It is important for us to look at the books on our children’s bookshelf and add LGBTQ+ titles to our home libraries. As a mother of a 15-year-old queer-identifying child, it is also important that their siblings ages 11 and 7 years of age are reading books to expand their notion of gender.

Here are 6 books for your bookshelf this pride month:

WHOEVER YOU ARE
BY JOSEPHINE WAI LIN & SANDY LOPEZ

Representation Matters! Whoever Your Are: A Baby Book on Gender & Love written by Josephine Wai Lin is the ultimate vow a baby will love to grow up hearing. A brilliant and vibrant board book that author Josephine Wai Lin uses simple language and rhyming text to break down notions of gender. I gave this book to my youngest child (she was 6 at the time) and immediately she felt a connection to the book and read it 3 times over. I was one proud mama, as I had published a book that represented my family and friends in the text!

NO ONE OWNS THE COLORS BY GIANNA DAVIES & BRENDA RODRIGUEZ

Add this beautiful children’s picture book, No One Owns the Colors by debut author Gianna Davy, to your bookshelf! For every young artist scolded for using the "wrong" color crayon, every boy teased for wearing a pastel shirt, every girl denied blue shoes, here's the perfect response: All colors are for everyone. Just ask Nature! To my delight, the book was selected by Drag Story Hour for Read-Across-America Day in partnership with GLADD.

RAINBOW: A FIRST BOOK OF PRIDE BY MICHAEL GENHART

Rainbow: A First Book of PRIDE. I bought this book at the Children's Fairyland literary festival in Oakland, CA and I could not agree more with the Publishers Weekly take on the book: this is a JOYOUS tribute to LGBTQ families! The author, Michael Genhart is absolutely wonderful and has written a book that is geared for 2-5 year-olds, and yet it truly is a MUST for anyone (with or without kids); it is a celebration of QUEER JOY!

DAZZLING TRAVIS BY HANNAH CARMONA DIAS

Dazzling Travis by Hannah Carmona Dias is an empowering story that encourages kids of any gender to challenge the social norm, and is supported by the many advocates of positive parenting solutions. This book will perfectly round out your home or school library next to other stories that focus on confidence and being who you are.

MELISSA (PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS GEORGE) BY ALEX GINO

Melissa (previously published as George) is an award-winning middle-grade reading book by Alex Gino. I just bought this book for my 11-year-old when I was in one of my favorite, independent bookstores here in the San Francisco Bay Area: Mrs. Dalloways! We thought this would be a great book for sleep-away camp this summer! Honestly, I can’t wait until she brings it home and I get my hands on the book as I love a good middle-grade read! 

ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE: A MEMOIR-MANIFESTO BY GEORGE M. JOHNSON

All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto is by George M. Johnson, an award-winning, black non-binary writer, author, and activist located in the NYC area. I love Johnson’s writing style it is honest, raw, and blunt. This is a must-read for any young adult looking to explore topics on gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, and consent. I highly recommend reading this unapologetic memoir, it is fantastic!

Books about the LGBTQ+ experience have the power to educate, inspire, and empower readers. Happy Pride Month!