Children's Book Suggestions | Pride Month

Updated May 16, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
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My two dads and me
Joosten, Michael
Paper Book
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...

Ages 0-3

Rainbow : a first book of pride
Genhart, Michael
Paper Book
"A joyous tribute to LGBTQ families." --Publishers Weekly 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...

Ages 1-5

Pride colors
Stevenson, Robin
Paper Book
★ "Awash in messages of love and the celebration of individuality... A rare treat for both Pride Day and everyday sharing."--School Library Journal, starred review ★ "A good thing comes in a small, rainbow package...A joyful, affirming, pride-filled read."--Kirkus Reviews,...

Ages 0-2

And Tango makes three
Richardson, Justin
Paper Book
This tenth-anniversary edition of the bestselling, heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family includes an all-new authors' note and an exclusive poster. At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit...
Ages 2-5
Melissa
Gino, Alex
Paper Book
BE WHO YOU ARE. Melissa joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content! When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. ...

Ages 9-12

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,...

Ages 2-5

Prince & knight
Haack, Daniel
Paper Book
"Victorious . . . the premier queer-friendly fairy tale." Kirkus Reviews, starred review "An illuminating fairy tale for young readers to be able to see that not every prince would like to marry a princess." School Library Journal "A colorful and entertaining tale...

Ages 2-7

Sam makes a splash
Melleby, Nicole
Paper Book
From an acclaimed author comes a cheerful, uplifting story of family and belonging, the first in a series perfect for fans of the Vanderbeekers and the Penderwicks. If you want to get to know eleven-year-old Samantha Ali-O'Connor, you need to know three things:...

Ages 7-10

Tale of the Shadow King
Haack, Daniel
Paper Book
This follow-up to Prince & Knight is an inclusive, modern fairy tale for young readers! Praise for Prince & Knight: "Victorious . . . the premier queer-friendly fairy tale." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review "An illuminating fairy tale for young...

Ages 2-7

The sun and the star
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
Demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace must endure the terrors of Tartarus to rescue an old friend in this thrilling adventure co-written by New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan and award-winning author Mark Oshiro. Percy Jackson fans, rejoice! Nico and Will...

Ages 12-14

Peanut goes for the gold
Van Ness, Jonathan
Paper Book
Jonathan Van Ness, the star of Netflix's hit show Queer Eye, brings his signature humor and positivity to his empowering first picture book, inspiring readers of all ages to love being exactly who they are. Peanut Goes for the Gold is a charming, funny, and heartfelt picture...

Ages 2-8

Julián is a mermaid
Love, Jessica
Paper Book
Winner of a 2019 Stonewall Book Award 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...

Ages 3-6

Julián at the wedding
Love, Jessica
Paper Book
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...

Ages 3-6

Strong
Kearney, Rob
Paper Book
Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks -- and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can't fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true...

Ages 3-6

'Twas the night before Pride
McClintick, Joanna
Paper Book
A glittering celebration of queer families puts Pride gently in perspective--honoring those in the LGBTQ+ community who fought against injustice and inequality. Pride's . . . a day that means "Together, we are strong!" This joyful picture-book homage to a day...

Ages 4-8

Pride : the story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
Sanders, Rob
Paper Book
JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION . Celebrate Pride and it's iconic rainbow flag--a symbol of inclusion and acceptance around the world-- with the very first picture book to tell its remarkable and inspiring history! "Pride is a beacon of (technicolor) light." --Entertainment Weekly<...

Ages 3-9

Sharice's big voice : a native kid becomes a congresswoman
Davids, Sharice
Paper Book
This acclaimed picture book autobiography tells the triumphant story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she'd be in Congress....

Ages 4-7

The ABCs of queer history
Yasmin, Seema
Paper Book
A Through-the-Alphabet Celebration of Queer History in the US, from the Publisher of the New York Times Bestseller The ABCs of Black History   In a beautiful picture book brimming with P for Pride, writer and poet Seema Yasmin and...

Ages 4-8

The year my life went down the toilet
Arlow, Jake Maia
Paper Book
A hilariously honest book about surviving middle school while navigating a chronic illness from the Stonewall Honor-winning author of Almost Flying. Twelve-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life- 1. Her stomach...

Ages 10-14

The Fairest in the Land
Newman, Leslea.
Paper Book
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...

Ages 4-8

Pride puppy!
Stevenson, Robin
Paper Book
Key Selling Points An LGBTQ+ inclusive picture book where identity is not the focus of the story but queer community is centered. The family is intentionally not gendered. The author is part of the LGBTQ+ community and has spoken extensively about Pride with kids of...

Ages 3-5

Not he or she, I'm me
Wild, A. M.
Paper Book
A Stonewall Book Award Honor Book "The warmth of everyday gender euphoria is burnished to brilliant radiance" (BCCB, starred review) in this joyous picture book about a day in the life of a non-binary child. A child gets ready for a wonderful day. They...

Ages 3-6

Rick
Gino, Alex
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of Melissa, the story of a boy named Rick who needs to explore his own identity apart from his jerk of a best friend. Rick's never questioned much. He's gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff's acted like a bully and a jerk. He's let his...

Ages 9-12

The language of seabirds
Taylor, Will (Children's literature author)
Paper Book
A sweet, tender middle-grade story of two boys finding first love with each other over a seaside summer. Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and his uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It's the first summer after his parents' divorce, and he hasn't...

Ages 11-14

Two grooms on a cake : the story of America's first gay wedding
Sanders, Rob
Paper Book
As seen on The TODAY Show! "Sanders tells the tale in easy-to-understand language, sweet as the frosting on the cake. . . . As beautiful as it is informative about this little-known battle in the fight for equality." -Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

Ages 6-9

Marina in the middle
Melleby, Nicole
Paper Book
Return to Sunrise Lagoon in this warmhearted sequel, which finds anxious middle child Marina making waves on her journey to trusting herself. If you want to get to know Marina Ali-O'Connor, you need to know three things: One, despite her...

Ages 7-10

Grandad's pride
Woodgate, Harry
Paper Book
Grandad and Milly are back for another adventure, this time honoring the past and celebrating the future with a pride parade. This heartwarming tale continues to wonderful journey that began with the Stonewall Honoree, British Book Award winner, and Waterstones Best Illustrated Book, Grandad's...

Ages 3-8

Alice Austen lived here
Gino, Alex
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of Melissa, a phenomenal novel about queerness past, present, and future. Sam is very in touch with their own queer identity. They're nonbinary, and their best friend, TJ, is nonbinary as well. Sam's family is very cool with it... as long as Sam...

Ages 9-12

The real Riley Mayes
Elliott, Rachel
Paper Book
A Stonewall Book Award Honor * A Sid Fleishman Humor Award Honor Funny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.   Fifth grade is just not Riley's vibe....

Ages 8-12

Elle Campbell wins their weekend
Kahn, Ben (Comics writer)
Paper Book
Ferris Bueller's Day Off meets Gamer Girl for middle grade in this hilarious, heartfelt story about a non-binary kid trying to figure out who they are at home, at school, and in the fandom that changed their life. All Elle Campbell wants to do is meet their hero, non-binary...

Ages 8-12

This Is Our Rainbow : 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us
Locke, Katherine.
Paper Book
The first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more! A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former...

Ages 8-12

The curse of Eelgrass Bog
Averling, Mary
Paper Book
Dark secrets and unnatural magic abound when a twelve-year-old girl ventures into a bog full of monsters to break a mysterious curse. Nothing about Kess Pedrock's life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family's Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for...

Ages 8-12

The girl from Earth's end
Dairman, Tara
Paper Book
Gifted gardener Henna embarks from her island home to search for the plant that might save her papa's life in this vibrant story of love, grief, and growth. Twelve-year-old Henna loves living with her two papas and cultivating her beloved plants on the tiny island of Earth's End-...

Ages 9-12

People of pride : 25 great LGBTQ Americans
Clemesha, Chase
Paper Book
What do Frank Ocean, Sally Ride, George Takei, and Sharice Davids all have in common? They're all proud LGBTQ Americans! Featuring people from a variety of occupations and backgrounds, this collection of 25 short biographies demonstrates the diversity, accomplishments, and pride within the American...

Ages 9-12

The Stonewall Riots : making a stand for LGBTQ rights
Bongiovanni, Archie
Paper Book
Turn back the clock with History Comics! In this graphic novel, experience the Stonewall Riots firsthand and meet iconic activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Three teenagers--Natalia, Jax, and Rashad--are magically transported from their modern lives to the...

Ages 9-13

Small town pride
Stamper, Phil
Paper Book
From acclaimed author Phil Stamper (The Gravity of Us and As Far as You'll Take Me) comes a poignant coming-of-age, contemporary middle grade debut novel about finding your place, using your voice, and the true meaning of pride. Perfect for fans of Rick by Alex Gino and The Best at It by...

Ages 11-14

The list of things that will not change
Stead, Rebecca
Paper Book
EIGHT STARRED REVIEWS! The reassuring book kids and families need right now. "An absolute original . . . a story that kids will love." --R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder At a time when everything is changing for Bea and her family, the important things...

Ages 10-14

The best at it
Pancholy, Maulik
Paper Book
From award-winning actor Maulik Pancholy comes a hilarious and heartfelt middle grade debut about a gay Indian American boy coming into his own. One of Time Out's "LGBTQ+ books for kids to read during Pride Month," this is perfect for fans of Tim Federle's Nate series. A ...

Ages 10-14

Gender identity for kids : a book about finding yourself, understanding others, and respecting everybody!
Passchier, Andy
Paper Book
Help kids make sense of who they are and how they feel with this illustrated guide to understanding and answering questions about gender.  What is gender and what does it mean to you? What are ways people express their gender? What if you don't feel like the...

Ages 8-12

The girl from the sea
Ostertag, Molly
Paper Book
From the author of The Witch Boy trilogy comes a graphic novel about family, romance, and first love.Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little...

Ages 12-16

Bathe the cat
McGinty, Alice B.
Paper Book
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.<...

Ages 3-6

The meaning of pride
Thor, Rosiee
Paper Book
A vibrant ode to the culture and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, The Meaning of Pride, written by Rosiee Thor and illustrated by Sam Kirk, celebrates the beauty, significance, and many dimensions of the concept of Pride as celebrated by millions of people around the world! ...

Ages 4-7

The deepest breath
Grehan, Meg
Paper Book
An accessible and beautifully written middle grade novel-in-verse by award-winning Irish author Meg Grehan about Stevie, a young girl reckoning with anxiety about the many things she has yet to understand--including her feelings about her friend Chloe. Perfect for fans of Ivy Aberdeen's...

Ages 8-12


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