About the Booksellers
We encourage folks to support their local bookstore whenever possible. For quick reference, we've included links where you can view and purchase books from a small Maine bookstore (hello hello books).
hello hello books is an independently-owned bookstore located in downtown Rockland, Maine and has set up their website to include these booklists for easy ordering. hello hello is also a proud supporter of OUT Maine. Clicking the logo below brings you to hello hello's OUT Maine booklist page in its online store.
About Chris by Nina Benedetto (2015)
“This story affirms the dignity and self-worth of a child who knows that he is a boy despite the fact that his body is female. Chris’s story portrays his determination to be his true self, and the lesson his teacher learns. May this lesson open hearts and minds!”
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell & (2015)
“The true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family.” https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/19/books/arts/childrens-books.html
All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold (2018)
“A warm, welcoming picture book that celebrates diversity and gives encouragement and support to all kids.”
A New Kind of Wild by Zara Gonzalez Hoang (2020)
“For Ren, home is his grandmother’s little house and the lush forest that surrounds it. Home is a place of magic and wonder, filled with all the fantastical friends that Ren dreams up. Home is where his imagination can run wild. For Ava, home is a brick and cement city, where there’s always something to do or see or hear. Home is a place bursting with life, where people bustle in and out like a big parade. Home is where Ava is never lonely because there’s always someone to share in her adventures. When Ren moves to Ava’s city, he feels lost without his wild. How will he ever feel at home in a place with no green and no magic, where everything is exactly what it seems? Of course, not everything in the city is what meets the eye, and as Ren discovers, nothing makes you feel at home quite like a friend.”
Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope by Jodie Patterson (2021)
“Penelope knows that he’s a boy (and a ninja.) The problem isgetting everyone else to realize it. In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson’s adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope’s frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope’s experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you are.”
Bunnybear by Andrea J. Loney (2017)
“Although Bunnybear was born a bear, he feels more like a bunny. The other bears don’t understand him, and neither do the bunnies. Will Bunnybear ever find a friend who likes him just the way he is?”
Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman (2016)
“Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two pets, and two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same.”
I Am Billie Jean King (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer (2019)
“In this illustrated picture book biography, young readers learn about Billy Jean King and her journey to become a world champion tennis player AND a champion for women’s rights. She’s a great role model for girls, those who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and anyone who feels like the world doesn’t take them seriously and is out to prove them wrong.”
I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings (2014)
“I Am Jazz explores Jennings’ struggle with having “a girl brain but a boy body,” and her family’s confusion over and acceptance of her gender identity.”
Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story about Gender and Friendship by Jessica Walton (2016)
“Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. Whether it’s riding a bike, playing in the treehouse, having a tea party, or all of the above, every day holds something fun to do. One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas is sad, even when they are playing in their favorite ways. Errol can’t figure out why, until Thomas finally tells Errol what the teddy has been afraid to say: “In my heart, I’ve always known that I’m a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly, not Thomas.” And Errol says, “I don’t care if you’re a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend.””
It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn (2019)
“Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between. A straightforward exploration of gender identity, providing young readers and adults with the vocabulary to discuss the topic with sensitivity.”
Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman (2014)
“Jacob loves playing dress-up when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can’t wear “girl” clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don’t identify with traditional gender roles.”
Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (2018)
“While in the subway with his Abuela, Julián sees three women spectacularly dressed up and he wants to dress up just like them, but what will his Abuela think? A story about the power of being seen and affirmed.”
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis (2010)
“Dyson loves pink, sparkly things. Sometimes he wears dresses. Sometimes he wears jeans. He likes to wear his princess tiara, even when climbing trees. He’s a Princess Boy.”
Oddbird by Derek Desierto (2021)
“It’s SO hot outside. All the fancy birds are gathered around the water, wishing they could cool off. But they don’t want to get wet and ruin their fine feathers. Oddbird isn’t worried about his feathers; he wants to go for a refreshing dip. But he doesn’t fit in. He’s not fancy, or colorful. He’s just…different. The other birds don’t want him around. How can he join them?”
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders (2018)
“Young readers can now learn the momentous and inspiring story of the Gay Pride Flag, created in 1978 by social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker. More than a history, Pride vibrantly illuminates the reach and timelessness of the rainbow flag, a global symbol of equality and inclusion.”
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall (2015)
“This book is about being true to your inner self and following your path despite obstacles that may come your way.”
Stonewall: A Building, An Uprising, A Revolution by Rob Sanders (2019)
“Pride author Rob Sanders adds another title to the LGBTQ+ historical canon with Stonewall, the moving story of the 1969 police raid and ensuing protests that played a crucial role in the gay civil rights movement. Narrated by the Stonewall Inn itself, this accessible and empowering book is an essential piece of pride history.”
The Adventures of Honey & Leon by Alan Cumming (2017)
“Theater and film star Alan Cumming and his husband Grant Shaffer were inspired to chronicle the adventures of their rescue dogs during their dads’ travels. It turns out, Honey and Leon tail their dads and rescue them at every turn.”
The Boy and the Bindi by Vivek Shraya (2016)
“A five-year-old South Asian boy becomes fascinated with his mother’s bindi, the red dot commonly worn by Hindu women, and wishes to have one of his own. Rather than chastise her son, she agrees, giving him permission to be more fully himself.”
They, She, He easy as ABC by Matthew Sg and Maya Christina Gonzalez (2019)
“Inclusive pronouns are learned alongside the alphabet in this joyously illustrated take on the classic ABC book.”
What Are Your Words? by Katherine Locke (2021)
“Whenever Ari’s Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: “What are your words?” Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood’s big summer bash, Ari doesn’t know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it’s okay to not know your words right away—sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you.”
When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff (2019)
“This sweet and groundbreaking picture book, winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, celebrates the changes in a transgender boy’s life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother.”
Wild by Emily Hughes (2013)
“You cannot tame something so happily wild…In this beautiful picture book we meet a little girl who has known nothing but nature from birth – she was taught to talk by birds, to eat by bears, and to play by foxes – she is unashamedly, irrefutably, irrepressibly wild. That is until she is snared by some very strange animals that look oddly like her, but they don’t talk right, eat right, or play correctly, she’s puzzled by their behavior and their insistence to live in these strange concrete structures known as ‘apartments’.”
10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewart (2008)
“10,000 Dresses shares the story of a trans girl, Bailey, who is trying to make her dreams a reality. Each night, Bailey dreams of a different mystical dress, which she, in turn, asks each of her family members if they can help her find the next morning. Despite her best efforts, Bailey’s family members are not willing to help her find the dress of her dreams, saying that boys can’t wear dresses and that Bailey should stop asking them such questions. Bailey’s story and eventual victory are great jumping-off points for conversations about gender identity.”