Normalized Representation

These books feature LGBTQ+ characters, primarily in parental or familial roles. Their stories are background to the central plots of our young characters’ adventures. Many feature larger social emotional issues, including jealousy, grief, or first love.

The Titles

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding | Federico and all his Families | My Friend, Loonie | Julián at the Wedding | Bathe the Cat | Harriet gets Carried Away | Love, Violet | Grandad’s Camper

The illustrated cover of Uncle Bobby's Wedding. Three figures stand amid a scene of multi-colored flowers. A blonde man in a purple suit smiles while his Black partner in a navy blue shiny suit with glasses holds his arm. A flower girl with purple glasses and a yellow dress stands in front of them.

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen

Brannen, S. (2020). Uncle Bobby’s wedding (L. Soto, Illus.). Little Bee Books.  

Uncle Bobby is getting married to Jamie. Uncle Bobby is Chloe’s favorite person, so when she hears that he is getting married, she worries that they will lose their special bond. To make her feel better, Bobby talks to Chloe. They decide that Chloe needs to get to know Jamie better, so they visit the ballet, drink ice cream soda, go sailing, and roast marshmallows together. Chloe slowly starts loving Jamie the way she loves Bobby and is excited that he will be her uncle, too. On their wedding day, Chloe helps her mom finish the wedding cake and is the flower girl in the wedding. At the end, they all celebrate together and dance all night. In Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, a same-sex marriage is the backdrop to one girl’s social emotional journey.

Activity Idea 

This book is a perfect example of navigating difficult emotions. It can be paired with a book like Tom Percival’s Milo’s Monster in a lesson on big feelings like jealousy. Readers can discuss what makes them feel jealous, and work on ways to feel better together. 

Instructors can integrate breath work into the lesson, and model deep-breathing techniques. These printables can get you started. Visit Conscious Discipline for other free ideas.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Normalized Representation and LGBTQ weddings: Love, J. (2020). Julian at the wedding. Candlewick Press. / Sanders, R. (2021). Two grooms on a cake (R. Cathro, Illus.). Little Bee Books. / Woodgate, H. (2021). Grandad’s Camper. Little Bee Books. 

Big Emotions: LaCour, N. (2022). Mama and mommy and me in the middle (K. Juanita, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / LaCour, N. (2023). My friend, Loonie (A. Lindsay, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Percival, T. (2018). Ruby finds a worry. Bloomsbury USA. / Percival, T. (2023). Milo’s Monster. Bloomsbury USA. / Silverman, E. (2018). Jack (not Jackie) (H. Hatam, Illus.). Little Bee Books. 

Diverse Families: Timms, B. (2022). Love grows everywhere (T. Lee, Illus.). Frances Lincoln Children’s books.  

The cover of Federico and all his families. A black and white tuxedo cat stands on top of a red house with big windows. There are shadows of people inside.

Federico and all his Families by Mili Hernández

Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho.  

Federico the cat spends his days drifting among the houses in his neighborhood. Inside each is a different family, with a different special activity that Federico participates in. The colorful board book offers normalized representation of LGBTQ families. For ages 2-6.  

Activity Idea 

Help strengthen learners’ memories! Create a story retelling Federico’s day. Learners can match the activity with each family or use image cards to retell the story in chronological order.  

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Families: LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.  

Cats: Keats, E. J. (1970). Hi, cat. Penguin Random House. Wenzel, B. (2016). They all saw a cat. Chronicle Books. / Wenzel, B. (2021). Inside cat. Chronicle Books.  

The illustrated cover of My Friend, Loonie. A girl in a yellow jacket holds the string attached to a giant yellow balloon in a lush green forest.

My Friend, Loonie by Nina LaCour

LaCour, N. (2023). My friend, Loonie (A. Lindsay, Illus.). Candlewick Press. 

A little girl finds an unexpected and special companion when her parents bring home a yellow balloon. From squirrel watching to bedtime stories, the pair does everything together, and life becomes a little brighter. But sadness lurks, and soon the balloon floats away; yet her family remains to help her preserve the memory of her lost friend. My Friend, Loonie tenderly visits feelings of friendship, magic, and grief, reminding readers that just because something is gone does not mean that it is forgotten. Targeted to ages 3 to 7, this book normalizes LGBTQ families while exploring change and loss. 

Activity Idea 

This is a great pick for a storytime featuring unique friendships. Pair it with books such as Percival’s Meesha Makes Friends, or Santat’s The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.  

More resources about Nina LaCour here.

Related Titles 

Normalized Representation of LGBTQ Families: LaCour, N. (2022). Mama and mommy and me in the middle (K. Juanita, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.   

Friendship: Percival, T. (2021). Meesha makes friends. Bloomsbury USA. / Santat, D. (2014). The adventures of Beekle: The unimaginary friend. Little, Brown books for young readers. / Walton, J. (2016). Introducing Teddy (D. MacPherson, Illus.). Bloomsbury. 

The illustrated cover of Julián at the Wedding. A boy in a red flower headdress and a violet suit laughs with a girl with a brown bob and a peach ankle length dress.

Julián at the Wedding by Jessica Love

Love, J. (2020). Julián at the wedding. Candlewick Press. 

This book follows Julián and Marisol, two children featured in the bridal party of a same-sex wedding. During the wedding, they sneak off and find a secret hideout that Julián calls a fairy house. When they are in the fairy house, Marisol plays with the brides’ dog and gets dirty. Julián gives her the shirt from under his suit and they make fairy wings out of leaves in their fairy house. Afterwards, they go back to the wedding and dance with everyone. Targeted towards children ages 4 to 7 years old, Julián at the Wedding features imaginative play against the backdrop of a normalized same-sex wedding. 

Activity Idea 

A fitting pick for a love and friendship themed storytime, Julian at the Wedding could be paired with an imaginative play or costume activity.  

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Hoffman, I. & Hoffman, S. (2014). Jacob’s new dress (C. Case, Illus.). Albert Whitman & Company. / Macias, M. J. (2021). Téo’s tutu (A. Marley, Illus). Dial Books for Young Readers.  / McCurry, K. (2021). Patrick’s polka dot tights (M. Haley, Illus.). Capstone Editions.  

Weddings: Brannen, S. (2020). Uncle Bobby’s wedding (L. Soto, Illus.). Little Bee Books. / Sanders, R. (2021). Two grooms on a cake (R. Cathro, Illus.). Little Bee Books. 

Other Julian Books: Love, J. (2018). Julian is a mermaid. Walker Books. 

The illustrated cover of Bathe the Cat. An orange tabby cat sits on top of the title letters, while a frazzled family of five scrambles below. There are two dads, one holds a mop and has a baby on his shoulders. A child in a dinosaur costume clutches a bowl of goldfish. Another boy holds a tower of bowls.

Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty

McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books.  

Grandma Marge is coming to visit, and there are chores to be done. Unfortunately, the family cat is no help, and he continuously scrambles the magnetic chore list to avoid getting a bath – hilarity ensues. Ultimately, the family gets everything ready in this vibrantly illustrated rhyming book. Bathe the Cat includes normalized representations of LGBTQ families. For ages 2-6.  

Activity Idea 

Bathe the Cat is a perfectly hilarious read-aloud that demonstrates rhyme. Use this with a rhyming picture sort activity to strengthen kindergarteners’ literacy skills.   

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Cats: Gall, C. (2014). Dog vs. Cat. Little Brown & Co. / Hicks, B.J. (2007). The secret life of Walter Kitty (D. Santat, Illus.). Alfred Knopf. / Litwin, E. (2004). Pete the cat I love my white shoes (J. Dean, Illus.). Hoffton Mifflin Co.  

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho.  / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The illustrated cover of Harriet gets Carried Away. A young girl in a penguin costume is carried by a group of penguins.

Harriet gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima

Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  

Harriet knows costumes are not just for Halloween and she wears them all the time. When Harriet dresses up like a penguin and accompanies her dads to the store for party supplies, she does not expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. Instead, she ends up with a flock of penguins on a hot air balloon en route to the Arctic. When she lands, she enlists an Orca to bring her back home. Following her safe return to the store, the family grabs some party hats and prepares to celebrate. This fantastical story includes normalized representation of LGBTQ parents. For ages 3-7.  

Activity Idea 

This can be used in a lesson on genre and finding books inside the library. First, students can determine the characteristics of this story that make it fiction. Next, have a library scavenger hunt! Pull out features such as setting (the Arctic), characters (Orca, penguins), and things (hot air balloon), and send students on an adventure to locate non-fiction texts about each.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Families: Hernández, M. (2019). Federico and all his families (Gómez, Illus.). NubeOcho.  / LittleFeminist. (2020). We are little feminists: Families. Little Feminist LLC. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Newman, L. (2009). Mommy, mama, and me (C. Thompson, Illus.). Tricycle Press. / Parr, T. (2003). The family book. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. / Peter, G. (2021). Adventures with my daddies (G. Parsons, Illus.). Peachtree. / Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies (L. Cornell, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Pitman, G. E. (2020). My Maddy (V. Tobacco, Illus.). Magination Press.  

The illustrated cover of Love, Violet. A white-skinned child in a cowboy hat with red hair clutches a Valentine. In the background a brown-skinned girl in a purple jacket and a yellow scarf calls to her. There is snow on the ground.

Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild

Wild, C. S. (2022). Love, Violet (C. Chua, illus.). Farrar Straus Giroux.  

There’s only one kid that makes Violet’s heart skip a beat, and that is Mira. In Love, Violet, whenever Mira is near, Violet gets shy. Using Valentine’s Day as the perfect opportunity to show Mira how she feels, Violet lovingly crafts a handmade Valentine and tucks it under her hat. Despite her excitement, fear takes over when it is time to exchange cards, and both her hat and her card end up floating away in the wind. With a gust of courage, Violet gives Mira the scraps from her valentine, and Mira reveals that she had a Valentine for Violet all along; the book concludes with a promise of future adventure.  Though Violet and Mira are both identified as girls in the text, there is no inclusion of terminology or what it means to have a crush on someone of the same gender, normalizing the experience. Love, Violet is a heartwarming pick for anyone who has experienced the intensity of a first crush and is a Stonewall Book Award Winner, a Lamda Literary Award finalist, and a Charlotte Huck Honor book.  

Activity Idea 

This story can be used in a Valentine’s Day themed storytime alongside books like This is Not a Valentine, Tiny T. Rex and the Perfect Valentine, and Love Grows Everywhere.

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Friendship: LaCour, N. (2023). My friend, Loonie (A. Lindsay, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / Percival, T. (2021). Meesha makes friends. Bloomsbury USA. / Santat, D. (2014). The adventures of Beekle: The unimaginary friend. Little, Brown books for young readers. / Timms, B. (2022). Love grows everywhere (T. Lee, Illus.). Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.  

Valentine’s Day: Higgins, C. (2017). This is not a valentine (L.R. Cummins, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Stutzman, J. (2020). Tiny T. Rex and the perfect valentine (J. Fleck, Illus.). Chronicle Books.

The illustrated cover of Grandad's Camper. A brown-skinned girl pets a white dog next to an older man with glasses inside of a pink VW bus. There is a LGBTQIA rainbow flag perched on the roof of the bus and the sun sets in the distance.

Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate

Woodgate, H. (2021). Grandad’s camper. Little Bee Books. 

This sweet story explores loss and adventure. One of the highlights of a young girl’s visit to her Grandad is the many stories he shares about the adventures he used to have with his partner, Gramps. Together, they travelled the country in their camper. They would go surfing, build sandcastles, have bonfires, visit cities, and look at all types of homes. Their days were filled with joy and love. At the end of the book, she asks Grandad why he doesn’t go anywhere anymore—he says it’s not the same without Gramps. She then asks if he still has the camper; when he says yes, they fix it up together and go camp on the beach like he and Gramps used to do. Grandad’s Camper is a quiet exploration of grief told through a loving same-sex relationship.  

Activity Idea 

Pair this with a book like My Friend, Loonie to foster a developmentally appropriate discussion about loss and grief.  

Use this story as a jumping off point to a writing exercise – what is the best vacation you have ever had? Or, where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world? Who would go with you? What would you do?  

More resources found on the Teaching Books page.

Related Titles 

Normalized Representation of LGBTQ Families: LaCour, N. (2022). Mama and mommy and me in the middle (K. Juanita, Illus.). Candlewick Press. / McGinty, A. B. (2021). Bathe the cat (D. Roberts, Illus.). Chronicle Books. / Sima, J. (2018). Harriet gets carried away. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.   

Loss: LaCour, N. (2023). My friend, Loonie (A. Lindsay, Illus.). Candlewick Press. 

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