Written by: Partnership between GLAAD & little bee books, additional appreciation to Tierney (creators of the Philly Pride Flag)
Illustrated by: C.G. Esperanza (Opening), Mohammed Fayaz (Black/Brown), Love is Wise (Red), Beena Mistry (Orange), Dylan Glynn (Yellow), Cynthia Yuan Cheng (Green), J Yang (Blue), Chris Kindred (Purple), Jeromy Velasco (Closing)
For ages: Toddler & up
Language: English
Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Acceptance, Self-Expression, Social-Emotional Development, Activism.
Summary: This book is SO cool! It is a board book shaped like a waving flag, which is a great sensory experience for readers. The collaboration of this book specifically covers the Philly Pride Flag and what the flag represents for our LGBTQ community. A different artist illustrates for each color, explaining the original meanings intended by rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker. Feelings, Nature, Forgiveness, and many more are included in this book that will be engaging to a variety of ages. We can’t recommend this book enough, it needs to be on every shelf!
Having books that normalize the LGBTQ community is crucial for community members and allies alike. Children that grow up seeing multiple family structures are more accepting and open to real individuals that they will inevitably encounter in their daily lives. We need to be proud to know (and be!) these people all year round, not just during Pride Month. Like other marginalized populations, corporations and advertising focus on them for a month and then do nothing for the rest of the year that benefits them (and sometimes have policies in place that actively hurt members). What can we do to stop these harmful practices for everyone, especially individuals that are marginalized in a variety of ways?
About the Authors & Illustrators:
For over 30 years, GLAAD has been at the forefront of cultural change, accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ community. GLAAD was founded in November of 1987 in response to the New York Post’s grossly defamatory and sensationalized HIV and AIDS coverage, and in that same year they persuaded the New York Times to start using the term “gay” instead of “homosexual” so that they could help the Times “get with the times”. They have been continuing to monitor and influence the media since then!
little bee books is a children’s book publisher dedicated to making high-quality,
creative, and fun books for busy little bees ages 0 through 12, offering an inspired selection of early learning concept books, board books, novelty books, activity books, picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, gift sets, and more.
Opening
Born the second of six kids. The South Bronx is where C.G. Esperanza first opened his eyelids. A land shrouded in bright colored decay, the birthplace of graffiti and the hip-hop DJ! He paints fantasy worlds of elephants, and castles too! Accompanying this wonder is some whimsical truth. Charles has a voice that is seldom heard. A fusion of jazz, distorted guitars, and chirping birds.
Author and Illustrator of “Red, Yellow,Blue and a dash of White too!” available now! (Skypony Press)
Black/Brown
Mohammed Fayaz is an illustrator and one of the organizers of Papi Juice. Born and raised in New York City, Mohammed’s illustrations are intent on documenting his community of queer and trans people of color. With work that spans digital and mixed media, his illustrations lend an eye into a world traditionally left out of mainstream media.
Red
Love is Wise is a Freelance Illustrator based in Philadelphia from Washington, DC. In addition to being a Capricorn lady who is obsessed with the color pink, she has worked with some amazing clients such as The New Yorker, L’Oreal, The New York Times, REI, Refinery29, BuzzFeed News, Bitch Media, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia Printworks ,Illustrated Impact, Tampa Bay Times, Eileen Fisher, The Poetry Foundation, Cartoon Network, LeafTV, Got A Girl Crush, BUST Magazine & Wieden+Kennedy
Check out her collection of prints/shirts here with Philadelphia Printworks, The Schomburg Center in Harlem, buy prints of her New Yorker cover here and her Etsy shop here.
Contact her for a chat, commissions, & inquiries at loveiswiseillustrations@gmail.com!
Orange
Beena Mistry is a combo pack UX Designer and Illustrator who can tell some pretty good stories with shapes and colour. Find Beena at beenamistryart@gmail.com and @BEENATHEMISTRY.
Yellow
Dylan Glynn is based in Toronto and studied animation at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario and directing for animation in Valence, France. His multidisciplinary practice is characterised by its emotion, grace and sense of wild-movement. His work has been recognized and exhibited by Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Somerset House and the Canadian Screen Awards.
Green
Cynthia Yuan Cheng is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist recently landed in Los Angeles, CA. Cynthia loves to create warm, hopeful comics & illustrations exploring relationships, identity, and personal experience.
In her free time, you can find Cynthia on the hunt for delicious foods and fun movies. She grew up reading manga and playing American football in New Jersey and graduated from MICA with a B.F.A. in Illustration and a concentration in Sequential Art.
Find her on social media: twitter / instagram / tumblr
Her online store can be found here.
Blue
J YANG is a trans illustrator and designer working in children’s books and education. Published work—Our Rainbow, Spirit Day (upcoming this fall), and the interior illustrations in Craftily Book 6. The content J aims to put out in the world normalizes the existence of queer people, people of color, and disabled people by not making their differences the focal point of the story. J organizes & produces 2 charity artbooks a year with 30+ artists each—check out the Found Family Zine, Huemanity 2019 (a calendar), and this year’s #DogsforFlint and Beyond The Veil. Based in New York. BFA in Communications Design from Pratt Institute. Pronouns they/he. Reach out at jyang1029@gmail.com!
Purple
Chris Kindred is an illustrator, cartoonist, and writer working in Richmond, VA. He can be found on twitter and via email here: chris@chriskindred.com
Closing
Jeromy Velasco is a left-handed illustrator/printmaker currently based in Los Angeles. Contact Jeromy via email, on instagram and twitter!