LGBTQ Picture Books and Novels
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By Jessica Love (E Love)
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. 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.
By J. J. Austrian (E Aust)
Two worms in love decide to get married, and with help from Cricket, Beetle, Spider, and the Bees they have everything they need and more, but which one will be the bride and which the groom?
By Christine Baldacchino (E Bald)
A young boy faces adversity from classmates when he wears an orange dress at school.
By Michael Hall (E Hall)
Red's factory-applied label clearly says that he is red, but despite the best efforts of his teacher, fellow crayons and art supplies, and family members, he cannot seem to do anything right until a new friend offers a fresh perspective.
By Sarah Hoffman (E Hoff)
Jacob, who likes to wear dresses at home, convinces his parents to let him wear a dress to school too. Jacob, who likes to wear dresses at home, convinces his parents to let him wear a dress to school too.
By Lesléa Newman (E Newm)
Three-year-old Casey wants what his older sister, Jessie, has--a shimmery skirt, glittery painted nails, and a sparkly bracelet--but Jessie does not approve. After two boys tease Casey about his appearance, Jessie evolves to a place of acceptance and celebration of her gender creative younger brother.
By Sara O'Leary (E Olea)
A teacher asks her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways but the same in the one way that matters most of all. One child is worried that her family is just too different to explain, but listens as her classmates talk about what makes their families special.
By Miriam Schiffer (E Schi)
Stella brings her two fathers to school to celebrate Mother's Day.
By Vera B. Williams (E Will)
After Lester is adopted from his foster home by Daddy Albert and Daddy Rich, he can't fall asleep in his new bed. What will it take to make Lester feel home at last?
By Erica Silverman (E Silv)
Susan loves her baby sister, Jackie, but as Jackie grows older and behaves more and more like a boy Susan must adjust to having a brother, Jack, instead.
By Christian Trimmer (E Trim)
Teddy has a lot of cool toys. But his very favorite doll has the best manners, the sickest fighting skills, and a fierce sense of style.
By Afsaneh Moradian (E Mora)
Jamie is excited about making friends at a new school, but after playing with dolls and action figures, trying ballet and fixing a toy car, his classmates wonder if Jamie is a girl or a boy.
By Alexandra Penfold (E Penf)
Illustrations and simple, rhyming text introduce a school where diversity is celebrated and songs, stories, and talents are shared.
By Patricia Polacco (E Pola)
Three young children experience the joys and challenges of being raised by two mothers.
By Gayle E. Pitman (E Pitm)
A picture book illustrating a Pride parade. The end matter serves as a primer on LGBT history and culture and explains the references made in the story.
By Megan Dowd Lambert (E Lamb)
As they play, Mia and Tayja don’t have to pretend. They know in their hearts that they're real sisters, even though others don't always recognize this since they're adopted and don't look alike. Safe in the knowledge that adoption has made them "forever family," the sisters end their make-believe journey with a joyful homecoming to a real home with their two moms.
By Todd Parr (E Parr)
Represents a variety of families, some big and some small, some with only one parent and some with two moms or dads, some quiet and some noisy, but all alike in some ways and special no matter what.
By Daniel Haack (E Haac)
A prince and a knight in shining armor find true love in each other's embrace after fighting a dragon together.
By Alex Gino (J Gino, CD J Gino)
More than anything else, George wants to play Charlotte in her fourth-grade class's production of Charlotte's Web. The problem is, her teacher won't let her, because George is a boy. But George isn't about to let that squash her dream. With the help of her best friend, George must learn to stand up for her wish - and brave a few bullies along the way.
By Dana Levy (J Levy, CD J Levy)
Relates the adventures of a family with two fathers, four adopted boys, and a variety of pets as they make their way through a school year and deal with a grumpy new neighbor.
By Kheryn Callender (J Call)
Born on Water Island in the Virgin Islands during a hurricane, which is considered bad luck, twelve-year-old Caroline falls in love with another girl--and together they set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother.
By Lisa Jenn Bigelow (J Bige)
Melly only joined the school band because her best friend, Olivia, begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It's the only time she doesn't feel like a mouse. Now she and Olivia are about to spend the next two weeks at Camp Rockaway, jamming under the stars. But this summer brings a lot of big changes for Melly: her parents split up, her best friend ditches her, and Melly finds herself unexpectedly falling for another girl at camp.
By Ashley Herring Blake (J Blak)
Twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed in a tornado, and in the aftermath of the storm, she begins to develop feelings for another girl at school.
By Cat Clarke (J Clar)
Eleven-year-old Liv fights to change the middle school dress code requiring girls to wear a skirt and, along the way, finds the courage to tell his moms he is meant to be a boy.
By Eric Bell (J Bell)
Alan Cole can't stand up to his cruel brother, Nathan. He can't escape the wrath of his demanding father, who thinks he's about as exceptional as a goldfish. And -- scariest of all -- he can't let the cute boy across the cafeteria know he has a crush on him.
By M. G. Hennessey (J Henn)
Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is just a regular boy. He loves pitching for his baseball team, working on his graphic novel, and hanging out with his best friend, Josh. But Shane is keeping something private, something that might make a difference to his friends and teammates, even Josh. When a classmate threatens to reveal his secret, Shane's whole world comes crashing down. Does Shane have the courage to ignore the hate and show the world that he's still the same boy he was before.
By Jen Petro-Roy (J Petr)
Forbidden to contact her pregnant sister after her strict Catholic parents send her to stay with a great-aunt, Evie secretly sends her letters, writing about their family, her life, and the new girl in school, June, who may be more than a friend.
By Emma Donoghue (J Dono)
Sumac Lottery is the keeper of her family's traditions -- from Pow Wow to Holi, Carnival to Hogmanay, Sumac's on guard to make sure that no Lottery celebration gets forgotten. But this winter all Sumac's seasonal plans go awry when a Brazilian visitor overstays his welcome. A terrible ice storm grounds all flights, so one of her dads and her favorite brother can't make it home from India. And then the power starts going out across the city. Can Sumac hang on to the spirit of the season, even if nothing is going like a Lottery holiday should?
By Shannon Hitchcock (J Hitc)
From the moment she met Samantha, star of the school basketball team, on her first day at Daniel Boone Middle School, Allison Drake felt she had found a friend, something she needs badly since her brother died and her father left--but as their friendship grows it begins to evolve into a deeper emotion, and in North Carolina in 1977, it is not easy to discover that you might be gay.
By Joanne Rocklin (J Rock)
Fifth-grader Penny writes a series of letters to her future sibling, including facts about their Oakland, California, home, questions about whether their moms will ever marry, and especially that he or she is loved.
By Tim Federle (J Fede, CD J Fede)
Nate, an eighth-grader who dreams of performing in a Broadway musical concocts a plan to run away to New York and audition for the role of Elliot in the musical version of "E.T.”
By Richard Peck (J Peck, CD J Peck)
Archer has four important role models in his life--his dad, his grandfather, his uncle Paul, and his favorite teacher, Mr. McLeod. When Uncle Paul and Mr. McLeod get married, Archer's sixth-grade year becomes one he'll never forget.