Raising Kids Family Dynamics LGBTQ+ Families 36 Gender Inclusive Books for Kids and Teens These books feature trans, nonbinary, and gender-creative characters confronting challenges that range from the supernatural to the painfully real. By Marie Holmes Updated on January 22, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Courtesy of Amazon (books). Art: Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong and Jillian Sellers. The beautiful thing about books is that not only do they help us understand the world around us, but they can also help us see ourselves better too. Through rich language and illustrations, kids and families can turn to books to help them feel proud, seen, and understood when facing challenges that often confront trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people. "Young people need to see images of themselves in order to internalize a healthy sense of self," says Lillian Rivera, who works with trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming youth and their families at the organization Gender Spectrum. "It's important for children to know that gender doesn't have to be rigid or very specific." The characters in these books encourage children of all genders to express their full, authentic selves. Here are 36 fantastic books that feature gender-inclusive characters. 01 of 36 Picture Books: When Aidan Became A Brother Courtesy of Amazon.com By Kyle Lukoff A sweet story about a transgender boy becoming himself and preparing to welcome a new sibling. Aidan wants everything to be perfect for the baby's arrival but learns he already has all he needs to be a big brother. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-7 02 of 36 Pink is for Boys Courtesy of Amazon.com By Robb Pearlman This celebration of the colors of the rainbow, featuring a diverse cast of characters, encourages kids to reject rigid gender norms and follow their passions. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 Finding the Right Label For Your Child's Identity Helps Them Feel Seen 03 of 36 Julián is a Mermaid Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jessica Love Beautifully illustrated and imagined, this award-winning book relates the story of Julián and his supportive abuela. Inspired by some magically dressed-up women he sees on the subway, Julián creates his own unforgettable mermaid costume. The author has also published a second book, Julián at the Wedding. Reading level: PK-3, ages 2-6 04 of 36 Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jodie Patterson Penelope knows that he is a boy, and also a ninja! Will the rest of the world see his truth? Based on a real story, this book is written by the mother of a transgender son. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 Second Generation Queer: What It's Like to come Out to LGBTQ+ Parents 05 of 36 Jacob's New Dress Courtesy of Amazon.com By Ian Hoffman Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Will his parents allow it? What will the other kids say? In a follow-up book, Jacob's Room to Choose, Jacob and his friend Sophie confront the gendered bathroom divide, and in Jacob's School Play: Starring She, He and They, readers meet a nonbinary character. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 06 of 36 Jamie is Jamie Courtesy of Amazon.com By Afsaneh Moradian It's Jamie's first day at a new school, and there are dolls and cars to play with! Jamie's classmates are curious about whether Jamie is a boy or a girl, but Jamie teaches them that you can't determine a person's gender from their interests. In a follow-up book, Jamie and Bubbie, Jamie shows his grandmother how to respect people's pronouns. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 3 Ways to Make Your Child's School More LGBTQ+ Friendly 07 of 36 A House for Everyone Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jo Hirst Friends of different gender identities each do their part to construct a house in the schoolyard. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 08 of 36 Pepito Has A Doll/Pepito Tiene Una Muñeca Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jesús Canchola Sánchez Pepito hides his beloved doll so the other kids won't make fun of him. Then a new student, Miguel, arrives—will he become an understanding friend to Pepito? Written in English and Spanish. Reading level: 1st-2nd grade 09 of 36 Ho'onani: Hula Warrior Courtesy of Amazon.com By Heather Gale Ho'onani doesn't feel like she is completely a girl (wahine) or a boy (kane). Can she succeed in leading a school performance of a traditionally male hula chant? Ho'onani's story celebrates nonbinary gender identity and Hawai'ian culture. Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 5 Ways to Support a Child Exploring Gender or Sexual Identity 10 of 36 Neither Courtesy of Amazon.com By Airlie Anderson Everyone is either a blue bunny or a yellow bird in the Land of This and That. Everyone, that is, except Neither. Will Neither find a place to fit in? Reading level: PK-3, ages 4-8 11 of 36 One of a Kind, Like Me/Único Como Yo Courtesy of Amazon.com By Laurin Mayeno Danny and his mother rush to the store to find the perfect dress for him to use as a princess costume for the school parade. They are written in English and Spanish. Reading level: ages 4-8 I'm a Teen Who Is Nonbinary: Here's What I Wish Parents Would Know About Gender 12 of 36 Call Me Max Courtesy of Amazon.com By Kyle Lukoff In this series of books by transgender writer Kyle Lukoff, Max affirms his identity and learns, alongside his friends, not to make assumptions about people based on their gender. Sequels Max and the Talent Show and Max on the Farm feature Max and his friends having new adventures. Reading level: grades 2-4, ages 7-9 13 of 36 A Kids Book About Being Transgender', 'A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary', and 'A Kids Book About Being Inclusive' from A Kids Book About and the Gender Cool Project Courtesy of Amazon.com Three new nonfiction titles written by kids and for kids, these books feature the powerful, positive stories of young people who stand up for themselves and others. Reading level: ages 5 and up 13 LGBTQ+ Celebrities and Public Figures Who Are Amazing Role Models for Kids 14 of 36 Middle Grade: The Other Boy Courtesy of Amazon.com By M.G. Hennessey Shane Woods is a typical 12-year-old boy. He plays baseball, draws comics, and hangs out with his best friend, Josh. But there is something about Shane that even Josh doesn't know. Who will stand beside him if his secret is revealed? Reading level: grades 3-7, ages 8-12 15 of 36 Ana on the Edge Courtesy of Amazon.com By A.J. Sass Figure skating champion Ana-Marie Jin is not enthused about skating a princess-themed program. Being around her new friend Hayden, a transgender boy, she is beginning to feel comfortable with the boyish side of herself. Will Ana reveal her nonbinary identity to everyone? Reading level: grades 3-7, 8-12 yrs Supporting Your LGBTQ+ Teen While They're Living Away From Home 16 of 36 Melissa (Previously published as George) Courtesy of Amazon.com By Alex Gino With a little help from her friends, George can step into her true gender and play the role of Charlotte in the class theatrical production of Charlotte's Web. Reading level: grades 3-7, ages 8-11 17 of 36 The Deep and Dark Blue Courtesy of Amazon.com By Niki Smith In this graphic novel, twins flee when their house is usurped by a coup and take on female gender identities to hide with a tribe of magical women. As they plot their revenge and their return, however, one of them realizes that she wants to continue living as a girl. Reading level: grades 3-7, ages 8-12 From Gen Z to Gen X, How Different Generations Talk About Gender Identity 18 of 36 Too Bright to See Courtesy of Amazon.com By Kyle Lukoff Eleven-year-old Bug spends the summer before middle school trying to untangle two mysteries: a ghost in the house and Bug's gender identity, by the transgender author of the picture books When Aidan Became A Brother and the Max series. Reading level: grades 5-6, ages 10-12 19 of 36 Snapdragon Courtesy of Amazon.com By Kat Leyh Witches, ghosts, queerness, and trans identity—this graphic novel has it all and will speak to anyone who identifies as a misfit. Reading level: grades 5-9, ages 10 and up What It Means to Be an LGBTQ+ Ally—And How to Raise One 20 of 36 Lily & Dunkin Courtesy of Amazon.com By Donna Gephart An award-winning story about two unforgettable kids: Lily, who is transgender, and Dunkin, who has bipolar disorder. Reading level: grades 5-6, 10 and up 21 of 36 Gracefully Grayson Courtesy of Amazon.com By Ami Polonsky Grayson is coming to realize that she is a girl, and, with the support of a teacher and a friend, she prepares to audition for a female role in the school play. Reading level: grades 3-7, ages 8-12 A Guide to the Different LGBTQ+ Flags and Coloring Pages for Kids 22 of 36 Young Adult: All Out: The No-Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages Courtesy of Amazon.com Edited by Saundra Mitchell Seventeen young adult authors, representing a vibrant range of queer, trans voices, came together to create this marvelous collection of short stories. The stories cut across history and time to give a trans, queer perspective on well-known stories like Little Red Riding Hood and more. Reading level: grades 10-12, ages 13-17 23 of 36 Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out Courtesy of Amazon.com By Susan Kuklin This book uses text and photos to document the real stories of six transgender and nonbinary teens as they transition to become their true selves. Reading level: grades 9-12, ages 14-17 It's Your Duty to Support Your LGBTQ Child's Mental Health, Here's How 24 of 36 If I Was Your Girl Courtesy of Amazon.com By Meredith Russo In this award-winning novel, written by a transgender author, Amanda Hardy is falling for a boy named Grant. Will she tell him everything about herself, including her former gender identity? Reading level: grades 8-12, ages 13-18 25 of 36 The Prince and the Dressmaker Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jen Wang By day he is Prince Sebastian in search of a bride. By night he is Lady Crystallia, the fashion icon of Paris. Frances is his best friend and the creator of his incredible dresses—how long will she keep this secret? Reading level: grades 7-9, ages 12 and up How Parents Can Best Support Their LGBTQ+ Child 26 of 36 Not Your Sidekick Courtesy of Amazon.com By C.B. Lee A tale of friendship and superpowers, or lack thereof, featuring a queer female protagonist and her transgender best friend. In a follow-up title, Not Your Villain, transgender boy Bells takes center stage. Reading level: grades 7-12, ages 12 and up 27 of 36 Double Exposure Courtesy of Amazon.com By Bridget Birdsall Fifteen-year-old Alyx Atlas was born intersex and raised as a boy, but she knows she's a girl, and after some major life changes, she begins living as one in a new school in a new state. She makes the girls' varsity basketball team, and they're on a winning streak, but one jealous teammate is determined to figure out what Alyx's secret is and reveal it to everyone. Reading level: grades 6 and up, ages 12 and up How to Explain Pride Month to Your Child 28 of 36 Anger is a Gift Courtesy of Amazon.com By Mark Oshiro This award-winning novel features a group of teens with different racial, sexual, and gender identities banding together to stand up for their community. Reading level: grades 7-9, ages 14-18 29 of 36 Felix Ever After Courtesy of Amazon.com By Kacen Callender Black, queer, and trans, Felix Love worries that he will never find his happily ever after. But when he plots revenge on an anonymous harasser, the results aren't anything that he expected. Reading level: grades 9-12, ages 14 and up Coming Out Is About More Than Who Your Child Dates: They're Inviting You to Understand Their True Selves 30 of 36 None of the Above Courtesy of Amazon.com By I.W. Gregorio Kristin Lattimer seems to have a picture-perfect teenage life. Then she discovers that she was born intersex. How will she manage her new identity, and what will she do when the whole school finds out? Reading level: grades 9-12, ages 14 and up 31 of 36 Pet Courtesy of Amazon.com By Akwaeke Emezi A 15-year-old transgender girl named Jam, and an unusual monster named Pet, set forth to save their society from pressing danger in this award-winning speculative novel. Reading level: grades 7-9, ages 12 and up Gender Identity Terms to Know and Understand 32 of 36 Symptoms of Being Human Courtesy of Amazon.com By Jeff Garvin Genderfluid teen Riley Cavanaugh faces pressure from all sides. To cope, he writes an anonymous blog about his life—but what will happen when his identity is discovered? Reading level: grades 9 and up, ages 14 and up 33 of 36 Dreadnought: Nemesis Book 1 Courtesy of Amazon.com By April Daniels Danny Tozer's run-in with the great Dreadnought leaves her with superpowers—and the female body she's always known was hers. Can she adjust to her new identity in time to save the world from a cyborg named Utopia? Dreadnought confronts new enemies and new truths in the follow-up title 'Sovereign: Nemesis Book 2.' Reading level: grades 7-9, ages 12 and up 10 LGBTQ+ Books for Kids of All Ages 34 of 36 Wandering Son, Book 1 Courtesy of Amazon.com By Shimura Takako In this Japanese manga, we meet Shuichi and Yoshiro, who aren't comfortable with their gender. Can a fifth-grade drama production allow them to show everyone their true selves? Reading level: grades 9-12, ages 13-16 35 of 36 Lizard Radio Courtesy of Amazon.com By Pat Schmatz 15-year-old Kavali is having a great time at CropCamp until she is pressured to pick a gender in this dystopian sci-fi tale. Reading level: grades 9-12, ages 14-17 Transparenthood: Raising a Transgender Child 36 of 36 When the Moon Was Ours Courtesy of Amazon.com By Anna-Marie McLemore Best friends Miel and Sam star in this magically real romance featuring painted moons, witches, and flowers that grow from human skin. Reading level: grades 7-9, ages 12 and up Queer Youth Joy Is a Radical Act Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit