Out on the Shelves: Rainbow Families

The books in this list all feature rainbow families of all shapes and sizes. There are families with two mums, or two dads, or two grandads instead of a grandad and a grandma. There are books that discuss different kinds of families, stories that show the awkwardness in welcoming someone you love back home after they’ve been away, stories that show a day at the beach or a family wedding or the arrival of a new baby or the special time spent with grandparents, and even one that shows the frustration felt when your parents just won’t stop talking to the neighbour when you’re on the way to the park.

Updated June 30, 2024
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Wellington City LibrariesChildren's team at Wellington City Libraries
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Uncle Bobby's wedding
Brannen, Sarah S.
Paper Book
Bobby and Jamie are getting married, but Bobby's niece Chloe is worried that she won't be his favorite person anymore. Will Uncle Bobby still think she is special? Sarah Brannen's warm story is set in an alternative family as Uncle Bobby marries his boyfriend. Uncle Bobby's Wedding...
Toku Whanau Rerehua: My Beautiful Family
Cooper, Rauhina.
Paper Book
'How was school today, Huia' her mum asked. 'It was okay ... but our news topic is our family.' Huia feels too shy to talk about her family to her classmates because she has two mums. Will her friends laugh at her and tease her? Over the next days, she learns that...
Families : a lift-the-flap book about families
Forshaw, Louise
Paper Book
Meet lots of different families in this fun lift-the-flap book. Find Out About: Families helps curious preschoolers understand how other chlldren live, which is key for developing empathy. Featuring friendly child characters and familiar situations, this book shows how...
My parents won't stop talking!
Hunsinger, Emma
Paper Book
A child's plans are ruined when her parents have the gall to stop to talk to the neighbors in My Parents Won't Stop Talking!, a laugh-out-loud picture book about patience by Emma Hunsinger and Tillie Walden. It's time to go to the park, and Molly can't wait! It's going...
Things in the sea are touching me!
Keegan, Linda Jane
Paper Book
'Look in the water, Ma! Golly, oh gee! Some THING in the sea is TOUCHING ME!' Youll squawk, screech, yelp... and laugh out loud at the surprises for all on this funny-sunny family day at the beach. When a small child goes to the seaside with her Mum and Ma, she is unprepared for 'things' floating in...
Mama and mummy and me in the middle
LaCour, Nina
Paper Book
Daddy & Dada
Brockington, Ryan
Paper Book
Hi, I'm Rumi. Some of my friends have one mom and one dad. Some have one mom or one dad. I have two dads. Daddy and Dada. Daddy sings songs with me. Dada reads me stories. Every family is different. And that's pretty cool. This sweet,...
My rainbow
Neal, Trinity
Paper Book
A dedicated mom puts love into action as she creates the perfect rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, based on the real-life experience of mother-daughter advocate duo Trinity and DeShanna Neal. Warm morning sunlight and love fill the Neal home. And on one quiet day,...
My daddies!
Peter, Gareth
Paper Book
A funny, heartfelt picture-book celebrating same-sex parents and shared story time, perfect for introducing children to the different kinds of family in the world today. Set off on a series of incredible adventures with an adorable family as the stories they read burst into...
And Tango makes three
Richardson, Justin
Paper Book
And Tango Makes Three is the bestselling, heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family. 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...
A plan for Pops
Smith, Heather
Paper Book
"A positive and realistic representation of both a wheelchair user and an elderly, interracial gay male couple." --Kirkus Reviews "A beautiful and uplifting book." --School Library Journal Lou spends every Saturday with Grandad and Pops. They...
When Aidan became a brother
Lukoff, Kyle
Paper Book
Stonewall Book Award Winner - American Library Association (ALA) This sweet and groundbreaking picture book, winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother. When Aidan was born...

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