Welcome to Family Equality’s Book Nook, a comprehensive list of the best LGBTQ+ books for the whole family!
Whether you’re searching for your child’s first picture book or a young adult novel that your tween will devour, Family Equality’s Book Nook is a list of our favorite books that represent diverse families in a loving and respectful way.
Check out the search portal below to discover what new LGBTQ+ books you need to add to your at-home, local, or school libraries!
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Donovan’s Big Day
Leslea Newman
Donovan’s two moms are getting married, and he can’t wait for the celebration to begin. After all, as a ringbearer, he has a very important job to do. Any boy or girl with same-sex parents—or who knows a same-sex couple—will appreciate this picture book about love, family, and marriage. The story captures the joy and excitement of a wedding day while the illustrations show a happy occasion from a child’s point of view.
Eli & Jedi’s Super Sky Adventure
Lerone Landis
Eli and Jedi’s Super Sky Adventure follows the quest of a young boy named Eli and his wish to fly. He is faced with an unexpected challenge that will take him on an unforgettable adventure. Eli’s family is a diverse one headed by his two dads. The importance of hard work and family are key to this story, yet the fun and the thrill of this tale is one that all kids and the entire family will surely enjoy.
Every Child Deserves…
Philip McAdoo & family
Early on we realized that there were not many people telling the stories like our son's story and the thousands of kids in foster care whose lives never get fully lived. Every Child Deserves... will be the first in a series of books dedicated to honoring the lives and stories of youth in foster care and LGBTQ families. Written by Zaden and his two dads, this story is about the love, adventure and pure joy that every child deserves and gives voice, color and LIFE to the promise of foster care, LGBTQ families and the hope that Every Child Deserves...
Families
Susan Kuklin
In frank, funny, touching, and often surprising interviews, children from fourteen different families talk about how they identify themselves as a family. The range of families profiled in this engaging book reflects the kaleidoscopic diversity of families in America today: there are mixed-race families and immigrant families; families of gay and lesbian couples and very religious families; families with only children, many children, adopted children, and children with special needs. This book is a celebration of all families and provides young readers with windows into other lives, as well as mirrors in which they can see their own family relationships reflected.
Felicia’s Favorite Story
Leslea Newman
It’s bedtime, but before Felicia goes to sleep she wants to hear her favorite story, the story of how she was adopted by Mama Nessa and Mama Linda. And so Felicia’s parents tell her how they flew off in a big silver airplane to meet the baby girl who was waiting for them, and how they loved her from the very first moment they saw her.
Freeda the Frog and the Two Mommas Next Door!
Nadine Haruni
In this newest entry in the Freeda the Frog Series, Freeda and her family are back again to meet some brand new friends: Jessica and her two mothers, Morgan and Irene. The tadpoles have never had met anyone with two mothers before, but they soon find out that it does not makes any difference. By becoming friends with Jessica’s parents, the tadpoles discover that families don’t all have to be the same, and that no matter what, love really is all that you need
Gabrielle’s Gift
Lerone Landis
he premise of Gabrielle’s Gift is a simple one – a child’s wish for a very special birthday gift. It is a gift that nearly every kid will ask for at some point in their childhood, the gift of a pet! This everyday typical scenario is coupled with an atypical family dynamic in which Gabrielle’s parents are two dads. The unique family is never explicitly mentioned. The visuals speak for themselves and the common story make it relatable to absolutely any and all kids, regardless of their family makeup. Gabrielle’s Gift is a fun, short, and to the point story. The message that beauty comes in all different colors and forms is not an overbearing one, just an additional one. Yet it is represented as a metaphor through the eyes of a pet and Gabrielle’s family.
Gordon the Giraffe
Bruce Brown and A. Shelton
Gordon lives with his mother in the hidden kingdom of Ugladunga. Every day, the adult giraffes gather on the other side of the waterfall, but the kids meet to play the game Mulunga Doo in pairs: one boy and one girl. When Gordon is asked to play by Gary, the other young giraffes laugh at them and ask Gordon if he’s a girl? Hurt, Gordon flees to his mother who tells him that he must follow his heart. The next day, the boy giraffes plan to teach Gordon a lesson, but their plan backfires, and Gordon must save them from plummeting down the waterfall. In the end, Gordon teaches the other boy giraffes that they should love everyone – even those who are different from themselves.
GrumpyBug
Jeffrey Roach
When Daddy accuses Papa of having been bitten by the GrumpyBug, he sends Jackson on whirlwind adventure to track down the elusive creature. But no matter how hard he looks, Jackson can't seem to find it, which is making him awfully grumpy. Has he been bitten by the GrumpyBug too?
Heather Has Two Mommies
Leslea Newman
Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because “the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another.” This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.
More Resources for LGBTQ+ Families
Once you put down your most recent purchase, check out all the other activities, resources, and programs we create to support and connect LGBTQ+ families like yours across the country!
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Have an LGBTQ+ book you’d like to submit to our list?
If you know about an LGBTQ+ book that isn’t on our list, but should be—let us know! Use the form below to contact a staff member, and we’ll be in touch about next steps.