Tag: lgbt childrens books

Julián Is A Mermaid (Jessica Love)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Julián Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love, a gorgeous tale of pride and acceptance for a gender nonconforming boy.

Riding the train with his abuela, Julián is delighted when three beautiful women dressed as mermaids get on board. Julián imagines himself as a mermaid, growing a tail of his own and long, beautiful hair that waves gently through the ocean, making friends with the sea creatures who love and accept him. When he and Abuela arrive home, Julián tell her that he wants to be a mermaid too, but Abuela simply instructs him to be good as she takes a bath. As she bathes, Julián is struck with inspiration: he sheds his normal clothes and crafts a mermaid outfit for himself, with a headdress of flowers and palm fronds, a long flowing tail made from a curtain, and a pop of lipstick to complete the look. Enjoying his new ensemble, he doesn’t hear his abuela exit her bath, and finds her staring at him in silence. At first, the reader and Julián think he must be in trouble… until he finds that acceptance is not only found in the sea.

Absolutely gorgeous. We’ve read a few lovely books this month about trans and gender nonconforming little ones, but this is definitely my favorite so far. The story is simple, subtle, but incredibly moving. The rich, earthy-colored illustrations need only minimal text to assist in getting the message across, but what is there is equally, perfectly understated. And the visual symbolism strikes a perfect tone, using texture, motion, color, and pattern to explore Julián’s hidden world of imagination and connect it to the reality of his quietly supportive abuela. The length is perfect, and JJ adored the art. A beautiful story for little mermaids of all genders, and it’s emphatically Baby Bookworm approved.

10,000 Dresses (Marcus Ewert)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is 10,000 Dresses, written by Marcus Ewert and illustrated by Rex Ray, a look into the dreams and struggles of a young transgender girl.

When Bailey dreams, she dreams of dresses – 10,000 in total. Each dress is a wonder, made of crystals or flowers or windows into far-off lands. But whenever Bailey wakes up and shares her dreams with her family, she is met with uncharitable reactions: “You’re a BOY!” they say, “you shouldn’t be thinking about dresses.” Bailey tells them that she doesn’t feel like a boy, but they refuse to hear it, and her brother even cruelly bullies her. Seeking solitude, she walks to the end of the road and finds an older girl making a dress; Laurel has the skill for dressmaking but lacks inspiration. Bailey shares her dreams with Laurel and together, they begin to make Bailey’s dream dresses a reality.

This one is tough. Bailey’s dreams are so lovely, and the way the text uses her preferred pronouns from the start captures the confusion and frustration of trans people knowing who they are while the world tells them something else. My concerns lie with Bailey’s family: while their attitudes and reactions are sadly accurate of the families of many trans people, I’m on the fence on whether this honest depiction is right for a picture book. Likewise, I LOVED the interactions with Laurel at the end, which gives hope of finding and making one’s own family – again, as many transgender people must do – but it raises the question: what will Bailey’s family do when they discover she’s been making and wearing dresses? Overall, I think this is a blunt yet hopeful depiction of life as a trans child, but when sharing it with bookworms, be sure to include a conversation to discuss questions they may have. Otherwise, the mixed-media art carries to the story and its themes beautifully, the length is fine, and JJ enjoyed it. Baby Bookworm approved!

Donovan’s Big Day (Lesléa Newman)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Donovan’s Big Day, written by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Mike Dutton, a sweet story of a little boy and his very important day.

Donovan’s day is starting, and because it is a very special day, he has a million things to remember and do. When Grandpa comes to wake him, he must remember not to nestle under the covers and fall back asleep. When breakfast is served, he must try to eat quickly but be tidy, and when he cleans up after he must remember to wash his face and brush his teeth and comb his hair neatly. He must put on this brand new suit and take very special care of the little white satin box his aunt gave him, and then he must wait quietly with all four of his grandparents and his cousin for the music to start. Then he must walk down the aisle, and when the officiant says so, hand the box with his Mommy and Mama’s rings to them and listen to their vows. But at the end of this very big day, he was one more thing to do: give his moms a great big hug and kiss to celebrate their day.

Just wonderful. While Donovan and his moms are indeed a queer family, this is not the focus of the story; instead, this is simply a family story about a little boy’s important job as ring bearer for his parents who happen to be a gay couple. It’s a choice that normalizes queer families and weddings, and shows that they have all the love, support, and joy of any family. It also makes the book a useful tool for any family preparing a little one to be a ring bearer by giving a taste of what may be expected of them on their own big day. The art is warm and sweet, capturing the sense of the bustle, pomp, and tenderness of a wedding day well. The length is fine, and JJ enjoyed it. A lovely story for any family planning a trip down the aisle, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Jacob’s New Dress (Sarah & Ian Hoffman)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Jacob’s New Dress, written by Sarah and Ian Hoffman and illustrated by Chris Case, the story of a boy and his parents making an important wardrobe decision.

When it’s dress-up time at Jacob’s school, he and his friend Emily always go straight for the dresses. His classmate Christopher is irritated, and demands to know why Jacob won’t wear any of the “boy costumes”. Later, Jacob tells his mother what happened and she is sympathetic, assuring him that boys ARE allowed to wear dresses. She happily helps him put on his Halloween dress, but when Jacob asks to wear it to school, she hesitates – dresses have been an at-home activity so far. But Jacob is determined, and he uses a towel to create a “dress-thing” to wear. His parents reluctantly allow it, and Jacob is delighted to show off his creation… until Christopher steals the outfit and mocks it. Jacob heads home crying, and asks his mother once more for a real dress; this time, she agrees. She and Jacob make a dress together, and while Jacob’s dad is concerned, he supports his son’s garment. And when Christopher inevitably teases him again, Jacob decides to ignore the bully’s taunts – his dress is his armor and his wings, and he’s happy to finally be comfortable in his own clothes.

Wonderful. Young bookworms are given a lesson in why little boys may like to wear “feminine” clothes, and that this is both allowed and okay; the given explanations of comfort and ever-changing attitudes towards clothing and gender are good starting points. Adult readers will identify with Jacob’s parents, who want their son to have the freedom to express himself but also worry about how the world will treat him – it’s beautifully nuanced and really hits home. The sunny illustrations keep things mostly light, and the length is just fine. JJ and I both enjoyed it – a wonderful lesson for both kids and parents about gender nonconformity, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Heather Has Two Mommies (Lesléa Newman)

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Hello friends, and a happy start to Pride Month! To celebrate, our book today is the classic Heather Has Two Mommies, written by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Laura Cornell in the new edition (Diana Souza illustrated the original).

Heather’s very favorite number is two. Why? Well, there are two of all her very favorite things – she has two arms and two legs, two eyes and two ears, two pets (a dog and cat), and best of all, her two mommies. She has her Mama Jane and her Mama Kate, and she loves both of them the most, more than anyone else. On Heather’s very first day of school, it comes up in conversation that she doesn’t have a daddy, and for the first time, she feels insecure – is she the only one in class with no daddy? But when the teacher suggests that the children all draw their families, Heather and the reader quickly see that each family is made up differently, with blended families, single-parent families, other LGBTQ families and more. Her teacher reminds the children that what makes a family isn’t a set of rules about who is in it; what makes a family is simply the love they share.

This groundbreaking work, cited as the first lesbian-themed picture ever widely published, has been around since 1989, and there’s a reason the story has such staying power. The themes are simple and easy to grasp for young readers, but encourage the universal truth that families of every shape and size are made family by love – no other prerequisites required. The text is cheerful and positive, and Cornell’s colorful, lively illustrations capture the frenetic energy of childhood. The length is fine for bookworms of any age, and JJ loved the art, especially the detailed environments. A classic must-read, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!