June is PRIDE month. Picturebooks are a great tool for young readers to learn about LGBTQ acceptance, achievements and rights. There are many LGBTQ books in WPL’s collection, but these are some of my favourites:

This Day in June by Gayle Pitman

Rainbows, dancers, voices and banners! It’s almost time for the parade. The story is told in simple rhyming verse and is illustrated with bright pictures. The back of the book has a detailed history of the parade, as well as a guide for talking to children about the LGBTQ community.

This is a fantastic resource – I will admit that I knew very little about the Stonewall riots and how they sparked the start of the gay rights movement. Adults and children can learn a lot from this book.

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino

Morris loves his tangerine dress. He loves the way it feels. He loves the way it sounds. The colour of the dress reminds him of this mother’s hair. But not everyone thinks boys should wear dresses.

When I brought this book home for my four-year-old to read she was downright irritated. She thought the idea of a boy in a dress was ridiculous. However, after we read Morris’ story she completely changed her mind. She even hugged the book and said Morris was beautiful. That is the power of picture books. They can inspire empathy by sharing the experiences of others.

Daddy and Dada by Ryan Brockington and Isaac Webster

Rumi’s Daddy sings songs. Her Dada reads stories. Her baby brother Xander laughs and laughs. Rumi’s family loves her THIS much! Rumi learns that every family is different. Her family has two dads, but some families have a dad and a mom, or two moms, or just one dad or one mom. Or some children even live with a grandparent, like the boy down her street. This book teaches children that families come in all sizes. They can see their own families reflected in the story, as well as learn about the many different types of families that live all around us.

Born Ready by Jodie Patterson

Penelope is not a tomboy. Penelope’s family doesn’t understand. Penelope doesn’t FEEL like a boy. He IS a boy. His mother tries to accept this but she doesn’t always get it right. It takes some time but she makes a plan to tell everyone that Penelope is a boy.

Author Jodie Patterson wrote this story to reflect her own journey as a mother of a transgender son. It wasn’t always easy and sometimes she felt like a failure as a parent but she ultimately came to understand her child’s true self.

— Lesley L.