Book picks similar to
Rainbow Boy by Taylor Rouanzion


picture-books
picture-book
lgbtq
colors

Green Pants


Kenneth Kraegel - 2017
    Jameson only ever wears green pants. When he wears green pants, he can do anything. But if he wants to be in his cousin's wedding, he's going to have to wear a tuxedo, and that means black pants. It s an impossible decision: Jameson would love nothing more than to be in his cousin's wedding, but how can he not wear green pants? Will Jameson turn down this big honor, or will he find a way to make everyone happy, including himself? In this pitch-perfect ode to individualism, acclaimed author-illustrator Kenneth Kraegel creates a character readers of all ages can barrack for, whatever color pants they wear.

Sulwe


Lupita Nyong'o - 2019
    She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty.

Leila in Saffron


Rukhsanna Guidroz - 2019
    A colorful journey of self-discovery and identity, this sweet, vibrant picture book follows young Leila as she visits her grandmother’s house for their weekly family dinner, and finds parts of herself and her heritage in the family, friends, and art around her.

Jamie Is Jamie: A Book About Being Yourself and Playing Your Way


Afsaneh Moradian - 2018
    . . is Jamie a boy or a girl? Some toys are just for girls and others are just for boys, aren’t they? Not according to Jamie! This bookchallenges gender stereotypes, shows readers that playing is fundamental to learning, and reinforces the idea that all chil­dren need the freedom to play unencumbered. A special section for teachers, parents, and care­givers provides tips on how to make children’s playtime learning time.

My Cousin Momo


Zachariah OHora - 2015
    Plus, his games are weird. He can't even play hide and seek right! But when Momo's cousins give his strange ways a chance, they realize that doing things differently can be fun...almost as much fun as making a new friend.Fans of Peter Brown and Bob Shea will fall in love with Zachariah OHora’s bold artwork and hilarious characters.

Spork


Kyo Maclear - 2010
    His dad is a fork. And he's a bit of both. He's Spork! Spork sticks out in the regimented world of the cutlery drawer. The spoons think he's too pointy, while the forks find him too round. He never gets chosen to be at the table at mealtimes until one day a very messy ... thing arrives in the kitchen who has never heard of cutlery customs. Will Spork finally find his place at the table? This "multi-cutlery" tale is a humorous and lively commentary on individuality and tolerance. Its high-spirited illustrations capture the experience and emotions of anyone who has ever wondered about their place in the world.

How to Babysit a Grandpa


Jean Reagan - 2012
    series -- about a child spending time with his grandpa. Written in a how-to style, the narrator gives important tips for "babysitting" a grandpa, including what to eat for snack (anything dipped in ketchup, ice cream topped with cookies, cookies topped with ice cream), what to do on a walk (find lizards and dandelion puffs, be on the lookout for puddles and sprinklers), and how to play with a grandpa (build a pirate cave, put on a scary play). Filled with humor, energy, and warmth, this is a great gift for or from a grandparent, and perfect for lap reading when Grandpa comes to visit!

Just Because


Mac Barnett - 2019
    Little ones and their parents will be charmed and delighted as a patient father offers up increasingly creative responses to his child’s nighttime wonderings. Any child who has ever asked “Why?” — and any parent who has attempted an explanation — will recognize themselves in this sweet storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “Just because.”Curious minds are rewarded with curious answers in a fantastical bedtime book by Mac Barnett and Isabelle Arsenault.

Not Norman: A Goldfish Story


Kelly Bennett - 2005
    He wanted a different kind of pet — one that could run and catch, or chase string and climb trees, a soft furry pet to sleep on his bed at night. Definitely not Norman. But when he tries to trade Norman for a "good pet," things don’t go as he planned. Could it be that Norman is a better pet than he thought? With wry humor and lighthearted affection, author Kelly Bennett and illustrator Noah Z. Jones tell an unexpected — and positively fishy — tale about finding the good in something you didn’t knowyou wanted.

Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!


Cori Doerrfeld - 2019
    . . and the wonder that new beginnings can bring.Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun...and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn't easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Papa, Daddy, and Riley


Seamus Kirst - 2020
    She loves her two fathers! When Riley's classmate asks her which dad is her real one, Riley is confused. She doesn't want to have to pick one or the other. Families are made of love in this heartwarming story that shows there are lots of ways to be part of one.

Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship


Jessica Walton - 2016
    Then Thomas the Teddy finally tells Errol what 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.' 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.'

Quackers


Liz Wong - 2016
    Sure, he may have paws and whiskers. And his quacks might sound more like…well, meows, but he lives among ducks, everyone he knows is a duck, and he’s happy.Then Quackers meets another duck who looks like him (& talks like him, too!)—but he calls himself a cat. So silly!Quackers loves being among his new friends the cats, but he also misses his duck friends, and so he finds a way to combine the best of both worlds. Part cat, part duck, all Quackers!

Milo Imagines the World


Matt de la Pena - 2021
    To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There's the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. There's the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there's the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo--walking the same path, going to the exact same place--Milo realizes that you can't really know anyone just by looking at them.

Calvin


J.R. Ford - 2021
    He knows who he is in his heart and in his mind but he hasn't yet told his family. Finally, he can wait no longer: I'm not a girl, he tells his family. I'm a boy--a boy in my heart and in my brain. Quick to support him, his loving family takes Calvin shopping for the swim trunks he's always wanted and back-to-school clothes and a new haircut that helps him look and feel like the boy he's always known himself to be. As the first day of school approaches, he's nervous and the what-ifs gather up inside him. But as his friends and teachers rally around him and he tells them his name, all his what-ifs begin to melt away.Inspired by the authors' own transgender child and accompanied by warm and triumphant illustrations, this authentic and personal text promotes kindness and empathy, offering a poignant and inclusive back-to-school message: all should feel safe, respected, and welcomed.