LGBTQ+ Positive Picturebooks

Two worms in love decide to get married, and with help from Cricket, Beetle, Spider, and the Bees they have everything they need and more, but which one will be the bride and which the groom?

This beautiful book focuses on being gender neutral. The poetry carries the reader through the child’s imagination, from growing into a tree to the discovery of other diverse children-trees, and includes a metaphorical message that suggests all trees, like all people, belong in the world.

This fun and fascinating treasury features all kinds of families and their lives together. Each spread showcases one aspect of home life-from houses and holidays, to schools and pets, to feelings and family trees. 

When the queen insists that the prince get married and take over as king, the search for a suitable mate does not turn out as expected.

Morris loves wearing the tangerine dress in his classroom’s dress-up center. The children in Morris’s class don’t understand. Dresses, they say, are for girls. And Morris certainly isn’t welcome in the spaceship some of his classmates are building. Astronauts, they say, don’t wear dresses. One day when Morris feels all alone and sick from their taunts, his mother lets him stay home from school.

Longing for adventure, Jack the blackbird decides one day to venture out from his forest home to seek the excitement of the sea. There he encounters a dashing seagull named Jim, who welcomes Jack into his life and shows him the wonders of his seaside village. Unfortunately, the other (white) gulls aren’t so hospitable. “Who’s that funny bird,” old Captain Seagull asks. In spite of Jim’s efforts to defend his friend, the villagers can’t seem to get beyond Jack’s differences.

From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl’s brain in a boy’s body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn’t feel like herself in boys’ clothing.” I Am Jazz! tells the true story of Jazz Jenning’s childhood in an clear and honest voice that will easily engage picture book readers.

Errol’s best friend and teddy, Thomas, is sad because he wishes he were a girl, not a boy teddy, but what only matters to both of them is that they are friends.

Teddy’s favorite toy has the best manners, and the sickest fighting skills, and the ability to pull off a number of fierce looks. But when his toy goes missing, it turns out there’s another woman around who’s pretty fierce–it’s Teddy’s mom, and she will stop at nothing to reunite Teddy with his favorite toy.

Aidan, a transgender boy, experiences complicated emotions as he and his parents prepare for the arrival of a new baby.

Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can’t wear ‘girl’ clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don’t identify with traditional gender roles.

Taunted by his schoolmates because he doesn’t like to play sports, Little Oliver prefers to sing and dance. He persists in his passions and one day gets to show what he can do.

A prince and a knight in shining armor find true love in each other’s embrace after fighting a dragon together. There aren’t many queer fairytales, so I was so excited to find this one!

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? *NOTE: This book has been critiqued for showing the transgender community as mythical creatures. I’ve read both positive and negative accounts from transgendered people. Just something to be aware of.

Red’s factory-applied label clearly says that he is red, but despite the best efforts of his teacher, fellow crayons and art supplies, and family members, he cannot seem to do anything right until a new friend offers a fresh perspective.

Three-year-old Casey wants what his older sister, Jessie, has—a shimmery skirt, glittery painted nails, and a sparkly bracelet—but Jessie does not approve. After two boys tease Casey about his appearance, Jessie evolves to a place of acceptance and celebration of her gender creative younger brother.

Stella’s class is having a Mother’s Day celebration, but what’s a girl with two daddies to do? Stella has her Papa and Daddy who take care of her, and a whole gaggle of other loved ones who make her feel special and supported every day. She just doesn’t have a mom to invite to the party. Fortunately, Stella finds a unique solution to her party problem in this sweet story about love, acceptance, and the true meaning of family.

A young boy describes to two other children how his two mommies help him with all his needs.

Gender-creative Riley knows just what to wear for every occasion during a busy week with family and friends.

A celebration of how colors are for everyone depicts characters engaging in their favorite activities.

Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between. This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others.

At New York City’s Central Park Zoo, two male penguins fall in love and start a family by taking turns sitting on an abandoned egg until it hatches.

Pronouns serve as a familiar starting point for kids and grown-ups to expand ideas about gender and celebrate personal expression with fun imagery that provides a place to meet and play.

From the moment Donovan wakes in the morning, he painstakingly prepares for his special role in the wedding ceremony of his two mothers.

In a wildly whimsical, validating, and exuberant reflection of the LGBT community, This Day In June welcomes readers to experience a pride celebration and share in a day when we are all united. This Day In June is an excellent tool for teaching respect, acceptance, and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people

What do you like? How do you feel? Who are you? This brightly illustrated children’s book provides a straightforward introduction to gender for anyone aged 5+. It presents clear and direct language for understanding and talking about how we experience gender: our bodies, our expression and our identity. 

Whether you have one parent, two moms, two dads, a mom and a dad, or another wonderful caregiver, there’s one thing that makes a family a family … and that’s love.