By Alex Aumpino, Publicity Associate, ABPR
Photo by Raphael Renter on Unsplash
Pride Month is upon us! As a transgender man, I love seeing myself represented in kid-lit. I love knowing how lucky trans kids are to have books to teach them about themselves and their friends & family. Below, I’ve shared my top five childrens’ picture book recommendations featuring trans kids for parents to read with their children for Pride 2022. All of the books mentioned are great for ages 3-8.
Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster
by Manka Kasha
Feiwel & Friends, @macmillanusa
“It’s not that being a princess is bad, it just isn’t for me”
Small Knight is supposed to be a princess according to their parents, the king and the queen. But, they would rather go on adventures! When they realize that they’re ready to tell their parents, the anxiety monster comes to visit them. I love this book for many reasons because coming out is scary and anxiety-inducing, but seeing Small Knight conquer their fears shows other trans kids that their feelings are valid!
From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea
by Kai Cheng Thom, Wai-Yant Li, Kai Yun Ching
Arsenal Pulp Press, @arsenalpulp
Miu Lan faces many questions about who they are and who they may be. But one thing’s for sure: no matter who this child becomes, their mother will love them just the same.
If the phrase “Trans is Beautiful” was a book, it would be this one. From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea is beautiful inside and out from the illustrations to the lyrical prose teaching gender-non-conforming children that it’s okay to be themselves but also it’s okay to still be figuring yourself out!
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity
by Theresa Thorn, Noah Grigni
Henry Holt and Co. @macmillanusa
Teaching children about gender identity is so important to help them better understand themselves and their peers. This book i good introduction to pronouns and gender identity!
I am A Prince: An Inclusive LGBTQIA+ Children’s Book
by Damien Alan Lopez with Mutiara Arum (Illustrator)
Self published, @iamaprincebook
If you want another book focused on royalty, this is a great read about a Latinx transgender prince coming out to his parents, The King and Queen, and how they communicate to make The Prince more comfortable in his body. This is a wholesome story that many trans kids and parents alike will appreciate as it shows how to be there for your child when they express their feelings of gender identity.
My Dad Thinks I’m a Boy?!
By Sophie Labelle
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, @JKPbooks
“Adults often think they can decide who children should be. But that’s not how it works!”
To wrap it up, I leave you with another book to help children (and parents) better understand themselves and their kids. The title is self-explanatory, but this is about a trans girl who recently came out and is trying to understand why her dad is having trouble understanding this. It’s a great book for trans kids and their parents to read together. But, it also talks about trans kids and their feelings.
Happy Reading and Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈
Alex Zumpino joined ABPR as a Publicity & Marketing associate in 2021. Alex is a trans man from Philadelphia. He has been making bookish content online since 2014 and is a big hockey fan. He loves reading LGBTQ+ contemporary novels in pursuit of having his own published one day. Alex’s love for publishing began with his first client, a self-published Historical fiction author to market her novels. He hopes to make change in the publishing world, making it a more inclusive and diverse place. Follow Alex’s channel, Puckandpaperbacks on YouTube! @pucksandpaperbacks
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