Hi all! Kayla here. Some of you may know this already (I tell everyone!) but I also sit on the Airdrie Public Library Board. Today for my blog post, I thought I’d combine two things I love and give you some awesome books you can read to your kids to teach them about LGBTQ2+ inclusiveness. As a bonus, memberships at APL are now FREE and you can request books from a humongous catalogue online so why not give it a shot?
Anyway, here’s my top five picks for LGBTQ2+ inclusive books for children!
1. 10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert
Every night, Bailey dreams about magical dresses: dresses made of crystals and rainbows, dresses made of flowers, dresses made of windows. . . . Unfortunately, when Bailey’s awake, no one wants to hear about these beautiful dreams. Quite the contrary. “You’re a BOY!” Mother and Father tell Bailey. “You shouldn’t be thinking about dresses at all.” Then Bailey meets Laurel, an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey’s imagination and courage. In friendship, the two of them begin making dresses together. And Bailey’s dreams come true! Request it from the library here.
2. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
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 get the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own. Request it from the library here.
3. I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel
From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl’s brain in a boy’s body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn’t feel like herself in boys’ clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz’s story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers. Request it from the library here.
4. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?
The answer is: It doesn’t matter. Because worm loves worm. Request it from the library here.
5. Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman
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.
Shares the loving bond between same-sex parents and their children. Request it from the library here.
I hope you enjoy our suggestions!
<3 Kayla