Alex Is Reading....BOOKS FULL OF PRIDE!!

Woo hoo! It's the first day of June! That means two things. One: it is now allowed to be hot and humid and sun-boilingly summery outside. (Hence, it is raining and cold.)

Two: it is PRIDE MONTH. The Booksmith will be celebrating Pride Month with a lovely display of selected LGBT+ titles from around the store--but there are a few (a lot!) of good books that are just not going to fit. 

You don't want to miss any of the good stuff! So here is a guide to great LGBT+ titles for kids and young adults that you can find on our shelves (or in our online store) every day.

~*~*~*~SO MANY GOOD LGBT+ BOOKS~*~*~*~
for kids and young adults


PICTURE BOOKS

Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall - Red says "red" on the wrapper, but he always seems to come out more...blue? How is he supposed to be happy when everyone expects him to be something he's not? If this story seems like it might be about a transgender crayon, that's because it totally is. (And yes, it also carries a universal message of being true to yourself.)

Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Laura Cornell - The picture book classic is back in print with all new bright, lush, kid-friendly watercolor illustrations. You can also find Newman's books Mommy, Mama, and Me and Daddy, Papa, and Me in the board book section.

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer - It's bring your mother to school day, but Stella has two fathers. What will she do? BRING THEM INSTEAD!

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole - The last of our picture books about same-sex parents, featuring world famous penguins. We don't have to talk about gay parenting via penguins anymore, but this book is still sweet as anything and lovely to look at.

Jacob's New Dress by Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case - A gender nonconforming little boy celebrates the wonders of his beautiful wardrobe.

I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas -Famous real-life transgender girl Jazz Jennings shares her life with young readers.

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate by Tim Federle - Two autobiographical novels about a small-town gay boy who ran away to the big city to fulfill his Broadway dreams.

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky - Sixth-grader Grayson doesn't feel like the boy everyone thinks she is--but she's smart enough to know that people won't be happy when they find out. She decides, despite her fears, to try out for the female lead in the class play. This may prove once and for all who she can trust and who she can't, but it will also prove that Grayson can stay true to herself no matter what.

And be on the lookout in August for George by Alex Gino. George, too, wants to show her colors on the stage as part of coming out in real life, but her voice and her story are all her own.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION & NONFICTION

Queer: The Ultimate LGBT Guide for Teens by Kathy Belge and Mark Bieschke - (Nonfiction) Everyone starts figuring things out somewhere, and there is no rule that says you can't have help. 

Rethinking Normal by Katie Rain Hill - (Nonfiction) You might think that the small town of Okay, Oklahoma is not the best place for a teenager to come out as a trans girl. And you would be right. But Katie Rain Hill did it anyway. Now she's a trans rights activist, a college student, and the author of this candid, charming memoir, chock full of personality and personal truth.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - OH. MY. GOSH. THIS. BOOK. It's a little about blackmail and quite a bit about coming out (WITHOUT IT BEING A DISASTER!!!), a lot about friendship, and SO MUCH about being a big old high school nerd who likes theatre and Doctor Who and falls in glorious, goofy, miraculous love with a boy you (maybe) haven't even met.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - A plane full of pageant contestants crashes on a not-so-deserted island and takes on the patriarchy. Among the survivors: at least one lesbian, and the most fabulous trans girl of all time. Acerbic, meta, and weird as heck.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg - Sometimes you get tired of being The Gay Kid, so when you move to a new school, you come out as...straight. The question is, how's the payoff? Is it better to have the (not always very awesome) spotlight on you, or to hide a crucial part of who you are all the time, in front of everybody? 

(Also check out Konigsberg's new book, The Porcupine of Truth, which involves missing relatives, dying deadbeat dads, paper porkers that determine your destiny, and a new best friend who is, alas, a very cool lesbian recently rendered homeless by a not so accepting family.)

There are so many more! Anything by David Levithan, and Amy will certainly recommend you Jandy Nelson's award-winning I'll Give You the Sun--new stuff comes out all the time and we're happy to share it with you.

From all over the Booksmith, happy June and happy reading!