This post contains affiliate links. When you use my affiliate links it helps me continue to offer you new tools and quality content. Thank you so much for using my affiliate links.
Books and toddlers can be a bit of a mess. Books get chewed on, ripped, and thrown routinely in my house. God bless the invention of board books or every picture book I own would be in pieces! Although we know that toddler are not the most delicate, is it important for your toddler to have access to books. Because toddlers are toddlers, please note this list contains many board book options and a few hardbacks that will need a little more care. Let’s explore the best LGBTQ books for toddlers!
Why should I have LGBTQ Books for Toddlers?
The books that your toddler has access to should reflect not only the world your child lives in, but the world at large. Toddlers are sponges, learning constantly, and books can be a great tool to add in that learning. If you haven’t already read my post on The Four Types of LGBT and LGBTQ+ Children’s Books You Need, I recommend you check that out first as it will give you a great primer on how to structure your children’s book library.
In addition to listing the books along with affiliate links, I have included a brief description, possible short comings if I found any, and potential learning units where you could include these books. If you find this list helpful please share it on your social media pages.
So without further ado, BOOKS!
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee
What a classic! This book is a cute description of different babies and what they do during a day. I particularly love how this book includes LGBTQ+ familes in the illustrations. Everywhere Babies is what I like to call a “LGBTQ+ folks go to the grocery store” book, a book that shows LGBTQ+ people living regular lives.
Possible units: families, structure of a day, seasons, and transportation
We Sang You Home by Richard Van Camp illustrations by Julie Flett
We Sang You Home has a special place in my heart. My spouse and I read it to my oldest child every night for the first year of their life. This book is written and illustrated by indigenous folks. It uses gentle rhyming text to tell the story of welcoming a much wanted and dreamed of child into a family. The parents’ genders in this book are not mentioned and to me they always seemed like a LGBTQ+ couple. Simple, beautiful, and timeless, this book would be a great baby shower gift or gift for an older sibling to prepare for a new baby. This book is also available in Cree.
Possible units: families, indigenous culture, and welcoming a new baby
Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin
This book is a feast for the eyes romp through a day at Pride. Pride Puppy! does A LOT for a short alphabet book. Each page is packed full of visual storytelling. You could spend an entire week researching and doing projects about the people and movements depicted on the Pride signs pictured!
Not only is there a story (of a dog that gets lost), but this book also includes beautiful illustrations of diversity of race, age, body types, folks with disabilities, and gender presentations. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that it uses the work “exhausted” for the letter X, but there are more than enough excellent things about it for that not to be a deal breaker.
Pride Puppy! could be used in so many learning units! Possible learning units: families, cultural celebrations, Pride, LGBTQ+ history, flags, and pets
Tinyville Town: I’m a Librarian by Brian Biggs
I’m a Librarian is an occupation book about a librarian who helps a child find a book in the library. With fun illustrations and cute style we see the librarian through to the end of his day where he goes home to his husband. I also love this book because the librarian has a masculine gender presentation!
Possible units: community helpers, jobs, and the library
Plenty of Hugs by Fran Manushkin illustrated by Kate Alizadeh
A day in the life of a family of three is the premise to this sweet book about the abundance of love. This rhyming book follows a baby and two mommies from the time they all wake up to the farm stand and then the zoo all the way through baby bedtime.
Potential units: families, routines, what do you do on the weekend, and what does love look like?
I have lots of books on order that seem to have a lot of LGBTQ+ toddler board book potential! I will update you when they arrive.