Book picks similar to
Rainbow Boy by Taylor Rouanzion


picture-books
picture-book
lgbtq
colors

The Numberlys


William Joyce - 2014
    Morris Lessmore comes an alphabet tale extraordinaire!Once upon a time there was no alphabet, only numbersLife was fine. Orderly. Dull as gray paint. Very numberly. But our five jaunty heroes weren't willing to accept that this was all there could be. They knew there had to be more.So they broke out hard hats and welders, hammers and glue guns, and they started knocking some numbers together. Removing a piece here. Adding a piece there. At first, it was awful. But the five kept at it, and soon it was artful! One letter after another emerged, until there were twenty-six. Twenty-six letters - and they were beautiful. All colorful, shiny, and new. Exactly what our heroes didn't even know they were missing.And when the letters entered the world, something truly wondrous began to happen: Pizza! Jelly beans! Color! Books!Based on the award-winning app, this is William Joyce and Moonbot's Metropolis-inspired homage to everyone who knows there is more to life than shades of black and gray.

Teeny Tiny Toady


Jill Esbaum - 2016
    "Mama’s stuck inside a bucket! Help me get her out!” she begs her big, clumsy brothers. “Don’t you worry, kid. We’ll save her!” they promise, bumbling and stumbling and jumbling out the door. But as the boys rush headlong to the rescue, pushing their little sister aside, it becomes clear: brawn isn't always better than brains—and the smallest of the family may just be the smartest one of all.  Written in lilting verse.

The Day You Begin


Jacqueline Woodson - 2018
    There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you.There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael Lopez's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.Jacqueline Woodson is the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

Red and Green and Blue and White


Lee Wind - 2021
    They enjoy all the things they share, as well as the things that make them different.But when Isaac's window is smashed in the middle of the night, it seems like maybe not everyone appreciates "difference."PRAISE★ "Wind's lightly fictionalized version of the 1993 incident wherein a community stood up to bigotry . . . is conveyed with lyrical simplicity. The visual treatment here is particularly striking—Caldecott Medalist Zelinsky's vibrant digital art has bold, rough-hewn textures of scratch block, and dramatic compositions . . . .[A] moving historical tale that encourages taking a stand." —Publishers Weekly, starred review★ "Zelinsky has covered every page with bright colors, with optional text that dances through the pictures and occasional vignettes that add detail and movement to the story. This is a strong addition to holiday stories, one that can be reread and rediscovered many times and whose theme of community support and friendship is appropriate year-round." —School Library Connection, starred review"[A] quiet, uplifting tale. . . . Readers will feel heartened at children's power to influence others to stand up for justice and defeat vile prejudice. . . . The true meaning of the holiday season shines here." —Kirkus Reviews

My Heart Fills With Happiness


Monique Gray Smith - 2016
    The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy. International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.

I Got the Rhythm


Connie Schofield-Morrison - 2014
    The little girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her- from butterflies, to street performers, to ice cream sellers everything is musical! She sniffs, snaps, and shakes her way into the heart of the beat, finally busting out in an impromptu dance, which all the kids join in on! Award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison and Connie Schofield-Morrison, capture the beat of the street, to create a rollicking read that will get any kid in the mood to boogie.

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao


Kat Zhang - 2019
    Can she rise to the occasion?Amy loves to make bao with her family. But it takes skill to make the bao taste and look delicious. And her bao keep coming out all wrong.Then she has an idea that may give her a second chance…Will Amy ever make the perfect bao?

Chu's Day


Neil Gaiman - 2013
    Chu is a little panda with a big sneeze.When Chu sneezes, bad things happen.In dusty library, diner pepper, circus tent, Will Chu sneeze today?

This Book Is Gray


Lindsay Ward - 2019
    But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Once upon a time, there lived a wolf, a kitten, and a hippo…Gray just knows it’s going to be perfect. But as he adds page after page, the Primary and Secondary colors show up…and they aren’t quite so complimentary.A book within a book, this colorful tale explores the ideas of fitting in, appreciating others, and looking at things from another perspective and also uses personality and wit to introduce basic color concepts.

I Love My Purse


Belle Demont - 2017
    One day, he decides to take it to school. First his father, then his friends, and even the crossing guard question him about his strange choice. After all, boys don t carry purses. They point out that they, too, have things they like, but that doesn t mean they go out in public wearing them. But Charlie isn t deterred. Before long, his unselfconscious determination to carry a purse starts to affect those around him. His father puts on his favorite, though unconventional, Hawaiian shirt to go to work; his friend Charlotte paints her face, and the crossing guard wears a pair of sparkly shoes. Thanks to Charlie, everyone around him realizes that it isn t always necessary to conform to societal norms. It s more important to be true to yourself. With its humorous, energetic illustrations, this book is ideal as a read-aloud or as a text for emerging readers. It can also be used as a starting point for a discussion about gender roles."

The Blue House


Phoebe Wahl - 2020
    People are leaving, houses are being knocked down and shiny new buildings are going up in their place. When Leo and his dad are forced to leave, they aren't happy about it. They howl and rage and dance out their feelings. When the time comes, they leave the blue house behind--there was never any choice, not really--but little by little, they find a way to keep its memory alive in their new home.

Just Like a Mama


Alice Faye Duncan - 2020
    Mama Rose is tender and sweet—everything a child could wish for in a parent. But she is also as stern and demanding as any good parent should be. In the midst of their happy home, Carol Olivia Clementine misses her mother and father. While she longs to be with them, she also learns to embrace the love that is present. Mama Rose becomes her “home.” And Carol Olivia Clementine concludes that she loves Mama Rose “just like a mama.”This sweet read-aloud is, on the surface, all about the everyday home life a caregiver makes for her young charge: Mama Rose teaches Carol Olivia Clementine how to ride a bike, clean her room, tell time. A deeper look reveals the patience, intention, and care a child receives in the arms of a mother whose blood is not her blood, but whose bond is so deep, so unconditional, that it creates the perfect conditions for a child to feel safe, successful, and deeply loved.

Llama Glamarama


Simon James Green - 2021
    But at night when everyone has gone to bed, Larry loves to dress up in bright costumes and DANCE! He has to hide this from the others, for fear that they won't approve of his raucous ways. One day, he stumbles upon the Llama Glamarama, a carnival full of music, laughter, and yes-dancing!Will this vibrant celebration give Larry the pride he needs to bring his dance back home? A bright and colorful rhyming story with a powerful message about celebrating differences, Llama Glamarama is the perfect Pride picture book for everyone!

Zero


Kathryn Otoshi - 2010
    When she looks at herself, she just sees a hole right in her center. Every day she watches the other numbers line up to count: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 . . . !" "Those numbers have value. That's why they count," she thinks. But how could a number worth nothing become something? Zero feels empty inside. She watches One having fun with the other numbers. One has bold strokes and squared corners. Zero is big and round with no corners at all. "If I were like One, then I can count too," she thinks. So she pushes and pulls, stretches and straightens, forces and flattens herself, but in the end she realizes that she can only be Zero. As budding young readers learn about numbers and counting, they are also introduced to accepting different body types, developing social skills and character, and learning what it means to find value in yourself and in others.

Two Grooms on a Cake: The Story of America's First Gay Wedding


Rob Sanders - 2021
    That cake belonged to Jack Baker and Michael McConnell, who were wed on September 3, 1971, becoming the first same-sex couple in America to be legally married. Their struggle to obtain a marriage license in Minnesota and their subsequent appeals to the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States is an under-told story of LGBT history. This beautiful book celebrates the love story of two pioneers of marriage equality for all through the baking of their wedding cake!