

The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan

Cece Loves Science by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes

City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Cool Cuts by Mechal Renee Roe

Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

Dear Dragon by Josh Funk

Double Bass Blues by Andrea J. Loney