Pride month is here, and we are celebrating the power of resistance, joy, and being yourself! With nationwide threats against gender-affirming care, bodily autonomy, and inclusive education, we are fortifying ourselves with knowledge, joy, community, and PRIDE! Below are book recommendations to read for various grade levels as we center and uplift the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community at KIPP and beyond.
Elementary:
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love: A beautiful picture book that celebrates self-love, individuality, and a boy who wants to swim at sea as a dazzling mermaid. Worried about what his abuela (grandmother) might think, Julian’s story explores family acceptance, living your truth, and most importantly love.
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn, Noah Grigni: with an exploration of gender, this books gives children and families language to talk about identity, gender identity, and an understanding of self and others.
Middle School:
La Luna Dentro de Mí (The Moon Within Me) by Aida Salazar: A middle school girl learns about her changing body, boys, her best friend’s gender fluidity, and how to stand up for who she is. Truly a coming-of-age book that reflects cultural practices, friends, and the challenges we face as we grow and change.
King and the Dragon Flies by Kacen Callender: A coming-of-age story about familial obligation, race, sexuality, and honor. A 12-year-old boy must overcome the homophobia of the people he loves to be who he truly is.
High School:
Juliet Takes a Breath (2016) by Gabby Rivera: A young Puerto Rican girl leaves the Bronx and goes to Portland, Oregon to figure out who she is as a lesbian. With feminism, racial identity, and culture in the mix, this book is a celebration of the courage of figuring out how to exist as you are.
