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LGBTQ

Family positivity

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

LGBTQ, NY Times Best Sellers

HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a children's picture book about a Very Special boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny. Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence - the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever... With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming children's book explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 16655 votes, reviews

Jill Twiss

Julián Is a Mermaid

Diversity, LGBTQ

In an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world. While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 4196 votes, reviews

Jessica Love

And Tango Makes Three

Being Yourself, LGBTQ

The heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family is now available in a sturdy board book edition. At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo got the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own. In time for the tenth anniversary of And Tango Makes Three, this Classic Board Book edition is the perfect size for small hands.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 2787 votes, reviews

Justin Richardson

Love Makes a Family

Diversity, LGBTQ, Adoption

This fun, inclusive board book celebrates the one thing that makes every family a family . . . and that's LOVE. Love is baking a special cake. Love is lending a helping hand. Love is reading one more book. In this exuberant board book, many different families are shown in happy activity, from an early-morning wake-up to a kiss before bed. Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple preschool read-aloud demonstrates that what's most important in each family's life is the love the family members share.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 2699 votes, reviews

Sophie Beer

Red: A Crayon's Story

Diversity, LGBTQ

A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as "red" suffers an identity crisis in this picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo. This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone. Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon's Story is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age! Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue!
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 1880 votes, reviews

Michael Hall

Mommy, Mama, and Me

Diversity, LGBTQ

A heartwarming board books about gay parents! A great purchase for new parents and new babies alike, and the perfect gift to show your love for mommy, mama and more! Rhythmic text and illustrations with universal appeal show a toddler spending the day with its mommies. From hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight, there's no limit to what a loving family can do together. Share the loving bond between same-sex parents and their children in this hearttwearming story of family.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 1746 votes, reviews

Lesléa Newman

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What Makes a Baby

Pre-Med

Geared to readers from preschool to age eight, What Makes a Baby is a book for every kind of family and every kind of kid. It is a twenty-first century children’s picture book about conception, gestation, and birth, which reflects the reality of our modern time by being inclusive of all kinds of kids, adults, and families, regardless of how many people were involved, their orientation, gender and other identity, or family composition. Just as important, the story doesn’t gender people or body parts, so most parents and families will find that it leaves room for them to educate their child without having to erase their own experience. Written by sexuality educator Cory Silverberg, and illustrated by award-winning Canadian artist Fiona Smyth, What Makes a Baby is as fun to look at as it is useful to read.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 1490 votes, reviews

Cory Silverberg

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Heather Has Two Mommies

Diversity, LGBTQ

Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two pets—and two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 732 votes, reviews

Leslea Newman

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The GayBCs

LGBTQ, Alphabet

“The perfect way to teach your kiddos LGBTQ+ vocab while celebrating the beauty of embracing yourself and others.”—KIWI Magazine Now in board book format, a joyful alphabet book of LGBTQ+ vocabulary for kids of all ages! A playdate extravaganza transforms into a joyful celebration of friendship, love, and identity as four young friends sashay out of all the closets, dress up in a wardrobe fit for kings and queens, and discover the wonders of their imagination. In The GayBCs, M. L. Webb’s playful illustrations and lively poems delight in the beauty of embracing one’s truest self—from A is for Aro and Ace to F is for Family to T is for Trans. The GayBCs is a heartwarming and accessible gift to show kids and adults alike that every person is worthy of being celebrated. A bonus glossary offers opportunities for further discussion of complete terms, communities, and inclusive identities.
average rating is 3.6 out of 5, based on 624 votes, reviews

M. L. Webb

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All Kinds of Families

Family Structures

From the creators of the picture-book sensation Grumpy Monkey comes a hilarious celebration of families of all stripes! Lots of nontraditional family structures are celebrated in this super-fun and super-accessible board book! Kids will love finding their own family represented, no matter if they have two moms, one grandpa, or just a cousin named Doug. The brilliant creative team behind Grumpy Monkey wanted a simple book they could use to talk with their kids about the different kinds of families they would encounter in the world--so they made this! A silly and positive introduction to open-mindedness and all kinds of family love.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 519 votes, reviews

Suzanne Lang

My Two Moms and Me

Diversity, LGBTQ

Celebrate Pride every day with this adorable board book for the babies and toddlers of lesbian mothers, featuring a variety of diverse, loving families with two moms. Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy moms and their kids throughout their day—eating breakfast, going on a playdate, heading to the pool for a swim, and settling back in at night with a bedtime story and a good-night lullaby. LGBTQ+ parents and their friends and families will welcome this inclusive and cheerful book that reflects their own lives and family makeup. With artwork by acclaimed fashion illustrator Izak Zenou, this is a stylish, smart, humorous, family-focused book that will have babies and their two moms giggling as they enjoy it together. It's an ideal baby-shower and first-birthday gift.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 501 votes, reviews

Michael Joosten

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Rainbow: A First Book of Pride

Diversity, LGBTQ

A must-have primer for young readers and a great gift for pride events and throughout the year, beautiful colors all together make a rainbow in Rainbow: A First Book of Pride. This is a sweet ode to rainbow families, and an affirming display of a parent’s love for their child and a child’s love for their parents. With bright colors and joyful families, this book celebrates LGBTQ+ pride and reveals the colorful meaning behind each rainbow stripe. Readers will celebrate the life, healing, light, nature, harmony, and spirit that the rainbows in this book will bring.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 468 votes, reviews

Michael Genhart PhD

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Daddy, Papa, and Me

Fathers, LGBTQ

A heartwarming board books about gay parents! A great purchase for new parents and new babies alike, and the perfect gift to show your love for daddy, pappa and more! Rhythmic text and illustrations with universal appeal show a toddler spending the day with its daddies. From hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight, there's no limit to what a loving family can do together. Share the loving bond between same-sex parents and their children in this hearttwearming story of family.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 447 votes, reviews

Lesléa Newman

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Julián at the Wedding

Diversity, LGBTQ

The star of Julián Is a Mermaid makes a joyful return—and finds a new friend—at a wedding to be remembered. Julián and his abuela are going to a wedding. Better yet, Julián is in the wedding. Weddings have flowers and kissing and dancing and cake. And this wedding also has a new friend named Marisol. It’s not long before Julián and Marisol set off for some magic and mischief of their own, and when things take an unexpected turn, the pair learns that everything is easier with a good friend by your side. Jessica Love returns with a joyful story of friendship and individuality in this radiant follow-up to Julián Is a Mermaid.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 339 votes, reviews

Jessica Love

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When Aidan Became a Brother

LBGTQ, Siblings

When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of his life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life. Then Mom and Dad announce that they're going to have another baby, and Aidan wants to do everything he can to make things right for his new sibling from the beginning--from choosing the perfect name to creating a beautiful room to picking out the cutest onesie. But what does "making things right" actually mean? And what happens if he messes up? With a little help, Aidan comes to understand that mistakes can be fixed with honesty and communication, and that he already knows the most important thing about being a big brother: how to love with his whole self. When Aidan Became a Brother is a heartwarming book that will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 294 votes, reviews

Kyle Lukoff

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From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea

LGBTQ, Being Yourself

In the magical time between night and day, when both the sun and the moon are in the sky, a child is born in a little blue house on a hill. And Miu Lan is not just any child, but one who can change into any shape they can imagine. The only problem is they can’t decide what to be: A boy or a girl? A bird or a fish? A flower or a shooting star? At school, though, they must endure inquisitive looks and difficult questions from the other children, and they have trouble finding friends who will accept them for who they are. But they find comfort in the loving arms of their mother, who always offers them the same loving refrain: “whatever you dream of / i believe you can be / from the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea.” In this captivating, beautifully imagined picture book about gender, identity, and the acceptance of the differences between us, Miu Lan faces many questions about who they are and who they may be. But one thing’s for sure: no matter what this child becomes, their mother will love them just the same.
average rating is 4.9 out of 5, based on 233 votes, reviews

Kai Cheng Thom

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Two Dads: A Book about Adoption

LGBTQ, Adoption

Having Two Dads is double the fun! Many families are different, this family has Two Dads. A beautifully illustrated, affirming story of life with Two Dads, written from the perspective of their adopted child.Featured as a recommended book to buy in Gay Times Magazine, Huffington Post, Diva Magazine, New Family Social, Adoption UK Magazine."uses heartwarming illustrations and delightful rhymes to celebrate the beauty found in all kinds of families — particularly those on the LGBT spectrum.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 190 votes, reviews

Carolyn Robertson

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My Two Dads and Me

Diversity, LGBTQ

Celebrate Pride every day with this adorable board book for the babies and toddlers of gay fathers, featuring a variety of diverse, loving families with two dads. Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy dads and their kids throughout their day—eating breakfast, getting dressed, heading out to the park, and settling back in at night with a bubble bath and a good-night lullaby. LGBTQ+ parents and their friends and families will welcome this inclusive and cheerful book that reflects their own lives and family makeup. With artwork by acclaimed fashion illustrator Izak Zenou, this is a stylish, smart, humorous, family-focused book that will have babies and their two dads giggling as they enjoy it together. It's an ideal baby-shower and first-birthday gift.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 170 votes, reviews

Michael Joosten

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Fred Gets Dressed

LBGTQ

From a New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott-honor winning artist comes an exuberant illustrated story about playing dress up, having fun, and feeling free. The boy loves to be naked. He romps around his house naked and wild and free. Until he romps into his parents' closet and is inspired to get dressed. First he tries on his dad's clothes, but they don't fit well. Then he tries on his mom's clothes, and wow! The boy looks great. He looks through his mom's jewelry and makeup and tries that on, too. When he's discovered by his mother and father, the whole family (including the dog!) get in on the fun, and they all get dressed together. This charming and humorous story was inspired by bestselling and award-winning author Peter Brown's own childhood, and highlights nontraditional gender roles and self-expression.
average rating is 4.3 out of 5, based on 157 votes, reviews

Peter Brown

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Bathe the Cat

Pets, LGBTQ

Cats + water: What could go wrong? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done—with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores to hilarious effect. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending. It's cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order—but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet? HILARIOUS READ-ALOUD: Word scrambles are a delight in this silly rhyming picture book! Kids will love the accessible rhyming text, and emerging readers will be able to anticipate words after repeated reads, making for an engaging and interactive read-aloud experience. CATNIP FOR CAT LOVERS: This sweet and sneaky feline will do anything to get out of having a bath! Ample cat antics and scenes of increasing mischief (and increasing chaos!) around the house will tickle young readers and entice parents—particularly those with a furry feline of their own in the house. TWO DADS LEAD THE WAY: Dad and Papa are the heads of this large and loving biracial family, mirroring illustrator David Roberts' own orientation and providing picture book readers with a positive depiction of LGBTQ+ characters in a fun and funny family story. WINNING AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR TEAM: Alice McGinty is a prolific author of books for children, and David Roberts is well-known for his work on the New York Times bestselling Questioneers series. Together, their upbeat text and energetic art with pops of neon color make for a standout picture book, just right for gifting and enjoying together at storytime.
average rating is 4.8 out of 5, based on 139 votes, reviews

Alice B. McGinty

The Pengrooms

LGBTQ, Teamwork

Follow Pringle and Finn, two penguins with big hearts, as they deliver wedding cakes to their friends in the animal kingdom. Each cake tells a story, and each wedding offers a challenge that Pringle and Finn must face together. The Pengrooms is an enduring tale about love, diversity, and the importance of working as a team.
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 51 votes, reviews

Paul Castle

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Every Body is a Rainbow

LGBTQ, Diversity

"Our world is more beautiful and interesting with all our different rainbow bodies in it!” A nonfiction picture book that celebrates the diversity of bodies, gender identities, and expressions, Every Body is a Rainbow offers a positive, inclusive, and factual approach for ALL families. Every child has an amazing body that is all their own! Each one is a unique shape, size, and color and has a unique mix of parts, identities, and expressions. Every Body is a Rainbow: A Kid’s Guide to Bodies Across the Gender Spectrum celebrates the vast rainbow of bodies and identities—from non-binary, to intersex, to multiple genders and expressions—and shows readers that everybody is beautifully diverse and has value. This book is for kids and families of ALL genders, abilities, and expressions who want to understand themselves and learn more about the amazing bodies across the gender spectrum! Transgender children, or families with a transgender child will find this book especially affirming!
average rating is 5 out of 5, based on 15 votes, reviews

Caroline Carter

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What If I'm Not a Cat?

Being Yourself

Why, of course Donkey’s a cat. He spends all his time with the other cats on the farm. He licks his fur and pounces, just like they do. He even cuddles with them at nap time. Though, he must admit, sometimes he does feel … a little off. So, when Farmer says to him, “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat!” it gets him thinking. What if he’s not a cat? And if not, then what is he? Will going off on his own help Donkey figure out what he is and where he belongs?
average rating is 4.7 out of 5, based on 8 votes, reviews

Kari-Lynn Winters

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The Fairest in the Land

LBGTQ

Fairest in the Land is a heartwarming, inclusive picture-book story about self-expression and friendship, from Stonewall Honor–winning author Lesléa Newman with full-color illustrations by Joshua Heinsz. When it comes to playing dress-up, best friends Annabelle and Benjamin both want to be the bride, the ballerina, and the princess. Can they both be the fairest in the land? In this spirited and inclusive story about expressing our true selves with pride, two friends ultimately realize that they can both be their authentic selves—and that having two princesses means twice the fun.
average rating is 3.8 out of 5, based on 7 votes, reviews

Lesléa Newman

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Alex and Alex

LBGTQ

A simple, engaging story introducing ideas of non-binary identities, tolerance, and acceptance to very young readers, from the writer of the critically acclaimed picture book, The Pocket Chaotic. Alex and Alex have lots of things in common. They love playing and dressing up and building things. They also are very different to one another; Alex is very messy, and Alex is very tidy, Alex likes running and kicking a ball and Alex likes reading and dreaming. After a trip to the museum goes a little bit awry, Alex and Alex have some cooling off time. But they always make up because Alex really really really really really really REALLY.... likes Alex! This is a book for very young readers introducing ideas of tolerance and friendship in a completely non-gendered way. Neither character is identified as a boy or a girl, and the activities that each one enjoys is a mix of traditional 'boy' and 'girl' things Aimed at children who are just at the cusp of gender awareness and role-play, it provides a much-needed counterbalance to more traditional, binary pre-school literature. Boldly illustrated by Ben Javen
average rating is 2.5 out of 5, based on 2 votes, reviews

Ziggy Hanaor

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LGBTQ

meaningful additions

Children learn and hear more than we think.  Books provide context for new and potentially confusing topics, and give caregivers a way to approach complex topics.

Balanced Rocks
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