While we were coming up with our baby registry, we knew one of the most important things we needed were LGBTQ-friendly children's books. As I discussed in an earlier post, it is important to have conversations young with children who have been conceived in a non-traditional manner when they are young so that it is not a difficult conversation when your child is older. It is also important to show representation of different types of families and this is not only limited to LGBTQ families. All children should be exposed to different types of families in order to raise inclusive, open-minded, and compassionate humans. In this post today, I will share 5 LGBTQ-Friendly children's books that we have in our own library at home and why we like these books.
5 LGBTQ-Friendly Children's Books
1. Love makes a family by Sophie Beer
This inclusive board book celebrates many different types of families. It is beautifully illustrated which matches the theme of the book that "what makes a family a family is love." This book would be a great addition to any family's library.
Love makes a family is available at:
2. Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman
This board book tells the story of a two mom family and their toddler. It takes you through the day with the family as they eat together, play together, and share heartwarming moments together. I personally love this story because it shows just a regular family like everyone else's that all children and families can relate to despite it being LGBTQ friendly. Leslea Newman also made a book called Daddy, Papa, and Me which is about two dads.
Mommy, Mama, and ME is available at:
3. You Were Meant for Me by Sheri Sturniolo
This story shows two mother's trying to find the pieces they need to build a family. It introduces the concept of a sperm donor when creating a family. The great thing about this series is that it has multiple books that include different perspectives or families. For example there is another book that is similar but is about a heterosexual couple needing to find a unique way to build their family.
You Were Meant for Me: Mom * Mom is available at:
4. Zak's Safari by Christy Tyner
This book also features a two mom family who went through donor conception. Follow Zak as he provides a tour of his family. He shares how his moms' met, how they fell in love, and how they went through the process of having a baby. This book is a little more scientific as it explains the different medically terminology for the donor conception process. Because of this, this book would be better for older kids.
Zak's Safari is available at:
5. The Best Bed for Me by Gaia Cornwall
This story is about another two mom family as they try to put their son to bed. He explains all the best beds for him as he tries to avoid bedtime. This book is beautifully illustrated and again shows just a regular family going through the motions of bedtime. This is one of my favorite books we have because of the pictures, the message, and the warmth shared between the Mama and son as they prepare for bed. This is not a board book so be careful when reading with a toddler.
The Best Bed for Me is available at:
Additional Resources:
Conclusion
There are so many wonderfully written children's books out there that include LGBTQ families. These are just some of the books we have on our shelves, but we will be making many more additions as time goes on. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Comments