Rainbow Reads for PreK-Grade 5
Recommended books concerning gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning identities. To find more books, try a subject search for “gay youth,” “lesbian youth,” “transsexual youth,” “transgender people,” or “gay parents” in the library catalog. Click here for a print-friendly version of this list.
Picture Books (JE)
| Author | Title | Call Number |
|---|
| Baldacchino | Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress A young boy faces adversity from classmates when he wears an orange dress at school. | JE Baldacchino |
| Brannen | Uncle Bobby’s Wedding Chloë is jealous when Uncle Bobby announces his wedding, until she realizes she'll soon have two uncles who love her. | JE Brannen |
| de Haan | King & King When the queen insists that the prince get married, the search for a suitable mate does not turn out as expected. See also King & King & Family. | JE Haan |
| Fierstein | The Sissy Duckling Elmer the duck is teased because he is different, but he proves himself by not only surviving the winter, but also saving his Papa. | JE Fierstein |
| Garden | Molly's Family When Molly draws a picture of her two moms for Open School Night, one of her classmates makes her feel bad. | JE Garden |
| Herthel | I Am Jazz! Jazz feels like a girl on the inside, though she looks like a boy on the outside; she is transgender. Based on the true story. | JE Herthel |
| Hoffman | Jacob’s New Dress Jacob, who likes to wear dresses at home, convinces his parents to let him wear a dress to school, too. | JE Hoffman |
| Kilodavis | My Princess Boy A four-year-old boy loves dressing up in princess clothing. | JE Kilodavis |
| Kushner | The Purim Superhero When Nate’s friend pressures him to dress as a superhero for Purim, Nate seeks guidance from his Daddy and Abba. | PURIM JE Kushner |
| Lindenbaum | Mini Mia and Her Darling Uncle Ella deals with jealous feelings when a new man named Fergus walks into her beloved Uncle Tommy’s kitchen. | JE Lindenbaum |
| Newman | Donovan’s Big Day Donovan painstakingly prepares for his special role in the wedding ceremony of his two mothers. | JE Newman |
| Oelschlager | A Tale of Two Mommies A young boy describes how his two mommies help him with all his needs. | JE Oelschlager |
| Polacco | In Our Mothers’ House Three young children experience the joys and challenges of being raised by two mothers. | JE Polacco |
| Pomranz | Made by Raffi A shy boy named Raffi defies other children’s teasing by knitting a masterpiece: a prince’s cape! | JE Pomranz |
| U'Ren | Pugdog When Mike discovers that his rough-and-tumble new puppy is a female, he tries to make her into a dainty dog. | JE U'Ren |
| Vigna | My Two Uncles Plans for Elly’s grandparents’ anniversary party are upset when Grampy refuses to invite Uncle Phil and his partner, Ned. | JE Vigna |
| Willhoite | Daddy's Roommate A young boy discusses his divorced father's new living situation with his male partner. | JE Willhoite |
| Zolotow | William’s Doll William’s father gives him a basketball and a train, but these toys do not make him want a doll any less. | JE Zolotow |
Children’s Fiction (J)
| Author | Title | Call Number |
|---|
| Agell | The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister India becomes closer to her artist-mother, strengthens her friendship with a neighbor boy, and learns to accept the man for whom her father moved away. (151 pp.) | J Agell |
| Ignatow | The Popularity Papers Lydia and Julie study the behavior of popular girls so that they, too, can be in the right crowd. One of the girls has two dads. (204 pp.) | J Ignatow |
| Levy | The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher Two fathers, four adopted boys, and a variety of pets make their way through a school year and deal with a grumpy new neighbor. (260 pp.) | J Levy |
| Myracle | Luv Ya Bunches Four friends, all named after flowers, navigate the ups and downs of fifth grade. One of the friends has two moms. (335 pp.) | J Myracle |
Nonfiction, Folktales & Poetry
| Author | Title | Call Number |
|---|
| Fields | Gay and Lesbian Parents Information about what it’s like to have two moms or two dads, and what it's like when a parent comes out. | J306.874 FI |
| Greenberg | Zack’s Story: Growing Up with Same-Sex Parents An eleven-year-old boy describes life as part of a family made up of himself, his mother, and her lesbian partner. | J306.874 GR |
| Kuklin | Families Children from diverse families share thoughts about their families. | J306.85 KU |
| Richardson | And Tango Makes Three At New York City’s Central Park Zoo, two male penguins start a family by taking turns sitting on an abandoned egg until it hatches. | J598.47 RI |
| Thomas | This Is My Family: A First Look at Same-Sex Parents Introduces children to families that have parents of the same sex. | J306.74 TH |
Last Updated: 1/15
