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With Pride Month nearly here, there are plenty of ways to get in the spirit and honor the LGBTQ community––starting with books. From stories with gay main characters to exploring the many different types of families, these LGBTQ books for kids are perfect not just for June but all year long.
Strong
$16 BUY NOWRob has always been strong, but he didn't realize his true strength lied in being himself. Could he be a strongman who was powerful, but also showed off his personality with his bold, bright style? Written by Rob Kearney, this new book tells of his own journey as the first openly gay professional strongman and how he is smashing stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community.
Cinderelliot
$17 BUY NOWCinderelliot loves to bake, but he's stuck at home taking care of his ungrateful stepbrother and stepsister. When an announcement from the King comes that he needs a royal baker, Cinderelliot longs to go to the ball to share his baking skills. Thankfully, a fairy godfather comes by the name of Ludwig to save the day. Will Cinderelliot find his true love? Ages: 4-8
If You're a Drag Queen and You Know It
$17 BUY NOWRhymed to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It" this bright fun book is for all. Meet a colorful cast of drag queen of all shapes and sizes who are confident in who they are. Ages: 4-8
Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle
$18 BUY NOWIn this LGBTQ book for kids, our main character loves her place between Mama and Mommy, but then Mommy goes on a work trip and she feels a little lost. She and Mama do a lot of fun things, but there's a lot of missing too. Nina LaCour and Kaylani Juanita explore the love of family and how emotional it can be when reuniting. Ages: 3-7
Dolls and Trucks Are for Everyone
$9 BUY NOWFrom the author of "Pink is For Boys" comes Robb Pearlman's newest tale. Trucks, dolls, fabric, wood, dance and baking: they are for everyone! The playful tone reinforces the important message that gender doesn't define who you are and what you can do. Ages: Baby-3
Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders
$18 BUY NOWYoung learners will come to know inspirational, creative and change-making LGBTQ+ people in history in this new book by Sarah Prager. With simple verbiage and bright illustrations by Cheryl Thuesday, littles will get to meet the likes of Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk, Frida Kahlo and much more. Ages: 4-8
10,000 Dresses
$15 BUY NOWBailey loves dresses in all the colors of the rainbow. Dresses that sparkle, that shine, that twirl. His parents, however, are in his ear to remind him that he's a boy and boys don't wear dresses. In comes Laurel, a friend that shows him that it's okay to be whoever he wants to be. This is an inspiring friendship story that any kid can relate to—but especially those who refuse to conform. Ages: 5-9
King & King
$14 BUY NOWIn this fairytale, a prince must find a mate to help rule the kingdom so the Queen can retire. While being introduced to a series of princesses, the prince meets a suitor’s brother and it’s love at first sight. Collage-style illustrations are bright, colorful and altogether engaging. Ages: 5-8
It's Okay To Be Different
$8 BUY NOWSimilar to the “The Family Book,” Parr reinforces the need for acceptance of individuality through repetition and fun and colorful drawings. He mixes big ideas (“It’s okay to have different dads”) with random silliness (“It’s okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub”). Ages: 2-5
Welcome to the Family
$6 BUY NOWExplores one element of its prequel, “The Great Big Book of Families”, which is the arrival of new members into a family. Written with a humorous tone, you’ll have an opportunity to light-heartedly explore all different ways a baby or child can become a member of a family—natural birth within a nuclear family, adoption, fostering and same-sex families—while sending the message that all families are special and equal. Ages: 5-9
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
$12 BUY NOWJust in time for the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Pride Flag comes a picture book that tells the empowering true story about how the flag came to be. From its start in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its role spanning the globe today, you'll hear a story of love, hope, equality and, of course, pride. Ages: 3-9
This Day in June
$16 BUY NOWShow your kids the beauty of the pride parade without ever leaving your house. This picture book perfectly captures the diversity, exuberance and, well, pride on display and provides a solid springboard into a meaningful conversation. As a bonus, this book includes a reading guide chock full of facts about LGBTQ history and culture. Ages: 4-8
A Tale of Two Daddies
$16 BUY NOWBoth this book and "A Tale of Two Mommies" are stories that are great reads for ages 4-8 and allow us a peek inside the conversation between kids who are curious about one friend's two mommies and another's two daddies. They're both perfect for introducing kids to same-sex families that are becoming increasingly more common to see in society.
And Tango Makes Three
$8 BUY NOWBased on a true story of two male chinstrap penguins, Roy and Silo, who shared a nest in New York’s Central Park Zoo. After trying to care for and hatch an egg-shaped rock, the pair was given a fertilized egg in need of nurturing that became the beautiful penguin known as Tango.
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