Storytelling is an important part of our Queer Families group- not only is it a fun and engaging activity for young kids, it’s also a great way to share stories about LGBTQ families and children. We also found that a lot of schools and nurseries want to be more inclusive but aren’t sure where to begin. Representation is important for LGBTQ families, and books and storytelling can be great ways to start discussions and hear about different experiences. Including LGBTQ friendly childrens books in your libraries and activities is a great way to start, so we thought we’d share some of our favourites from our Queer Families sessions!

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love is a sweet story about the friendship between a young boy and his Abuela, who helps him dress as a mermaid for the Coney Island Mermaid Parade.

A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager explores the questions other children might ask about LGBTQ families in a fun and curious way.

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson follows two male penguins who start a family together.

Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall follows a crayon who is mistakenly labelled as ‘red’- it’s a fun and touching story about how to be yourself.

My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis is a story about letting children wear whatever makes them happy, and the fun of dressing up!

We’ve enjoyed reading these stories and we hope you do too. We also have to thank Category Is bookshop in Glasgow, who have given us recommendations and supplied all of our books! You can find them via their website www.categoryisbooks.com, where they are currently providing a home delivery service.

For more information about the Queer Families project, you can email Ciara at ciara@otbds.org