Great Books for Parents, Caregivers, Aunties and any other Grownup Supporting Gender Creative Kiddos
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We are a perfectly-imperfect loving community and we work through each cup of coffee and each communion service to be a safe place with and for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors. These resources are vetted by therapists and families; we offer them as a tool for meaningful conversations with the people you love.
We know the church (universal) has done a lot of harm and we work every day to be a space of care and healing.
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Rev. Debra
Gender Non-Conforming and Gender Creative Books for Learning Parents and Adults
This Book is Gay
by Juno Dawson
This book is for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual preference. You’ll find the answers to all the questions you ever wanted to ask…this candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBTQIA+ also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations.
“The book every LGBT person would have killed for as a teenager, told in the voice of a wise best friend. Frank, warm, funny, USEFUL” — Patrick Ness, New York Times bestselling author
The Gender Creative Child
By Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
Dr. Diane Ehrensaft, a developmental and clinical psychologist, coined the term gender creative to describe children whose unique gender expression or sense of identity is not defined by a checkbox on their birth certificate. In this resource, Dr. Ehrensaft explains the interconnected effects of biology, nurture, and culture to explore why gender can be fluid, rather than binary. This book unlocks the door to a gender-expansive world, revealing pathways for positive change in our schools, our communities, and the world.
“An easy-to-read, but hard-to-forget, handbook that speaks to parents, teachers, medical doctors, counselors, and policymakers alike” — Jessica Herthel, coauthor of I Am Jazz
Raising my Rainbow
By Lori Duron
An unforgettable story of a mom’s wonderful family as they navigate the often challenging but never dull privilege of raising a fabulous, gender creative son. Frank, heartfelt, and brutally funny.
The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
By Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper
Through extensive research and interviews, this comprehensive first of its kind guidebook explores the unique challenges that thousands of families face every day. Covering developmental, legal, medical and school issues, The Transgender Child is a comprehensive guidebook for those raising children who step outside of the pink or blue book.
“A great, practical guide that every parent should read.” — Jody M. Huckaby, Executive Director of PFLAG
Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children
By Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
In a groundbreaking guide to caring for children who live outside binary gender boxes, Dr. Diane Ehrensaft offers parents, clinicians, and educators guidance on both the philosophical dilemmas and the practical, daily concerns of working with children who don’t fit the “typical” gender mold. She debunks outmoded approaches to gender nonconformity that may actually do children harm and offers a new framework for helping each child become their most gender-authentic person.
Raising Them: Our Adventure in Gender Creative Parenting
By Kyl Myers
In this illuminating memoir, Kyl delivers a liberating portrait of a family’s choice to dismantle the long accepted and often harmful social construct of what it means to be assigned a gender from birth. As a sociologist, Kyl explores the science of gender and sex and the adulthood gender inequalities that start in childhood. As a loving parent, Kyl shares the joy of watching an amazing child named Zoomer develop their own agency and grow happily and healthily toward their own gender identity and expression.
Picture Books featuring Gender-Nonconforming and Gender Creative Kids
Introducing Teddy: a gentle story about gender and friendship
By Jessica Walton, Illustrated by Dougal MacPherson
Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. Whether it's riding a bike, playing in the tree house, having a tea party, or all of the above, every day holds something fun to do.
One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas is sad, even when they are playing in their favorite ways. Errol can't figure out why, until Thomas finally tells Errol what the 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, 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."
When Aidan Became a Brother
By Kyle Lukoff, Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
Winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Awared
When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of his life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life.
When Aidan Became a Brother is a heartwarming book that will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience.
I Am Jazz
By Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, Illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
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.
"This is an essential tool for parents and teachers to share with children whether those kids identify as trans or not. I wish I had had a book like this when I was a kid struggling with gender identity questions. I found it deeply moving in its simplicity and honesty."—Laverne Cox
It Feels Good to be Yourself
By Theresa Thorn, Illustrated by Noah Grigni
This picture book introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest readers. This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others.
Jack (Not Jackie)
By Erica Silverman, Illustrated by Holly Hatam
Jack (Not Jackie) by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Holly Hatam is a conversation starter about gender identity and gender expression, but more importantly it is a story about love between siblings and wholeheartedly accepting people for who they are. The story centers around a big sister, Susan, who learns to understand and appreciate that her younger sibling identifies as “Jack” rather than “Jackie.” The book also features a loving and supportive Mom, who listens to Jack and is patient with Susan.
One of a Kind, Like Me/ Único Como Yo
By Laurin Mayeno, Illustrated by Robert Liu-Trujillo, Translation by Teresa Mlawer
This bilingual (English/Spanish) children’s book is based on a true story about a child named Danny who wants to be a princess in the school parade. He and his mom embark on a venture to find a purple princess dress. But will they find it on time?