Top 50 Books Celebrating Pride Month

The LGBTQI+ community across the world celebrate Pride month (June each year) in all manner of different ways. I celebrate most occasions with books (and cake), so I’m celebrating with 50+ books which I believe are important additions to your home and school libraries.

Diverse texts play a crucial role in allowing readers to see their life reflected in story and act as powerful agents of cultural change. While there will never be enough books to cover all aspects of diversity, immersing young people in diverse stories allows them to emotionally connect with characters and stories who have lives similar to their own (or perhaps very different to their own) and expand understandings of themselves and of others.

Chapter 13 of my book ‘Raising Readers’ is titled ‘Acknowledging and Reflecting Diversity’ and in this chapter, contributor Will Kostakis says;

When it comes to embracing diversity in literature – be it the author’s identity and experiences, or those of the characters on the page – we are trending in the right direction. I say trending, when I really wish we were striding, leaping or … already there.
Will Kostakis in ‘Raising Readers’, p. 190

Will also happens to be one of my favourite middle grade/YA authors writing diverse and #ownvoices texts, and is the master of weaving diversity through his narratives that challenge readers, without overtly ‘telling’. Young people don’t want to be slammed over the head with obvious morals, messages or tokenistic characters – they can smell ‘worthy texts with worthy messages’ a mile off.

The books below are suitable for a wide range of ages, starting with a few picture books for young people and moving to middle grade then YA books. As always, please check reading suitability for your own young reader. This list is not exhaustive – please add extra titles using the comment function!

Click on ‘Buy from Booktopia’ when shopping online in Australia to #supportaustralian. Apple and Amazon options are available for overseas & eBook purchases. Purchase in store from your local independent bookstore where possible #supportlocal.

‘Julian is a Mermaid’

by Jessica Love

‘Julian is a Mermaid’

‘Wrestle’

‘Hugo’

‘One in Many Millions’

‘Who Are You’

‘George’

‘To Night Owl From Dogfish’

‘Drama’

‘Monuments’

‘Simon Vs the Homosapiens Agenda’

The Simonverse box set

‘Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal’

‘The Falling in Love Montage’

‘Burn’

‘Leah on the Offbeat’

‘Invisible Boys’

‘Pink’

‘The Rest of Us Just Live Here’

‘Kindred’

‘Honor Girl’

‘Date Me, Bryson Keller’

‘Only Mostly Devastated’

‘Birthday’

‘Heartstopper: Volume One’

‘Heartstopper: Volume Two’

‘Heartstopper: Volume Three’

‘The Flywheel’

‘Marco Possible’

‘Better Nate Than Ever’

‘Five, Six, Seven, Nate!’

‘Nate Expectations’

‘Amelia Westlake’

‘I Am Out With Lanterns’

‘Adam’

‘The Sidekicks’

‘Beautiful Music for Ugly Children’

‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist’

‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’

‘Everything Leads to You’

‘We Are Okay’

‘Finding Nevo’

‘Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen’

‘Will Grayson, Will Grayson’

‘Two Boys Kissing’

‘Every Day’

‘Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out’

‘A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns’

‘The Gender Games’

‘What if It’s Us’

‘If I Was Your Girl’

‘If I Tell You’

‘The Art of Being Normal’

‘Ida’

‘Highway Bodies’

‘A Song Only I Can Hear’

‘The Quiet at the End of the World’

‘Queens of Geek’

‘Let’s Talk About Love’

‘The Summer of Jordi Perez’

‘Night Swimming’

‘Openly Straight’

‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’

You might also like:

Book People: Lyn White

Book Week Costume Ideas

Book Week Costumes for Educators

About Me

SOCIAL

Subscribe

RECENT POSTS

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

COPYRIGHT© 2023 CHILDREN’S BOOKS DAILY