Recommended Reading
Preschool (3-5)
Aisha's Moonlit Walk
Author: Anika Stafford
Aisha and her modern-day family and friends, including Heather, with two moms, as they celebrate the eight pagan holidays over the course of at typical year. Memoirs and Personal Stories
All Families Are Special
Author: Norma Simon
Illustrations: Teresa Flavin
A classroom of children, upon learning that their teacher is going to be a grandma, share their stories of their families; representative of diverse families.
And Tango Makes Three
Authors: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Illustrations: Henry Cole
A picture book that tells the story of two famous gay dads - penguins Roy and Silo from New York's Central Park Zoo. It's obvious to their keeper, Mr. Gramzay, that the two penguins are in love. When they see all of the other couples hatching eggs, Roy and Silo put a rock in their nest and try to hatch it. Of course, that doesn't work, but when Mr. Gramzay brings them an egg that needs to be cared for, the two take turns sitting on it until it hatches, and Tango is born: "Tango was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies."
Antonio’s Card/La Tarjeta de Antonio
Author: Rigoberto Gonzalez
Illustrations: Cecilia Concepcioin Alvarez
A Mother’s Day story featuring Antonio, his Mami and Mami’s partner Leslie. When the kids at Antonio’s school make Mother’s Day cards, Antonio makes one for his moms, but he is shy when Ms. Mendoza wants to display the cards in the school cafeteria. This colorfully illustrated picture book tells the story in both English and Spanish.
Asha’s Mums
Author: Elwin & Michele Paulse
Illustrations: Dawn Lee
This Canadian book tells the story of Asha, whose classmates find out that she has two mums. Several lively discussions with her classmates later, Asha feels great about her two mums and so do her friends.
Best Best Colors
Author: Eric Hoffman
Illustrations: Celeste Henriquez
Nate loves all the colors he sees in his everyday life. When asked by his two mothers about his favorite color, he wonders how to choose just one. Later, Nate learns that he likes all the colors best when they're together and that he can have more than one favorite color, one best friend, and one mamma. The text is in both English and Spanish. Part of a series called "Anti-Bias Books for Kids."
Buster's Sugartime
Author: Marc Brown
Buster and his dad go to Vermont to visit his mom’s friends, Karen and Gillian, and their three children.
Daddy Book
Author: Todd Parr
Here is a glorious celebration of all kinds of daddies, and it's perfect to use in families with two dads. Kids can enjoy the descriptions of all the things their dads do. It would also be a great book for single dads.
Daddy Machine
Author: Johnny Valentine
Illustrations: Lynette Schmidt
Two children with lesbian moms fantasize about what it would be like to have a father, so they make themselves a daddy machine, turn it on, and a dad pops out. Then comes another, and another, and another…
Daddy’s Roommate
Author: Michael Wilhoite
A ground-breaking book when it was first published in 1990. The sequel, Daddy’s Wedding, was published in 1996. We first meet Nick in Daddy’s Roommate; his parents have gotten divorced, but remain friends, and he spends part of his time with his mother and the other part with Daddy and his partner Frank. Both story and pictures are warm and positive, showing a loving depiction of the relationship between the two men, as well as their relationships with Nick.
The Different Dragon
Author: Jennifer Bryan
Illustrations: Danamarie Hosler
This is a bedtime story about bedtime stories. A little boy and his two moms share a magical journey that lead to unexpected places.
Felicia’s Favorite Story
Author: Leslëa Newman
Illustrations: Adriana Romo
It's bedtime, but before Felicia goes to sleep she wants to hear her favorite story, the story of how she was adopted by Mama Linda and Mama Nessa. And so Felicia's parents tell her how they flew off in a big silver airplane to meet the baby girl who was waiting for them, and how they loved her from the very first moment they saw her.
Dragon and the Doctor
Author: Barbara Danish
This story tells of a dragon who has a sore tail. When she goes to Dr. Judy and Nurse Benjamin for help, they discover all kinds of treasures zipped into the tail. Cured, the dragon takes Doctor Judy and Nurse Benjamin to meet her friends - an ostrich, a hippopotamus, a turtle, and a little creature who has two mothers.
Emma and Meesha My Boy
Author: Kaitlyn Considine
Illustrations: Binny Hobbs
Emma lives with her two moms and a chubby housecat; follow along as Emma gets in trouble while trying to play with Meesha Kitty and as she learns to treat him with care.
Family Book
Author: Todd Parr
Parr celebrates many different types of families and includes adopted families, stepfamilies, one-parent families, "traditional" nuclear families, and families with same-sex parents.
Families
Author: Susan Kuklin
Interviews with children from fifteen different families, including one two-dad family and one two-mom family, illustrate the reality of their home lives. Presented along with the children's own words are great color photographs of their families.
Fire Engine for Ruthie
Author: Leslea Newman
Illustrations: Cyd Moore
Ruthie loves to visit Nana, but they don't always like to play with the same things. Ruthie loves fire engines and motorcycles, while Nana loves dolls and dress-up clothes.
Flying Free
Author: Jennifer C. Gregg
Illustrations: Janna Richards
Narrated by a firefly that is captured by a five-year-old girl named Violet. Violet plans to use the firefly as her very own nightlight. Violet’ s moms, Mommy Blue and Mamma Red, go along with the idea, but the firefly refuses to live in a glass jar. Throughout the story, the firefly devises several plans to escape the jar, none of which work. Finally, the firefly creates the ultimate escape plan.
Heather Has Two Mommies
Author: Lesléa Newman
Illustrations: Diana Souza
A first book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, edited so that the text is shorter with a concise and focused message that "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other."
How My Family Came to Be Daddy, Papa & Me
Author: Andrew Aldrich
Illustrations: Mike Motz
Told with simple words and playful illustrations, this book touches on the topics of adoption, two fathers and interracial families for a young audience. Narrated from the perspective of a school-aged child, the story shows how his family was created and that families are made up of people who love each other.
It’s Okay to Be Different
Author: Todd Parr
With bold, bright colors Parr shares the message that it's ok to be different. It's okay to have wheels, to be a different color, to have different Moms and different Dads.
Just Kidding
Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrations: Adam Gustavson
D.J.'s friend Vince has a habit of teasing D.J. and then saying, Just kidding!" as if it will make everything okay. It doesn't, but D.J. is afraid that if he protests, his friends will think he can't take a joke. With the help of his father, brother, and an understanding teacher, D.J. progresses from feeling helpless to taking positive action, undermining the power of two seemingly harmless words. Trudy Ludwig takes another look at relational aggression, the use of relationships to manipulate and hurt others, this time from the boy's point of view.
King & King & Family
Author: Linda de Haan
Illustrations: Stern Nijland
It's time for King Lee and King Bertie's royal honeymoon. Little do the regal travelers know that the jungle holds much more, perhaps even the secret to fulfilling their hearts' fondest wish for a family of their own.
Mama Eat Ant, Yuck!
Author: Barbara Lynn Edmonds
Illustrations: Matthew Daniele
When one mom accidentally eats some ant-covered raisins, their youngest daughter decides this is when she'll say some real words: "Mama eat ant,yuck!" To the despair of mom, she repeats the sentence all day long. A book about families where the fact of two moms is not the topic, just a natural part of the story.
Molly's Family
Author: Nancy Garden
Illustrations: Sharon Wooding
While drawing pictures of their families for Open School Night, the kids in Ms. Marston's class begin debating whether it's all right that Molly has a mommy and a mama.
Mom and Mum Are Getting Married
Author: Ken Setterington
Illustrations: Alice Priestley
When Rosie finds out that her two mothers are planning to get married, she has only one worry...will she get to be a flower girl? Fantastic, full color pictures show warm scenes of family and friends as everyone gets ready for the big day!
One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads
Author: Johnny Valentine
Illustrations: Melody Sarecky
Two children – one with blue dads, one from a more traditional family – compare notes in this lighthearted book about parents who are different.
Oliver Button is a Sissy
Author: Tomie dePaola
Oliver would rather read, dance and draw pictures than play baseball with the other boys. He pays no attention when he is teased for his activities, and after he performs in the talent show, his friends begin to understand that everyone is special in their own way.
Saturday is Pattyday
Author: Lesléa Newman
Illustrations: Annette Hegel
Frankie used to live with his two moms, Allie and Patty, but they have separated. Frankie brings Doris Delores Brontosaurus to visit Allie in her new apartment, and learns that Allie will always be part of his life.
Uncle Aiden
Author: Laurel Dykstra
Anna Maria and her gay Uncle Aiden share their love of pretty things, tea parties and baseball - but most of all they share their love of each other.
We All Sing With the Same Voice
Authors: J. Philip Miller & Sheppard M. Greene
Illustrations: Paul Meisel
A Sesame Street song that's been transformed into a bright picture book packaged with a CD of the song. The pictures show children of all colors and nations playing, singing and laughing together.
When Grownups Fall in Love
Author: Barbara Lynn Edmonds
Illustrations: Matthew Daniele
A book that explains to children how grown-ups love. The story is told in rhyme, and makes the point that sometimes it's a man and a woman who fall in love, and sometimes it's two men or two women. Contains picture outlines so that kids can color them in.
While You Were Sleeping
Author: Stephanie Burks
Illustrations: Kelli Bienvenu
This picture book describes two women learning that they will adopt a newborn baby boy.
White Swan Express
Authors: Jean Davies Okimoto & Elaine M. Aoki
Illustrations: Meilo So
In China, the moon shines on four baby girls fast asleep in an orphanage. Far away in North America, the sun rises over four homes as the people inside (including a lesbian couple) ready to begin their journey. This lyrical story tells how they are all brought together as four happy families.
William's Doll
Author: Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrations: William Pene Du Bois
William wants a doll. "Don't be a creep," says his brother. "Sissy, sissy," chants the boy next door. Then one day someone really understands William's wish, and makes it easy for others to understand too.
Who’s In A Family
Author: Robert Skutch
Illustrations: Laura Nienhaus
A picture book depicting all kinds of families, human and animals - step, divorced, extended, gay, lesbian, multi-cultural.