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June is here and that means... Happy Pride Month! Celebrating Pride is so much more than rainbow flags, its about empowering individuals to live authentically. It's a reminder to celebrate love, diversity, and the power of being true to yourself. 

Celebrating Pride is important for children because it fosters a sense of inclusion and understanding from a young age. Books have a unique ability to open up conversations about identity, acceptance, and the beauty of being authentic. They can help children see themselves reflected in the pages, or gain empathy and insight into the lives of others who may be different from them.

To help celebrate this meaningful month, we wanted to highlight these 15 new titles perfect for readers of all ages. These books will guide you and your child through stories of love, identity, and acceptance. Happy Pride Month and happy reading!

Picture Books

1. It’s Pride, Baby! by Allen R. Wells

Joyful art bursts off the page in this adorable picture book. Join a queer family as they celebrate Black Pride in Washington, D.C. From painting posters to walking in a Pride Parade with neighbors to watching fireworks, this special day is packed with fun for the whole family.

2. Free to be Fabulous by David McMullin

An exuberant, affirming picture book about self-expression, allyship, and celebrating differences. Daniel is obsessed with his favorite pop star’s signature shimmy-kick dance move. But after winning the talent show, he realizes not everyone loves his dancing. After the teasing starts, Daniel must learn to shimmy-shake again with the help of his classmates.

3. Leo and the Pink Marker by Mariyka Foster

Leo loves drawing with his pink marker! He loves to color outside the lines. So when his Mom and Mama aren’t looking, he finds the perfect opportunity to turn the gray scrapyard into a pink wonderland. This is a playful celebration of family, creativity, and the color pink!

4. Rainbowsaurus by Steve Antony

Have you ever seen a rainbowsaurus before? Join two dads and their three children as they set off to find one for themselves. On their journey they meet animals of all colors and sizes who want to find the rainbowsaurus too. This is a joyful and fun read-along for the whole family.

5. Just Like My Family by Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham

Get ready to celebrate all types of families in this inclusive picture book that breaks down gender stereotypes while offering aspirational messages to young readers. Delight in all the ways that makes a family unique and special. Whether the child wears pearls just like their daddy, grills with their mommy, braids hair like their baba, or bakes yummy treats with their grandpa. 

Middle School

6. Winnie Nash is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby

Winnie Nash has never liked secrets. But now that she is stuck with grandma for the summer she must keep her biggest secret… that she’s gay. The longer Winnie hides the truth, the more she longs to be surrounded by her LGBTQ+ community and attend New York City’s Pride celebration. Winnie decides she’ll get to pride one way or another. But is it just one more secret she will have to keep?

7. Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy

Murray O’Shea loves the ocean. It could be because the ocean never makes her apologize for being exactly who she is, or the secret magic she shares with the ocean. But when a hurricane hits, her family must go inland to live with her relatives. While struggling with her identity, she makes friends and learns sometimes it’s the family you build along the way.

8. Jamie by L.D. Lapinski

Jamie Rambeau, a nonbinary kid, loves hanging out with their two best friends, Daisy and Ash. But when they find out their local middle schools separate into a school for boys and a school for girls, they decide to take matters into their own hands. With a rooftop protest against the binary rules, Jamie realizes that if they don’t figure out a way forward they could lose their friends forever.

9. Gooseberry by Robin Gow

There’s a lot twelve-year-old B doesn’t know. Like what their new name should be after coming out as nonbinary. But when they meet Gooseberry- a feisty stray dog- B feels an instant connection and decides to train Gooseberry. But will Gooseberry ever feel at ease with B? And how can B teach Gooseberry to trust, when they know so little about trust themself?

10. Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon

Linus is the new boy who likes keeping quiet. After coming out as trans last year, he’s more than happy to fade into the background. Etta though is unlike the other kids at school. Etta makes it her mission to make Linus student body president. But will Linus and Etta’s friendship be able to withstand the betrayal of how their friendship began?

Young Adult

11. Icarus by K. Ancrum

Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father’s forgeries. This this dangerous job he has two simple rules. Don’t let anyone get close to you. And, above all, don’t get caught. But when the son, Helios, of one of his targets catches him he bargains for something more dangerous… a friendship. Soon Icarus must choose whether to make his great escape or stay with the boy he’s come to love.

12. I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

For Angel Rahimi life is about one thing: The Ark- a boy band that’s taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has brought her friends and a place in the world. Jimmy Saga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark. I mean he is their frontman. The fans are very accepting that he’s trans but he feels he must hide his relationship. When Jimmy and Angel are unexpectedly thrust together, they find out how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

13. Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc

After an incident at his school leaves closeted trans teenager Asher needing stitches, his mother betrays him by sending him to a Catholic school for his senior year. Nighttime brings an escape though when he dreams of the Midnight Circus-where he is seen as the boy he truly is. But when one day his crush from his dream walks into his classroom he realizes that the magical circus might be real. Now he must decide how far he’ll go to preserve the magical circus, even if it means facing his biggest challenge yet- coming out.

14. Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Sade Hussein is starting her third year of high school at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school, after being home-schooled. But when Sade’s roommate disappears after the first time, people suspect she had something to do with it. When a student turns up dead, it’s up to Sade and her roommates’ best friend, Baz, to investigate the disappearance.

15. This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill

Abby Akerman's dreams are coming true. Her school's marching band is about to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City! She's excited to go to the city and finally confess her love for her best friend Kate. Leo Brewer on the other hand just wants to get through the trip without falling apart. He's about to be outed to his Southern extended family as being trans on national tv. When fate throws Abby and Leo together, they soon find themselves lost in the middle of Manhattan. A magical day in the city together could change everything for them both.

We hope this list has given you some colorful and inspiring ways to celebrate Pride Month with your students. By sharing these wonderful stories, you’re helping to foster a more inclusive and understanding world, one page at a time. If you are interested in any of these titles you can request a quote to be connected to one of our account managers! And be sure to check out our full collection of LGBTQ+ books. Here’s to a fantastic Pride Month filled with joy, love, and lots of rainbow flags!