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Gender Identity and Expression Books for Children and Their Parents |
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What Riley Wore by Elana K ArnoldGender-creative Riley knows just what to wear for every occasion during a busy week with family and friends. A gentle exploration of self-expression and source of encouragement for being true to oneself despite the expectations of others. (Ages 3 - 8) |
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I Am Jazz! by Jessica HerthelBased on the young co-author's real-life experiences, the story of a transgender child traces her early awareness that she is a girl in spite of male anatomy and the acceptance she finds through a wise doctor who explains her natural transgender status. (Ages 3 and up) |
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Jacob's New Dress by Sarah HoffmanA heartwarming tale that speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who do not identify with traditional gender roles follows the experiences of young Jacob, who loves playing dress-up but who is told by his peers and parents that he cannot wear a dress to school. (Ages 4 - 7) |
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What Are Your Words? : A Book About Pronouns by Katherine LockeAn accessible and heartwarming introduction to gender-diverse pronouns follows the experiences of a gender-fluid child who learns how their neighbors identify themselves during a community party where everyone is included. (Ages 4 - 8)
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When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle LukoffAidan, a transgender boy, experiences complicated emotions as he and his parents prepare for the arrival of a new baby. (Ages 3 - 7) |
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Born Ready : The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope by Jodie PattersonJust before his fifth birthday, Penelope lets his mother know he is a boy and, with her support and his ninja powers, faces the rest of his family and his classmates. The activist and chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board draws on the uplifting examples of her transgender son in a story that offers relatable messages about identity, self-acceptance and being true to oneself. (Ages 4 - 8)
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My Maddy by Gayle E PitmanA child celebrates her Maddy, who is neither mommy nor daddy but a little bit of both, like so many things in nature. Includes note to parents. (Ages 4 - 9) |
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Jack (Not Jackie) by Erica SilvermanSusan loves her baby sister, Jackie, but as Jackie grows older and behaves more and more like a boy Susan must adjust to having a brother, Jack, instead. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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It's Okay to Be a Unicorn! by Jason TharpCornelious J. Sparklesteed hides his true identity under a series of creative hats, but when he is chosen to perform at this year's Hoofapalooza, he must find the courage to reveal his true unicorniness. (Ages 3 - 9)
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It Feels Good to Be Yourself : A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa ThornProviding sensitive vocabulary for initiating discussions, a warmhearted, straightforward exploration of gender identity offers children a fuller understanding of themselves and others, in a compassionate story written by the mother of a transgender child and illustrated by a non-binary transgender artist. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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Neither by Airlie AndersonHatching from an unusual egg, a green, feathered, long-eared creature from a land that is made up entirely of blue bunnies and yellow birds embarks on a search to discover where he belongs in a new home of endless colors, shapes and diversity. (Ages 3 - 7) |
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Felix's New Skirt by Kerstin BrichzinFelix likes to wear skirts, but when his classmates' merciless teasing makes him want to give up school for good, his parents come up with a way to validate Felix's expression, while also teaching the other children a lesson in acceptance. (Ages 4 - 7) |
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Glad, Glad Bear! by Kimberly GeeA follow-up to Mad, Mad Bear! finds the endearingly relatable Bear happily preparing for his first dance class before overcoming feelings of insecurity and shyness through his exuberant dancing. (Ages 3 - 7) |
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Red : A Crayon's Story by Michael HallRed'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 what's expected of him until a new friend offers a fresh perspective. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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Jacob's Room to Choose by Sarah HoffmanAfter Jacob and Sophie are prevented from using their school's bathrooms, their teacher helps her students write new rules about who can use which bathroom. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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Bunnybear by Andrea J. LoneyAlthough Bunnybear was born a bear, he feels more like a bunny. He loves to bounce through the forest, wiggle his nose, and munch on strawberries. The other bears don't understand him, and neither do the bunnies. Will Bunnybear ever find a friend who likes him just the way he is? (Ages 4 - 8) |
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Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica LoveGlimpsing a trio of women dressed up in fabulous mermaid costumes while riding the subway home with his abuela, little Julián resolves to make a fancy mermaid costume and headdress for himself and wonders what his abuela will think of the mess he makes, and more importantly, how his costume will reflect how he sees himself. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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Sparkle Boy by Lesléa NewmanThree-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. (Ages 4 - 8)
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Want to Play Trucks? by Ann StottJack and Alex find common ground in the sandbox at the playground, even though Jack likes trucks and Alex prefers dolls wearing "pink, sparkly" tutus. With some flexible thinking ("Let's play dolls...that drive trucks"), the two boys play together while remaining true to themselves. (Ages 2 - 5)
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The Pants Project by Cat Clarke
| Eleven-year-old Liv fights to change the middle school dress code requiring girls to wear a skirt and, along the way, finds the courage to tell his moms he is meant to be a boy. (Grades 3 - 6) | | |
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George by Alex GinoKnowing herself to be a girl despite her outwardly male appearance, George is denied a female role in the class play before teaming up with a friend to reveal her true self. (Grades 4 - 7)
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My Life As a Diamond by Jenny ManzerWhen Caz Cadman moves with his family to the Seattle area, he quickly joins the local summer baseball team and worries that his new teammates will find out that he used to play baseball in Toronto as a girl named Cassandra. (Grades 4 - 8) |
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The Moon Within by Aida Salazar
A modern tale of early adolescence finds Celi navigating questions about her changing body, first attraction and a best friend's genderfluid explorations while resisting her mother's embarrassing plans for an ancestral Mexica moon ceremony to celebrate her first period. (Grades 4 - 8) | | |
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You Be You! : The Kid's Guide to Gender, Sexuality, and Family by Jonathan BranfmanThroughout the book, kids learn that there are many kinds of people in the world and that diversity is something to be celebrated. It covers gender, romantic orientation, discrimination, intersectionality, privilege, and how to stand up for what's right. (Grades 3 - 6) |
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Inside the LBGTQ+ Movement by Jennifer Lombardo.Introduces the LBGTQ+ movement's ideals, the methods used to achieve them, and the people who led, and continue to lead, the campaign for improved social equality for all members of the LBGTQ+ community. (Grades 4 - 6) |
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Identity & Gender by Charlie OgdenThis empowering book talks about how family, culture, and values shape our identities and that it is important to be happy with who you are. Identities are the ways that people think about and see themselves. Gender often makes up a large part of our identity. Whether male or female, a person's gender is more about which sex they strongly identify themselves as being. (Grades 4 - 7) |
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Rainbow Revolutionaries : Fifty Lgbtq+ People Who Made History by Sarah PragerInfused with pop-culture references and complemented by dynamic artwork, a celebration of the lives of 50 LGBTQ+ historical contributors includes profiles of individuals ranging from Alexander the Great and Alan Turing to Harvey Milk and Ellen DeGeneres. (Grades 3 - 7)
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Sam Is My Sister by Ashley Rhodes-CourterEvan, Sam, and Finn fish, climb trees, and play astronauts together, but when Sam wants to have long hair and wear dresses, Evan is confused until he learns what it means to be transgender. (Ages 4 - 8) |
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LGBTQ+ Rights by Virginia Loh-HaganLearn all about LGBTQ+ activism, from gender-neutral bathrooms to legalizing same-sex marriage. Get a global look at the history of the movement, meet the activists involved, and celebrate some of the legal victories! Each chapters end with a call to action, so kids can feel inspired to get involved in their own communities. This high-interest book is written at a lower reading level for struggling readers. (Ages 10 and up)
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The Arts by Emilie DufresneSometimes being who you are can be a hard thing to do. Learn about people from across the LGBTQIA+ community who celebrate who they are and never stop fighting for what they believe in. No matter who you are, inside or out, this book is here to teach you that you can be proud of who you are. (Ages 7 - 10)
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Stem by Emilie DufresneSometimes being who you are can be a hard thing to do. Learn about people from across the LGBTQIA+ community who celebrate who they are and never stop fighting for what they believe in. No matter who you are, inside or out, this book is here to teach you that you can be proud of who you are. Let's break down some barriers! It's time to have pride in STEM! (Ages 7 - 10)
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Change by Emilie DufresneSometimes being who you are can be a hard thing to do. Learn about people from across the LGBTQIA+ community who celebrate who they are and never stop fighting for what they believe in. No matter who you are, inside or out, this book is here to teach you that you can be proud of who you are. Change focuses on agents of social justice and LGBTQIA+ advocacy, from Barbara Jordan and Marsha P. Johnson to Arsham Parsi and Jonathan Van Ness (Ages 7 - 10)
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