When a book might help: LGBTQ+
When a book might help
LGBTQ+
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My Dad thinks I’m a Boy by Sophie Labelle
This is a comic style children's book that tells the story of Stephie, a 7-year-old transgender girl, whose Dad is still struggling to recognize and accept her gender. It portrays a powerful message for children aged 6 to 9, that no one else other than ourselves gets to decide who we are. | Ages: 6+ | Physical Book |
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Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Perfect for opening a discussion about gender and acceptance. Julian sees three women dressed as mermaids and wants to copy them. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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Jacob's new dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can’t wear “girl” clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don’t identify with traditional gender roles. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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The Seaside Trip by Jackie Walter
A fun day out at the seaside ending in a delicious ice-cream treat. Notes about how to use the book are contained at the back. | Ages: 6+ | Physical Book |
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My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
Dyson loves the colour pink and sparkly things. Sometimes he wears dresses and sometimes he wears jeans. He likes to wear his princess tiara, even when climbing trees. He’s a Princess Boy, and his family loves him exactly the way he is. This is a story about love and acceptance. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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Heather has two mummies by Leslea Newman
Heather’s favourite number is two – she has two arms, two legs, two pets and two lovely mummies. But when Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy – and Heather doesn’t have a daddy! But then the class all draw portraits of their families, and not one single drawing is the same. Heather and her classmates realise – it doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the most important thing is that all the people in it love one another very much. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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Frockodile by Jeanne Willis
How will Cliff the crocodile break it to his motorcycling dad that he likes to wear dresses and heels? This rhyming text gives a positive outcome for Cliff to be whatever he wants. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert
In her dreams, Bailey is a young girl. Every night she dreams about magical dresses. Unfortunately, when Bailey wakes up, nobody wants to hear about her beautiful dreams. This is because Bailey is a boy and shouldn’t be thinking about dresses at all. However, Bailey meets an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey’s dreams and courage. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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Daddy, Papa and Me by Leslea Newman and Carol Thompson
Ben’s two dads adopted him when he was four. This story encourages an understanding and appreciation of same-sex parents, as well as looking at the different sorts of families that there can be. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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George by Alex Gino
A bright, bold debut about a girl who happens to have been born a boy but refuses to let that stand in the way of her dream, ‘George’ is a pertinent and poignant middle-grade read for kids of all backgrounds. | Ages: 9+ | eAudiobook | eBook |
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I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
The story of a transgender child based on the real-life experience of Jazz Jennings, who has become a spokesperson for transkids everywhere. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Hagger-Holt
Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Izzy is terrified her family will be torn apart. Will she lose her dad? Will her parents break up? And what will people at school say? Izzy’s always been shy, but now all eyes are on her. Can she face her fears, find her voice and stand up for what’s right? | Ages: 9+ | Physical Book |
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Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let’s draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a play date with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can’t be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He’s blue! This funny, heart-warming, colourful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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The Great Big Book of Families
There are almost as many kinds of families as colours of the rainbow and this book illustrates some of them: from a mum and dad or single parent to two mums or two dads, from a mixed-race family to children with different mums and dads, from families with a disabled member to those with a mum or dad in prison. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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The Secrets of Sam and Sam by Susie Day
Sam likes being a twin. He likes cheese sandwiches and his dog. His sister – Sam – likes being a twin, too. She thinks she is the Best Twin. Two Sams, two mums, one puppy. Meet the family where everybody has secrets. | Ages: 8+ | eAudiobook | eBook | Physical Book |
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My Daddies by Gareth Peter
Set off on a series of incredible adventures with an adorable, modern family as the stories they read burst into colourful life. Battle dragons, dodge deadly dinosaurs, zoom to the moon and explore the world in a hot air balloon, before winding down in a wonderfully cosy bedtime ending. This is both a funny, heartfelt celebration of stories and a brilliant way to show all children different kinds of family. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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Who's Your Real Mum? by Bernadette Green and Anna Zobel
When Nicholas wants to know which of Elvi's two mums is her real mum, she gives him lots of clues. Her real mum is a circus performer and a pirate - and she even teaches spiders the art of web! Despite that, Nicholas still can't work out who Elvi's mum really is. Luckily, Elvi knows just how to explain it to her friend. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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And Tango makes three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Roy and Silo are just like the other penguin couples at the zoo – they bow to each other, walk together and swim together. But Roy and Silo are a little bit different – they’re both boys. Then, one day, when Mr Gramzay the zookeeper finds them trying to hatch a stone, he realises that it may be time for Roy and Silo to become parents for real. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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Dad David, Baba Chris and Me by Ed Merchant
Ben’s two dads adopted him when he was four. This story encourages an understanding and appreciation of same-sex parents, as well as looking at the different sorts of families that there can be. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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Little seahorse and the big question by Freddy McConnell
Here is a lyrical, heart-warming picture book that celebrates the special bond between parent and child. Join Papa and Little One on a very ordinary day, as they explore Little One's extraordinary question: 'What do we need'. Together, they decide they need lots of things - clean water, friends, a home - but, above all, they need each other. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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The Amazing Edie Eckhart: the big trip by Rosie Jones
Edie Eckhart is getting used to life at secondary school. It's going well so far - she's bagged her first ever girlfriend, a new friendship group and she has the best form tutor EVER. But then the school organises a camping trip complete with muddy walks and team games. It is a DISASTER. The only fun bit is sitting by the fire and telling stories. On top of that Edie is trying to figure out where she fits in: can you be a girlfriend AND someone's friend, a writer AND a performer, or do you have to choose between the two? Luckily Edie decides to take back control of the school trip and in so doing, she discovers that you never have to define yourself. You are AMAZING just the way you are! | Ages: 9+ | Physical Book |
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The Spectacular Suit by Kat Patrick
A buoyant and heartwarming celebration of individuality, identity, and dressing to suit yourself! It's almost Frankie's birthday and everything is ready - except for something to wear. All of her party dresses feel wrong. Her family tries to help, but it's no good. What Frankie longs for is a suit. A spectacular suit. Can Frankie find the outfit of her dreams? | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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You need to chill by Juno Dawson
Sometimes people say to me: 'What happened to your brother, Bill?' That's when I look them in the eye and say: 'Hun, you need to chill.' When Bill can't be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on holiday? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It's up to Bill's sister to explain. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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My shadow is purple by Scott Stuart
An inspiring book about being true to yourself, by best-selling children's book creator Scott Stuart. This story considers gender beyond binary in a vibrant spectrum of colour | Ages: 3+ | Physical Book |
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Aloha albatross by Francesca Dryden
Based on the true story of the same-sex Laysan Albatross couples of O'ahu, Hawaii, this picture book celebrates the unique relationship between two birds as they take their first steps into parenthood. With illustrations by Hawaiian artist Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong, this charming story explores themes of love, pride and family. | Ages: 4+ | Physical Book |
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Jamie by LD Lapinski
Jamie is in Year 6 and must choose their secondary school. But where will they fit in as their only choices are the Girls or Boys school? They decide to speak up and campaign for their rights and to get the authorities to listen to them. The text usefully includes Jamie Rambeau's Guide to Words. | Ages: 11+ | Physical Book |
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Me, my dad and the end of the rainbow by Benjamin Dean
Archie's parents have started to act weirdly. When he picks up a leaflet advertising the London Pride Parade he realises his dad is gay. Determined to find out more he decides, along with his best friends, to go to the parade to see for himself. | Ages: 9+ | eBook | Physical Book |
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My brother George by Kelly and Zoey Allen
Molly's brother George tells funny jokes and has the best laugh! When they are together, they have all sorts of adventures, whether that's on the beach, climbing trees or snuggling on the sofa at home. Sometimes other children laugh at George and don't understand that his long hair and clips are just part of who he is and how he is. An uplifting story about daring to be different, but finding our place as part of loving, happy families. | Ages: 0+ | Physical Book |
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My sister, Daisy by Adria Karlsson
Molly's brother George tells funny jokes and has the best laugh! When they are together, they have all sorts of adventures, whether that's on the beach, climbing trees or snuggling on the sofa at home. Sometimes other children laugh at George and don't understand that his long hair and clips are just part of who he is and how he is. An uplifting story about daring to be different, but finding our place as part of loving, happy families. | Ages: 5+ | Physical Book |
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Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton
Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. Whether it's riding a bike, playing in the tree house, having a tea party or all of the above, every day holds something fun to do together. One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas the Teddy is sad, and Errol can't figure out why. Then Thomas the Teddy finally tells Errol what Teddy has been afraid to say: 'In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly.' And Errol says, 'I don't care if you're a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend.' | Ages: 3+ | Physical Book |
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Forever star by Gareth Peter
Meet Tim and Tim - a couple who long for a family and set off on a quest to find their very own star child. This joyful, read-aloud adventure is a comforting, soothing read that's ideal just before bedtime. It's also a helpful jumping off point for early conversations about the experiences of LGBTQ+ families for the youngest readers. | Ages: 3+ | Physical Book |