Forever Home: A Dog and Boy Love Story

Author/Illustrator: Henry Cole

Grades: PreK - 3

There is a dog that no one wants. Abandoned and afraid, he must use his wits to survive the city’s streets. Sadly, no one comes for him.

Meanwhile, not far away, there is a boy who wants a dog more than anything in the world. But his room is a mess. He needs to help more around the house. And his parents tell him he must learn to be more responsible. Little does the boy know, there is a dog nearby longing for a forever home and someone to love him. And that dog has his eye on our boy!

Henry Cole masterfully weaves together two tender storylines that result in a hearttugging wordless picture book that celebrates love, kindness, and compassion for animals.

Strong

Authors: Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood

Illustrator: Nidhi Chanani

Grades: PreK - 3

A Stonewall Honor Book!

A fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.

Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks -- and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can’t fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?

With bold illustrations and an engaging, informative text, Strong introduces readers to Rob Kearney and his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world’s first openly gay professional strongman.

Door By Door: How Sarah McBride Became America’s First Openly Transgender Senator

Author: Meeg Pincus

Illustrator: Meridth McKean Gimbel

Grades: PreK - 3

A nonfiction picture book about Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride, who dreamed of making a difference as a kid and grew up to become the highest-ranking openly transgender political official in America.

As a kid, Sarah McBride dreamed of running for office so she could help people in her community. When her friends asked for bicycles for Christmas, Sarah asked for a podium. Her friends and family encouraged her to follow this path, but there was one problem: they saw Sarah as a boy, and Sarah knew she was a girl. Every night, she’d replay the day in her head, watching how it would have played out if she was able to live as the girl she knew herself to be.

In college, she finally came out as Sarah, and in 2020 she won her election to become a Delaware State Senator, making her the highest-ranking trans political official in the country and a hero to kids everywhere who want to live their dreams and be themselves!

Molly’s Tuxedo

Author: Vicki Johnson

Illustrator: Gillian Reid

Grades: PreK - 3

Molly wants to look her best for picture day at her school, and what looks better than a tux?

Molly's school picture day is coming up, and she wants to have a perfect portrait taken to hang on their wall. Her mom has picked out a nice dress for her, but Molly knows from experience that dresses are trouble. They have tight places and hard-to-reach zippers, and worst of all, no pockets! Luckily, she has the perfect thing to save picture day--her brother's old tuxedo!

But mom doesn't want her to wear a tuxedo in the photo; she thinks Molly looks best in the dress. Can Molly find the courage to follow her heart and get her mom to realize just how awesome she'd look in a tux? This book highlights a gender nonconforming main character and is published in partnership with GLAAD to accelerate LGBTQ inclusivity and acceptance.

The Wishing Flower

Author: A.J. Irving

Illustrator: Kip Alizadeh

Grades: PreK - 3

An LGBTQ-inclusive story about understanding your peers, your feelings, and yourself, The Wishing Flower is a love letter to longing, belonging, and longing to belong.

Birdie finds comfort in nature and books, but more than anything she longs for connection, to be understood. At school, Birdie feels like an outsider. Quiet and shy, she prefers to read by herself, rather than jump rope or swing with the other kids. That all changes when Sunny, the new girl, comes along. Like Birdie, Sunny has a nature name. She also likes to read, and loves to rescue bugs. And when Sunny smiles at her, Birdie's heart balloons like a parachute.

From the acclaimed author of Dance Like a Leaf, with stunning illustrations by Kip Alizadeh, this book will inspire readers to honor their wishes and show the world their truest selves.

True You: A Gender Journey

Authors: Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner

Illustrator: Shelley Rotner

Grades: PreK - 3

There are different ways to show and be who you are in this affirming photographic picture book that offers a celebratory and informative look at kids and their wide-ranging gender identities.

“Sometimes it’s hard when kids say you have to be a boy or a girl when you’re not. Everyone should feel safe to just be who they are.”

Girls, boys, neither, both, or just not sure. Kids are kids! There are different ways to show and be who you are.

It’s up to you—how you feel, how you dress, how you act, how you play, learn, and love.

Who is the true you?

With the permission of their parents, the children in this photographic picture book were recorded and transcribed by authors Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner as they were photographed. These powerful testimonials paired with a spare narrative and vibrant, joyful portraits offer up a humanizing and moving exploration of kids and how they feel about their true selves.

Soon Your Hands

Author: Jonathan Stutzman

Illustrator: Elizabeth Lilly

Grades: PreK - 1

Tonight, each small hand fits inside their parent's hand. But soon, this hand will grow—to dig deep in the dirt, make masterpieces and mistakes, and tell stories only it can tell.

With text that captures the potential in every child and glowing art that exudes warmth, this book braids three children's stories into one of family love.

From award-winning author Jonathan Stutzman and rising illustrator Elizabeth Lilly comes this tender book, perfect for cuddling together at bedtime.

My Parents Won’t Stop Talking

Author: Emma Hunsinger

Illustrator: Tillie Walden

Grades: PreK - 2

It’s time to go to the park, and Molly can’t wait! It’s going to be awesome and amazing and―

OH NO!

The neighbors have spotted her moms, and now they’re talking. A lot. And everything they say is boring. Minutes feel like hours, hours feel like days, and days feel like eons . . .

Will her parents ever stop talking?!

This is a clever, irreverent take on a universal childhood dilemma, written and illustrated by two stars in the comics world.

A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington

Authors: Rob Sanders and Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Byron McCray

Grades: 1 - 2

A singular, richly illustrated picture book biography of Bayard Rustin, the gay Black man behind the March on Washington of 1963, by the acclaimed authors of Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre and Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag.

On August 28, 1963, a quarter of a million activists and demonstrators from every corner of the United States convened for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was there and then that they raised their voices in unison to call for racial and economic justice for all Black Americans, to call out inequities, and ultimately to advance the Civil Rights Movement.

Every movement has its unsung heroes: individuals who work in the background without praise or accolades, who toil and struggle without notice. One of those unsung heroes was at the center of some of the most important decisions and events of the Civil Rights Movement.

That hero was a quiet man, a gay African American man. He was Bayard Rustin.

Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders's A Song for the Unsung, featuring illustrations from artist Byron McCray, is an inspiring story that answers one of our nation’s greatest calls to action by honoring one of the men who made it happen.

Love without Bounds: An Intersection Allies Book about Families

Authors: Carolyn Choi, Chelsea Johnson, and LaToya Council

Illustrator: Ashley Seil Smith

Grades: 2 - 3

"This follow-up to the critically acclaimed IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All honors the diversity of family life and what family can mean based on our intersecting identities and experiences.

Written by three celebrated women of color sociologists, Love without Bounds: An IntersectionAllies Book about Families is a joyful, heartwarming celebration of family in all its forms: multicultural families; LGBTQ+ families; adoptive and foster care families; single-parent and blended families; transnational families; families impacted by incarceration, detention, and deportation; chosen families; military families; and more. By focusing on the choices families make to persistently love and care for one another in the face of inequality and inequity, Love without Bounds is a necessary resource to make sure all kids feel seen and loved for who they are in community with each another.

Features gorgeous illustrations throughout by Ashley Seil Smith and a colorful, informative discussion guide that explains the concepts shown in the book."

Cómo Aidan Llegó A Ser Un Hermano / When Aidan Became a Brother

Author: Kyle Lukoff

Illustrator: Kaylani Juanita

Grades: PreK - 2

Cuando Aidan nació, todos pensaron que era una niña. Sus papás le dieron un nombre bonito, su cuarto se veía como un cuarto de niña y usaba ropa que le gustaba a otras niñas. Después de darse cuenta que era un niño trans, Aidan y sus papás arreglaron las partes de su vida que ya no encajaban y se asentó alegremente a su nueva vida.

Y luego su mamá y papá anunciaron que iban a tener otro bebe. Aidan quiere hacer todo que se pueda para asegurar que todo esté bien para su nueva hermana o hermano desde el principio: desde escoger el nombre perfecto hasta crear un cuarto hermoso y encontrar el mameluco más precioso. ¿Pero, de echo, qué significa hacer que "todo esté bien"? ¿Y qué pasa si se equivoca? Con un poquito de ayuda, Aidan llega a entender que los errores se pueden arreglar con honestidad y comunicación. Y que ya sabe la cosa más importante sobre ser un hermano mayor: cómo amar con todo su ser.

Cómo Aidan llegó a ser un hermano es un libro conmovedor que va a resonar con niños y niñas transgénero, tranquilizar cualquier preocupación de niños y niñas que van a ser hermanos o hermanas mayores y celebrar las muchas transiciones por las que puede pasar una familia.

Jamie and Bubbie: A Book About People’s Pronouns

Author: Afsaneh Moradian

Illustrator: Maria Bogade

Grades: PreK - 2

Jamie is excited to spend the day walking around the neighborhood with great-grandma Bubbie. They meet so many friends and neighbors throughout the dayalong the way . . . but Jamie has to correct Bubbie when she incorrectly assumes Ms. Wallace is a he and their server is a she.

“You can’t always know if someone goes by he or she or something else. Sometimes a person will tell you. If they don’t, you can use the person’s name or you can say they.”

Jamie helps Bubbie understand that it’s important not to assume a person’s pronouns based on appearance, and to always use the name and pronouns they go by: he, she, they, or something else.

Jamie and Bubbie introduces children, through an accessible fictional narrative, to the nonbinary experience, the use of gender-neutral pronouns, and how to respectfully use personal pronouns. They will learn the importance of using the correct pronouns, and that sometimes a person’s name and pronouns can change.

The story stays lighthearted and sweet, while diving into an often misunderstood, evolving topic, so children can build empathy and begin to explore their own feelings about gender identity. A section at the back of the book includes tips for teachers, parents, and caregivers for expanding on the concepts in the book and for talking with children about gender.

Grandad’s Pride

Author/Illustrator: Harry Woodgate

Grades: PreK - 1

Grandad and Milly are back for another adventure, this time honoring the past and celebrating the future with a pride parade. This heartwarming tale continues to wonderful journey that began with the Stonewall Honoree and Waterstones Best Illustrated Book, Grandad's Camper.

After Milly discovers a pride flag in Grandad's attic, this adorable pair are motivated by the past to start a pride parade in their small town. Activism and celebration go hand in hand as the town gathers to help "build a world where everyone is proud to be themselves." This beautiful follow-up to Grandad's Camper is filled with heart and purpose.

Aaron Slater and the Sneaky Snake

Author: Andrea Beatty

Illustrator: David Roberts

Grades: 1 - 3

Zookeeper Fred loves snakes, but his favorite is a tiny green snake named Vern. Vern is sneaky and constantly tries to hide in Fred’s lunch. When Vern gets loose in the zoo and lands atop a boy’s head, it’s trouble!

A few citizens demand that all the snakes must go and the Mayor closes the zoo until the City Council decides what to do. Is Vern a menace? Are the snakes a danger to society? Or a valuable resource for everyone? Who gets to decide?

The Questioneers need all their talents to help Zookeeper Fred, but in the end, it’s Aaron’s art which leads the way.

Something Great

Author/Illustrator: Jeanette Bradley

Grades: PreK - 3

Voila! Quinn spent the morning in their workshop, and they emerged with Something Great! But… What is it?

No one seemed to understand that Something Great isn’t supposed to be anything. It was just… itself. Something Great.

Then, the new kid asks to play with Quinn and Something Great. They discover that Something Great can be an elevator, a bug catcher, or a stick lifter. It could even be… a friend finder.

Quietly profound, this sweet tale and its mixed-media illustrations are a delightful combination of elements blending STEM activities (for those inclined to catch them!) with casual nonconformity in a picture book that is, well, Something Great!

Desert Queen

Author: Jyoti Rajan Gopal

Illustrator: Svabhu Kohli

Grades: 1 - 3

This is the true story of young Harish Kumar who lost his parents and had to support his little sisters, following his love of and gift for traditional dance to become the beloved Rajasthani drag performer Queen Harish, defying the gender conventions of middle class Indian life and growing up to dance with Bollywood stars, to marry, and to have two children of his own.

This picture book biography in verse follows the life of beloved Rajasthani drag performer Queen Harish, known as the Whirling Desert Queen of Rajasthan. Lit by an inner fire and propelled by a family tragedy, Harish defied the gender conventions of middle class Indian life, battled discrimination and intimidation, and eventually grew up to dance with Bollywood movie stars and on stages across the world.

Jyoti Gopal’s rhythmic phrases evoke the particular sounds and beats of the music Harish danced to, and capture the passions and conflicts of his life. The poignant and inspiring tale is interpreted by internationally acclaimed Rajasthani artist Svabhu Kohli in kohl-black lines and shapes and brilliant jewel-like colors.

Forever Home: A Dog and Boy Love Story

Author/Illustrator: Henry Cole

Grades: PreK - 3

There is a dog that no one wants. Abandoned and afraid, he must use his wits to survive the city’s streets. Sadly, no one comes for him.

Meanwhile, not far away, there is a boy who wants a dog more than anything in the world. But his room is a mess. He needs to help more around the house. And his parents tell him he must learn to be more responsible. Little does the boy know, there is a dog nearby longing for a forever home and someone to love him. And that dog has his eye on our boy!

Henry Cole masterfully weaves together two tender storylines that result in a hearttugging wordless picture book that celebrates love, kindness, and compassion for animals.