Trans and Gender Creative Children's Literature
A selection of books featuring transgender and gender non-conforming characters as well as informational selections on gender identity for children of all ages.
Picture Books
Picture Books
Call Me Max
When Max starts school, the teacher hesitates to call out the name on the attendance sheet. Something doesn't seem to fit. Max lets her know the name he wants to be called by--a boy's name. This begins Max's journey as he makes new friends and reveals his feelings about his identity to his parents. Age: 5-7.
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Picture Books
What Riley Wore
On Monday, Riley feels shy and wears a bunny costume to school. On Tuesday, a scary trip to the dentist calls for a super hero cape. For a trip out with Otto and Oma, a ball gown is the perfect outfit. Gender-creative Riley knows just what to wear for every occasion during a busy week with family and friends. Age: 3-8.
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Picture Books
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Morris is a little boy who loves using his imagination. He dreams about having space adventures, paints beautiful pictures and sings the loudest during circle time. But most of all, Morris loves his classroom's dress-up center -- he loves wearing the tangerine dress. Age: 3-6.
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Picture Books
Sam!
Nobody knew Sam was a boy except for him. Sam loves riding his bike and learning about the American Revolution. He is full of laughter and joy. There's just one problem: Sam's family knows him as a girl named Isabel. Sam feels a sense of relief when he finally confides in his annoying but caring sister Maggie, and then his parents, even though it takes them a while to feel comfortable with it. But with lots of love and support, Sam and his family learn and grow through Sam's journey to embrace his true self. Age: 5-8.
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Picture Books
Red : A Crayon’s Story
Red's factory-applied label clearly says that he is red, but despite the best efforts of his teacher, fellow crayons and art supplies, and family members, he cannot seem to do anything right until a new friend offers a fresh perspective. Age: 3-6.
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Picture Books
Jacob’s New Dress
Jacob, who likes to wear dresses at home, convinces his parents to let him wear a dress to school too. Age: 4-8.
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Picture Books
Jacob’s Room to Choose
Jacob doesn't wear the same kinds of clothes as most of the other boys in school. When Jacob goes to the boys' bathroom, he is chased out by other boys who think he looks like a girl. The same thing happens to his friend Sophie when she tries to go to the girls' bathroom.Their class gets together to try and make things better. Age: 5-8.
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Picture Books
BunnyBear
A bear who feels like a bunny meets a bunny who feels like a bear, and the two teach each other about acceptance and being true to who you are. Age: 3-7.
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Picture Books
Julián at the Wedding
Julián and his abuela are going to a wedding. Better yet, Julián is in the wedding. Weddings have flowers and kissing and dancing and cake. And this wedding also has a new friend named Marisol. It's not long before Julián and Marisol set off for some magic and mischief of their own, and when things take an unexpected turn, the pair learns that everything is easier with a good friend by your side. Age: 3-7.
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Picture Books
Julián Is a Mermaid
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Age: 4-8.
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Picture Books
When Aidan Became A Brother
This sweet picture book celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother. Age: 3-7.
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Picture Books
Leah's Mustache Party
Four-year-old Leah loved being a pirate for Halloween. She never considered being a princess or a fairy, no matter what her friends said. But once Halloween has come and gone, Leah misses so many things about her costume. She misses her sword. She misses saying "Arrrr ", but most of all, she misses her silly mustache! Age: 3-7.
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Picture Books
The Name I Call Myself
Meet Ari, a young person who doesn't like to be called by their birth name Edward: "When I think of the name Edward, I imagine old kings who snore a lot." Throughout this beautiful and engaging picture book, we watch Ari grow up before our very eyes as they navigate the ins and outs of their gender identity. Age: 5-9.
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Picture Books
My Rainbow
Child fiction book. A dedicated mom puts love into action as she creates the perfect rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, based on the real-life experience of mother-daughter advocate duo Trinity and DeShanna Neal. Age: 4-8.
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Picture Books
Sparkle Boy
Three-year-old Casey wants what his older sister, Jessie, has--a shimmery skirt, glittery painted nails, and a sparkly bracelet--but Jessie does not approve until an encounter with teasing bullies helps her learn to accept and respect Casey for who he is. Age: 3-7.
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Picture Books
Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?
Offering parents, family members, and teachers a fun and creative way to open a dialogue with young children about gender diversity, this story features a gender-neutral child named Tiny who likes to dress up as an animal, or a doctor, or a butterfly, but not to identify as a boy or a girl. Age: 3+
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Picture Books
The Boy and the Bindi
A five-year-old South Asian boy becomes fascinated with his mother's bindi, the red dot commonly worn by Hindu women to indicate the point at which creation begins, and wishes to have one of his own. Rather than chastise her son, she agrees to it, and teaches him about its cultural significance, allowing the boy to discover the magic of the bindi, which in turn gives him permission to be more fully himself. Age: 3-6.
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Picture Books
From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea
In this captivating, beautifully imagined picture book about gender, identity, and the acceptance of the differences between us, Miu Lan faces many questions about who they are and who they may be. But one thing's for sure: no matter who this child becomes, their mother will love them just the same. Age: 3-8.
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Picture Books
Sugar and Snails
Who says that little girls are made of "sugar and spice and everything nice?" Or that boys are made of "frogs and snails and puppy dog tails?" What if girls were made of "boats and snails and dinosaur tails?" And little boys of "flowers and swings and bumblebee wings?" When the traditional rhyme just doesn't seem to fit the boy and girl visiting their grandpa, he comes up with a list of unusual alternatives. Soon the children are coming up with their own versions that challenge the old stereotypes with a whimsical list of ingredients. Age: 4-7.
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Picture Books
Introducing Teddy : A Gentle Story about Gender and Friendship
Errol's best friend and teddy, Thomas, is sad because he wishes he were a girl, not a boy teddy, but what only matters to both of them is that they are friends. Age: 3-6.
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Spanish Language
Spanish Language
One of a Kind like Me = Único Como Yo
Spanish language. Tomorrow is the school parade, and Danny knows exactly what he will be: a princess. Mommy supports him 100%, and they race to the thrift store to find his costume. It's almost closing time - will Danny find the costume of his dreams in time? Age: 5-8.
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Fiction
Fiction
Zenobia July
Zenobia July, an excellent coder and hacker, investigates a mystery while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and presenting her true gender for the first time. Age: 10+
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Fiction
The Pants Project
A Transformer is a robot in disguise. Liv is a boy in disguise. It’s that simple. Liv knows he was always meant to be a boy, but with his new school’s terrible dress code, he can’t even wear pants, only skirts. Operation: Pants Project begins! The only way for Liv to get what he wants is to go after it himself. But to Liv, this isn’t just a mission to change the school policy, it’s a mission to change his life, and that’s a pretty big deal. Age: 9+
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Fiction
Lily and Dunkin
Lily Jo McGrother, born Timothy McGrother, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Especially when you're in the eighth-grade. Norbert Dorfman, nicknamed Dunkin Dorfman, is bipolar and has just moved from the New Jersey town he's called home for the past thirteen years. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse. One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change. Age: 10+
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Fiction
George
When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy. With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all. Age: 9-12.
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Fiction
Rick
Eleven-year-old Rick Ramsey has generally gone along with everybody, just not making waves, even though he is increasingly uncomfortable with his father's jokes about girls, and his best friend's explicit talk about sex; but now in middle school he discovers the Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities can express themselves--and maybe among them he can find new friends and discover his own identity, which may just be to opt out of sex altogether. Age: 9-11.
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Fiction
The Other Boy
Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is just a regular boy. He loves pitching for his baseball team, working on his graphic novel, and hanging out with his best friend, Josh. But Shane is keeping something private, something that might make a difference to his friends and teammates, even Josh. And when a classmate threatens to reveal his secret, Shane's whole world comes crashing down. It will take a lot of courage for Shane to ignore the hate and show the world that he's still the same boy he was before. And in the end, those who stand beside him may surprise everyone, including Shane. Age: 8-12.
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Fiction
Birdie and Me
Ever since their free-spirited mama died ten months ago, twelve-year-old Jack and her gender creative nine-year-old brother, Birdie, have been living with their fun-loving Uncle Carl, but now their conservative Uncle Patrick insists on being their guardian which forces all four of them to confront grief, prejudice, and loss, all while exploring what 'home' really means. Age: 9+
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Fiction
Gracefully Grayson
What if who you are on the outside doesn't match who you are on the inside? Grayson Sender has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: he is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free. Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit? Age: 10+
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Fiction
Ana on the Edge
Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning U. S. Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid, so when Ana learns that next season's program will be princess-themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success. Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn't correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he's around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it's tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. Age: 8-12.
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Nonfiction
Nonfiction
You Be You! : The Kid's Guide to Gender, Sexuality, and Family
This is an educational children's book that helps makes gender identity, romantic orientation, and family diversity easy to explain to children. Charming illustrations help children engage with concepts such as intersectionality, discrimination and privilege in an understandable and respectful manner. Age: 7-11.
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Nonfiction
The Gender Wheel
This body positive book is a powerful opportunity for a supportive adult and child to see a wide range of bodies, understand the origins of the current binary gender system, how we can learn from nature to see the truth that has always existed and re-vision a new story that includes room for all bodies and genders. The Gender Wheel offers a queer-centric, holistic framework of radical gender inclusion in a kid-friendly way for the budding activists who will change our world. Age: 7-10.
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Nonfiction
They, She, He, Me : Free to Be!
Pronouns serve as a familiar starting point for kids and grown-ups to expand ideas about gender and celebrate personal expression with fun imagery that provides a place to meet and play. Age: 3-8.
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Nonfiction
I Am Jazz!
From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers. Age: 5-8.
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Nonfiction
Be Amazing : A History of Pride
In Be Amazing, drag kid Desmond is Amazing walks you through the history of the LGBTQ community, all while encouraging you to embrace your own uniqueness and ignore the haters. Age: 5-8.
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Nonfiction
It Feels Good to Be Yourself : A Book about Gender Identity
This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. Written by the mother of a transgender child and illustrated by a non-binary transgender artist, this picture book provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity. Age: 3-7.
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Audiobooks
Audiobooks
George
When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy. With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all. Age: 9-12.
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
Rick
Eleven-year-old Rick Ramsey has generally gone along with everybody, just not making waves, even though he is increasingly uncomfortable with his father's jokes about girls, and his best friend's explicit talk about sex; but now in middle school he discovers the Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities can express themselves--and maybe among them he can find new friends and discover his own identity, which may just be to opt out of sex altogether. Age: 9-11.
Where to Find:
eBooks
eBooks
Zenobia July
Zenobia July, an excellent coder and hacker, investigates a mystery while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and presenting her true gender for the first time. Age: 10+
Where to Find:
eBooks
The Pants Project
A Transformer is a robot in disguise. Liv is a boy in disguise. It’s that simple. Liv knows he was always meant to be a boy, but with his new school’s terrible dress code, he can’t even wear pants, only skirts. Operation: Pants Project begins! The only way for Liv to get what he wants is to go after it himself. But to Liv, this isn’t just a mission to change the school policy, it’s a mission to change his life, and that’s a pretty big deal. Age: 9+
Where to Find: