Hello, book enthusiasts! Curious about what’s new in the world of queer children’s literature? This is your go-to spot for the latest updates on queer kidlit releases! Every month this feature will include the latest queer inclusive stories – families of all kinds, breaking down gender stereotypes, and just being yourself, no strings attached.
Get those bookmarks ready, because it’s time to dive in!
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Picture Books
We Love Our Families (Peppa Pig) by Annie Auerbach
Celebrate all types of families with Peppa and friends in this 24-page storybook based on the hit TV show!
Madame Gazelle wants Peppa and her friends to draw pictures of their families! Suzy Sheep and Mummy Sheep are a family. Freddy Fox lives with Mr. Fox. Penny Polar Bear has two mommies in her family. Every family is different, and every family is special! Join Peppa and her friends to celebrate all types of families in this sweet storybook based on the viral Peppa Pig episode “Families”!
Rainbowsaurus by Steve Antony
A joyful and fun read-along tale of one family’s quest to find the Rainbowsaurus, featuring lots of colorful creatures.
A joyful and fun read-along tale of one family’s quest to find the Rainbowsaurus, featuring lots of colorful creatures.
We’re following a rainbow to find the Rainbowsaurus.
We’re following a rainbow. Would you like to join us?
Join two dads and their three children as they set off on an adventure to find the Rainbowsaurus. On their way, they meet animals that are all the colors of the rainbow who all want to find the Rainbowsaurus too.
From the author and illustrator of the Mr Pandaseries and The Queen’s Hat collection, comes this instantly classic-feeling adventure. A perfect story to read at bedtime again and again.
Be Your Own Man by Jessica Sanders, Illustrated by Robbie Cathro
From the author of Love Your Body and the illustrator of Two Grooms on a Cake
“A really unique book that can be lifesaving for the many kids who don’t fit the narrow old ideas of what maleness is. It will widen the perspective of
children and parents alike. It also covers emotional intelligence so beautifully. Such a lot in just a few pages.” Steve Biddulph, author, Raising Boys
Have you ever felt you should act a certain way or do certain things, just because you’re a boy? This book encourages young boys to broaden their ideas about what it means to be a boy, supporting them to feel free and proud to be who they truly are. Every boy deserves to be themselves without apology, and know that being themselves now will make them the man they will become in the future.
Glenn Burke, Game Changer: The Man Who Invented the High Five by Phil Bildner, Illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien
An inspiring picture book biography about Glenn Burke, the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay, and the story of how he created the world’s most recognizable handshake, the high five.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Glenn Burke could do it all―hit, throw, run, field. He was the heart of the clubhouse who energized his teammates with his enthusiasm and love for the game. It was that energy that led Glenn to invent the high five one October day back in 1977―a spontaneous gesture after a home run that has since evolved into our universal celebratory greeting.
But despite creating this joyful symbol, Glenn Burke, a gay Black man, wasn’t always given support and shown acceptance in return.
From acclaimed author Phil Bildner, with illustrations from Daniel J. O’Brien, this moving picture book biography recognizes the challenges Burke faced while celebrating how his bravery and his now-famous handshake helped pave the way for others to live openly and free.
Hooray for She, He, Ze, and They!: What Are Your Pronouns Today? by Lindz Amer, Illustrated by Kip Alizadeh
In this joyous picture book exploration of gender euphoria, celebrated Queer Kid Stuff and The Rainbow Parenting podcast host Lindz Amer teaches kids about all the ways pronouns can be joyful, defining, and empowering.
Everyone has a pronoun. There are hes. There are shes. There are theys. There are zes and hirs and faes and pers and more! What’s yours?
Finding the right pronoun for you feels like a warm hug and helps you be your most wonderful self. This gentle and whimsical guide to pronoun language encourages self-discovery and celebrates the gender euphoria of feeling like you!
Middle Grade
The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson
What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies.
Sixth grade takes a turn for the weird when Hector Griggs discovers he has the ability to turn invisible. Sure, ever since Hector’s former best friend Blake started bullying him, he’s been feeling like he just wants to disappear…but he never thought he actually would. And then, Hector meets another invisible boy, Orson Wellington, who has an ominous warning: “I’m stuck here. Stuck like this. It’s been years. The gelim’s hunting me and it’ll get you, too.”
It turns out, there is more than meets the eye at St. Lawrence’s Catholic School for Boys, and if Hector is going to save Orson–and himself—from the terrifying creature preying on students’ loneliness and fear, he’ll need to look deeper. With the help of a mysterious new classmate, Sam, can Hector unravel the mysteries haunting his school, and discover that sometimes it takes disappearing to really be seen?
The Princess Protection Program by Alex London
Every fairy tale ends with its characters living happily ever after, right? A valiant prince quests long and hard to reach the castle where the sleeping princess lies. And with a kiss, he awakens her.
But what if the princess does not think a kiss from a stranger is a very pleasant way to wake up? Yuck!
When Rosamund flees her prince, a Door of Opportunity opens, and she steps through it to the Home Educational Academy (the HEA for short). Rosamund has found the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy-tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories.
But the longer Rosamund lives in the real world, the more questions she has. Does anyone ever graduate from the HEA? Why doesn’t anyone seem to remember the former students? Is the kindly fairy headmistress all she appears to be? Is anyone? And the most important question of all: Can Rosamund change her story?
Acclaimed and bestselling author Alex London weaves together several beloved fairy tales in this fast-paced, funny, and slyly subversive adventure about finding your place in the world.
King Bro! by Jenny Jägerfeld, Translated by B. J. Woodstein
The Vanquishers are back and ready to defend their town against the undead in this spooky middle grade from New York Times bestselling authA touching and humorous middle grade novel about transgender friendship and the right to be who you are.
It’s summertime for eleven-year-old Marcus goes with his mother to a new city, where she’ll be working for the summer. Marcus is looking forward to it because he knows he can be himself there–the person he really is.
Within the first day of arriving, Marcus meets Mikkel, a neighborhood boy who looks totally dangerous with his aggressive and energetic appearance, and with his body full of tattoos. It turns out the tattoos are made by Mikkel’s brother and are actually in Indian ink, but still. Mikkel challenges Marcus in a number of skateboard tricks (both are addictive skateboarders), and after a crash where Mikkel helps Marcus, they become best friends. Blood brothers–bros!–something that means you’ll do anything for each other and always tell the truth.
But Marcus is struggling with a specific issue. Should he tell Mikkel this special thing, something that effects Marcus’ whole life? Marcus was at birth assigned a female gender, although Marcus has always known he is a boy. It is just the others around him who have a hard time understanding, including his friends at school, his grandma, and his father.
King Bro! is an emotional, poignant look at knowing who you are, but struggle with knowing how you’ll be accepted for being your true self.
Graphic Novels
The Solvers Book #1: The Divmulti Ray Dilemma: A Math Graphic Novel: Learn Multiplication and Division! (The Solvers, 1) by Jon Chad
They multiply. POW! They divide. ZAP! They battle evil. HOORAY! Thanks to The Solvers, learning math has never been this fun!
In this graphic novel series, a crew of crime-fighting kid superheroes teach readers ages 8 and up foundational math skills, such as multiplication and division, as they battle their evil nemesis, Null Void. All math concepts are presented with fully illustrated step-by-step instructions and tons of superhero themed visual examples.
When the evil Null Void steals the DivMulti Ray (a laser gun that can multiply or divide anything it touches!) the Solvers must learn all about multiplication and division to stop the supervillain in her tracks! Throughout the action-packed narrative, clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrated, superhero-themed examples present essential multiplication and division concepts in an easy-to-understand way.
Full of helpful math instruction—and epic superhero action—the first installment of this graphic learning series is perfect for the reader who loves math, the reader who hates math, the reader who needs a refresher, and the superhero enthusiast. Written by a seasoned comics artist and vetted by a math teacher, this is a brand-new way to get your child excited about math!
Rainbow Reads For Kids 