Kids booksellers share some of their recommendations to celebrate Pride Month!
It’s Pride, y’all! We kicked off the month with a wonderful, music-filled Drag Storytime and we’ve been walking on air ever since! A huge shout-out to the performers who dazzled our guests with their outfits, dancing, and reading: Papi Churro, Channing Ate’em, Mad Max, Mandy Quinn, and Kennedy Fatale! We always love hosting these storytimes and we appreciate everyone who attended and shared photos with us.
You can find our Pride displays in a few spots throughout the store, including Kids and Teens. Our booksellers have great recommendations for you to read in June– and any other time of the year, of course! Whether you’re looking for some board books for the little ones, graphic novels, or an irresistible middle grade series, we got BOOKS! Below are a few titles our booksellers are lovin’:
Eugenia recommends Sparkle Boy by Leslea Newman, illus. by Maria Mola
Casey loves puzzles and dump trucks, but when he sees his sister Jessie wearing a sparkly skirt and glittery nails, he wants to be sparkly and glittery too! About Sparkle Boy, Eugenia says, “This heartwarming story is a great way to introduce young readers– scratch that, readers of ALL ages– to the idea of acceptance, respect, and freedom of expression. Cause guess what? Sparkle is for E V E R Y O N E.”
Thomas recommends Magnus Chase by Rick Riordan
Thomas says, “Magnus is the best thing Riordan ever wrote for kids because everybody just IS—they are who they are and there’s no changing them—no apologies! And Magnus isn’t afraid to be dumb and then learn, which is a real, important thing. Magnus spends the whole second book learning about gender fluidity and it’s brilliant.”
Kathleen recommends George by Alex Gino
Kathleen adores George, which she calls a “contemporary classic” about a kid trying desperately to be herself despite how others see her. This is also beloved by Thomas, who says, “George is proof that there’s no such thing as too young to understand what it is to be trans and who you are. It’s about how theater has been a refuge sometimes for queer culture and how you really know someone is your best friend when they help you be who you REALLY ARE even if they don’t understand it yet.”
Meghan recommends Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake
This book falls between middle grade and teen, and has such a huge heart beating in its pages. Meghan says, “The book opens with a whirlwind of action and tumult as a tornado rampages through Ivy’s home, destroying her sense of safety and structure, and whisking her secret sketchbook out into unknown hands. On top of everything else that’s changed, now someone out there knows all the feelings she’s been hiding—feelings she’s barely acknowledged to herself, let alone her family or friends. This is a moving and beautifully written portrait of a girl coming into her own and embracing her true self.”
Tomoko recommends The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Tomoko completely adores this book, and says, “Selznick’s soft pencil illustrations are absolutely incredible and his storytelling is magical. The Marvels is, at its heart, about family and love and hope, and years after reading, I still think of this story. Oh, and it WILL make you cry.”
MK recommends Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack, illus. by Stevie Lewis
MK highly recommends this picture book! They say, “I love that this follows the fairy tale trope but it has a twist– a prince and a knight fall in love. And it’s treated so normally, there is NO drama. Plus, it’s a fairy tale and who doesn’t love fairy tales? I always wanted fairy tales with boys kissing boys and girls kissing girls when I was little.”
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