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I love jubilant, explicitly queer picture books. I love that, every year, more and more are being published, despite so many horrifying book bans happening across the United States. But I also love picture books that aren’t explicitly queer, that maybe we’re even intended to be queer but, without question, are. There’s something magical, as a queer reader, about finding books that so effortlessly reflect your experience, even if the word “queer” is never used. None of the characters in these books describe themselves as queer, and yet, in each of them, I felt that indescribable spark of recognition. These books mean so much to me as an adult. I can only imagine what they might mean to queer kids who are still figuring out who they are, and what language they want to use for themselves.
North Woods Girl by Aimée Bissonette & Claudia McGehee
This quiet, beautifully illustrated story is about a girl who loves visiting her grandmother in her little house in the north woods of Minnesota. The two of them adventure through the seasons—watching migrating ducks, skipping stones, growing tomatoes, and walking through the winter woods on full moon nights. Her tough, bony, flannel-shirted grandma, the narrator explains, is not like other grandmas. I fell in love with her rural queer womanhood. It doesn’t matter if Grandma is queer or not. I saw my queer self in her and it gave me shivers.
Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen
This absolutely delightful book begins when an egg rolls down a hill into a duck’s nest. The creature who hatches from it is not like the other ducks. But Mother Duck and his siblings think he is pretty great, and they are all very happy until some crocodiles stir up trouble. This whimsical story is about knowing who you are and who you belong to. It’s about learning how to say, “Oh, I am a little weird, I am a little different, aren’t I?” and knowing that that doesn’t mean you don’t belong, or that you aren’t who you say you are. It’s about love and what love builds: home, safety, wonder. What could be more queer than that?
Yaya and the Sea by Karen Good Marable & Tonya Engel
This book feels deeply queer to me in the relationships and rituals it centers. Every year, Yaya’s mother and her best friends make a ritual trip to the ocean on the first day of spring. Yaya describes the trip in the pages of this beautiful story—not only what it means to her mother, but what her mother’s friendships mean to her. She knows this is a ritual about renewal and rebirth, and that it is a sacred thing her mom and her aunties do—but she’s a kid, so she doesn’t over-explain it. That’s part of the magic: Yaya invites us into this quiet, beautiful moment, and we just get to revel in it with her.
Toestomper and the Caterpillars by Sharleen Collicott
If you like books that are weird but also touching, this wacky story about found family is definitely for you. Toestomper is truly awful. Just the absolute worst. One day, very annoyed, he stomps on a bush full of caterpillars. He is not prepared for what happens when they follow him home, make themselves comfortable, and totally transform his understanding of himself and the world. I guarantee you have never met such irresistible caterpillars. Toestomper does not stand a chance. Toestomper, in fact, is head over heels for them about five minutes after he meets them, even though it takes him the whole book to realize it.
The Ghosts’ Trip to Loch Ness by Jacques Duquennoy, translated by Kathryn Nanovic
Look, this is a book about a queer polycule. It’s about queer platonic life partners. It doesn’t matter what kind of label you give to these four hilarious and charming ghosts, who live together in an old castle: they live a deeply queer life (I mean, sign me up, please). After reading a news story that the Loch Ness monster has been spotted, the four friends plan a trip to Scotland, where they spend a week happily cavorting about looking for the monster. I won’t give away what Nessie is doing while our intrepid ghosts peer into the distance with binocs and fall asleep under the stars. I will only say that I promise you’ll be laughing by the end of this very silly and delightful book.
Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry & Juana Martinez-Neal
This is another outrageously heartwarming story about found family and finding the people who will let you be yourself and also encourage you to grow. Swashby is an old man who lives in a little house on the beach and loves his solitude. When a little girl and her grandma move in next door and start doing things like setting up chairs and umbrellas, bringing over oatmeal cookies, and inviting him for tea, he is not amused. So he starts writing messages in the sand, telling the girl to go away and vanish. Happily, that is not what happens. This book is so clever and joyful! Fellow introverts, Swashby is so relatable. I love the quiet, gentle way he makes friends. No one forces him into anything. They just keep showing up. And the sea keeps being the sea. Magic.
Looking for picture books with queer representation? Check out 8 of the Best Recent LGBTQ+ Picture Books and these New LGBTQ+ Picture Books.
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This week, we’re highlighting a post that asks: Are reading parties the next big thing? People—especially readers—are clearly looking for community. Are reading parties the answer? Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
Reading communities are everywhere online. From Storygraph to Fable to BookTube to BookTok, the growth of online reading buddies feels exponential. The problem with social media as it exists online, however, is that it’s a stand-in for the true connections we all seek over the things we love. As much as reading roundups and reading tracking can be fun, meeting up with in-person book lovers is a great book lover community event. With that in mind, reading parties could be the next big thing.
A reading party is distinct from a book club because everyone shows up to read instead of having read something to discuss. At a reading party, you can make time to discuss what you are reading, but it doesn’t all need to be the same book. It’s more of a reading vibe check than a book discussion.
Sign up to become an All Access member for only $6/month and then click here to read the full, unlocked article. Level up your reading life with All Access membership and explore a full library of exclusive bonus content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations.
