Children’s Books for Pride Month
It’s PRIDE month, and while human rights and equality are definitely important 24/7/365, this is a great time to read and reflect and grow a bit! Here are 10 books ((edit, I ended up squeezing in one more because I couldn’t decide between the last two!) for kids & adults ages 0 and up that share messages of diversity, acceptance, and remind us that all you need is LOVE. My kids are 5 & 8 right now so these recommendations are books we currently read, I’ll work on collaborating with some mamas of older kids to gather good reads for teens and tweens ASAP! Enjoy!
10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert
Bailey dreams every night of gorgeous, magical dresses- but no one gets it….Until he meets Laurel who helps him learn that with courage, imagination and friendship- dreams can come true!
Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
We received this book as a birthday gift and it’s a favorite- it’s delightfully illustrated and the perfectly told story of why LOVE is all you need!
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
This is a warm story of inclusion, friendship and acceptance My kids both love this book and often talk about what their pet club would be like and what their “if I could pick anything” pets would be.
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
I believe I found this book through one of my FAVORITE IG accounts, diversity and inclusion expert @Hereweread. This book, winner of the Stonewall Book Award, is perfect for EVERYONE who loves mermaids. Self expression and feeling amazing are such key components of mental health, this book captures that beautifully.
Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton
Big things, or things that may seem big to grownups are almost always pretty easy to connect with when you are young and full of light. This book is a great introduction, for preschool age kiddos, to gender identity, and true friendship.
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Marlon Bundo & Jill Twiss
This one is fun, fun fun, like Worm Loves Worm, this tells a tale of loving whoever you want to.Marlon Bundo’s love story is brought to us by HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver . The art work is fantastic and it really highlights the importance of both tolerance and advocacy, supportive friends rule!
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell
A true story about two male penguins who wanted a family of their own. We love this as an early book, I think my daughter was 3 or 4 when we first read it, showing that families come in all shapes and sizes and styles. My kids are nature enthusiasts and loved that this was a non-fiction book!
Mommy, Mama and Me by Leslea Newman
Another one to read to your little ones, this is a board book that walks readers through a toddler’s day with it’s two mommies. This book shows that it doesn’t matter if you have one mom, two moms, a mom and a dad, a dad and a dad- as long as you are loved, family is family!
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride by Michael Genhart PhD
This book makes a great baby shower gift! Give the gift of rainbows! This book is bright and joyful and is the perfect way to share diversity with kids of all ages!
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders
If your kids are anything like mine- rainbows RULE! They always notice in June when we see MORE rainbows, and this is a great book about the origin of the Rainbow Flag and a fantastic introduction to the importance of activism. On that note I also have to recommend, by the same author:
Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution by Rob Sanders
This powerful story helps young readers discover the history of the Stonewall Inn and it’s pivotal role in the LGBTQ+ movement. Loved the representation in this book- excellent example of how people CAN make a difference!
