If you’re looking for a quick monthly roundup, check out the best 3 books I read in June! Here and Queer is a book that healed my inner queer teen who couldn’t figure out why the prospect of watching paint dry was more interesting than going on a date. Not joking. There are horrifically embarrassing…
Category: Gender Identity & Family
The Insiders
English & Spanish MG LGBTQ Friendship Bullying Queer Friendships Latinx Family Moving New School Fantasy/Magic Mark Oshiro summary Ahh middle school. Hormones, moving to new schools, wanting to look cool…secret rooms that respond to your needs? Maybe not for all of us, but for Héctor and his new middle school this seems to be the…
Red Moon Gang: An Inclusive Guide to Periods
English MG & Up Bodies Menstruation Nonfiction Global Community Tara Costello & Mary Purdie summary This book is awesome! All sorts of humans menstruate, NOT just women. I really appreciate how this book focuses on cold, hard, facts that aim to destigmatize and open up conversations about periods and menstruation into the open instead of…
Salma the Syrian Chef
English & Arabic 4-8 years Immigration Refugee Stories Community Chosen Family Cooking Danny Ramadan & Anna Bron Summary: For #TheFictionFeast this month, I wanted to highlight a book that hits a lot of important details that I look for in a story. Main character Salma from Salma the Syrian Chef looks to a mixed refugee…
What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns
English 4 years & up Identity Pronouns Family Self-Advocacy Community Respect Gender Identity Katherine Locke & Anne Passchier summary: This book is sheer perfection. What Are Your Words? is the perfect book for classrooms to teach about how to ask someone else’s pronouns, and it’s a beautiful guide to help those who have shifting pronouns…
Queer (Words of Change Series): Powerful Voices, Inspiring Ideas
English 12 & Up LGBTQ Experiences Activism Quote Collection Inspiration Coco Romack summary The newest edition of the Words of Change series is out now, and just in time for Pride month! Queer is a small volume that includes photos and quotes from LGBTQ activists, and embodies the spirit of rebellion within the queer community….
The Bare Naked Book
English 4 years & up Bodies Body Diversity Terminology Acceptance Celebration Kathy Stinson & Melissa Cho summary The Bare Naked Book was originally published in the 1980’s, and got a massive glow-up this year! The illustrations by Melissa Cho are terrifically diverse and beautiful. Seriously, there are rarely, if ever, characters in books that have…
Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride, and Protest in the Fight for Queer Rights
English 12+ LGBTQIA+ Community History Historical Figures Queer Lived Experiences Protest Activism Advocacy Jamie Lawson & Eve Lloyd Knight summary For #SweetsAndSocialJustice this week, I went all out and made a mountain of frosting (I’m always convinced I’m going to run out) and it culminated in what I described to those I shared it with…
Red, White, and Whole
English MG & Up Bicultural Kids Indian Culture Parents Cancer CW: Parent Death Rajani LaRocca Summary: This beautiful novel in verse set in 1983 is narrated by Reha, whose parents moved from Bangalore. Reha is sometimes frustrated that she can’t do the “typical American” teen thing, and feels like her mother in particular doesn’t understand…
the year i flew away
read along with us! English & Haitian Creole MG & Up Marie Arnold Cover Artist: Geneva Bowers want a copy of your own? Family Immigration Fantasy Magic Racism Fitting In Social-Emotional Learning Own Voices summary: This book stressed me out in the best way possible. Main character Gabrielle is given the opportunity to leave her…