World Pride: 8 Kids’ Books to Celebrate

There are so many fantastic reads that show how literary worlds can be as wonderfully diverse as the one we live in. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the heroes of the stories we love and this list celebrates LGBTQI+ characters in all shapes and forms.

Whether your little ones like dystopian fiction, fantasy or a heartwarming picture book, we’ve got something for everyone!

Out of the Blue by Robert Tregoning, illustrated by Stef Murphy

In a very blue house on a very blue street, sits a little boy who feels as blue as the world around him. For this little boy has a BIG secret: he loves the colour yellow. In a world where only one colour is allowed, will he be brave enough to tell his dad? And will they be able to defy the rules and create a world where EVERY colour is welcome?

Ages 3+

Buy a copy of Out of the Blue here.

Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson

Errol can’t figure out why his best friend is sad until Thomas finally tells Errol: “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.”

Ages 2+

Buy a copy of Introducing Teddy here.

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry

When Cameron Battle and his best friends, Zion and Aliyah, decide to open The Book of Chidani, they are magically transported to another world. Instead of a land of beauty and wonder, they find a kingdom in extreme danger. The people of Chidani have been waiting for the last Descendant to return and save them… Is Cameron ready to be the hero they need?

Ages 9+

Buy a copy of Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms here.

Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai

A dazzling debut. Magic-realism blends with Japanese myth and legend in an original story about grief, memory, time and an earthquake that shook a nation. After Sora’s father goes missing, she has no choice but to venture into uncharted spaces within the time zones to find him, her mother and perhaps even the catfish itself…

Ages 12+

Buy a copy of Catfish Rolling here.

HappyHead by Josh Silver

When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo…

Ages 12+

Buy a copy of HappyHead here.

Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer

Tycho of Rillisk has been a lot of things: son, brother, stable hand, prisoner, soldier. Now, as the only person King Grey trusts, Tycho has a new role: courier and spy, carrying secret messages between kingdoms.  In a world of shifting alliances, ancient magic and dangerous flirtations, comes a fantasy adventure packed with political intrigue, love and betrayal. By New York Times bestselling author, Brigid Kemmerer.

Ages 12+

Buy a copy of Forging Silver into Stars here.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Ever since she can remember, Briseis has had power over plants. When Briseis inherits an old house from her birth mother, she suddenly finds herself with the space and privacy to test her powers for the first time. But as Briseis starts to bring the house’s rambling garden back to life, she finds she has also inherited generations of secrets…

Ages 12+

Buy a copy of This Poison Heart here.

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron

Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family’s unique magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart. Strengthened by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can she harness her power to save the people she loves most?

Ages 12+

Buy a copy of This Wicked Fate here.