Rainbow Book Love! (Banned Books Week 2024)

Posted by & filed under Book Bans & Censorship, LGBTQIAP2+, Picture Books.

on mottled rainbow colored background, white blocks with violet or black text, covers of queer picture books discussed in links. Text: "Queer Book Love, Rainbow Book Love" A week of celebrating Q+ picture books! (hashtags)

Queer Picture Book Love! (With images of queer picture books on a rainbow-colored background)

For #BannedBooksWeek2024 I wanted to celebrate Queer picture books. So, I created a week of posts to do just that! I’ve had a ball picking out favorites. And the great news? There are SO many inclusive books now. It’s hard to choose!

As if on cue, we just learned Love, Violet has been named in a lawsuit that was sent to the Supreme Court (more on that in another post). The current climate has already put countless teachers, librarians, and authors and illustrators at risk of losing their jobs, income, and even safety. Some could face criminal charges. Again and again, queer people, especially trans and binary people, and those of color and minority religions, are in the crosshairs.

Above all, kids are in the middle. “In states with laws targeting LGBTQ issues, school hate crimes quadrupled,” reports the Washington Post (Mar. 13, 2024). “At the same time, calls to LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotlines have exploded.” Yet we know that kids do better, and they read longer and at a higher level, when they have access to inclusive books. And so, we advocate for them. And all the people serving kids.

Here are 44 Queer picture books worth checking out, sharing, reviewing, buying and enjoying!

Text: "Most of all, celebrate Queer Book Love and Rainbow Book Love!!" On smaller text boxes of different rainbow colors: "Day 2 Love is Family, Day 3 Love is Celebrating Others and Yourself, Day 4 Love Is Love, Day 5 Love is Culture, Day 6 Love is Community" Image: Each text box is followed by covers of featured picture books.

Text: “Most of all, celebrate Queer Book Love and Rainbow Book Love!!” On smaller text boxes of different rainbow colors: “Day 2 Love is Family, Day 3 Love is Celebrating Others and Yourself, Day 4 Love Is Love, Day 5 Love is Culture, Day 6 Love is Community” Image: Each text box is followed by covers of featured picture books.

I’m so thankful for every person involved in creating and bringing these books to kids! For so many of us, books like this were unimaginable when we were kids. I believe in the good they can do, with our support.

So, here’s to #QueerBookLove & #RainbowBookLove!

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Here are links to my Instagram and Facebook posts:
Day 1: A WEEK OF CELEBRATION #QueerBookLove  (FB)
Day 2: LOVE IS FAMILY  (FB)
Day 3: LOVE IS CELEBRATING OTHERS & YOURSELF (FB)
Day 4: LOVE IS LOVE (FB)
Day 5: LOVE IS CULTURE (FB)
Day 6: LOVE IS COMMUNITY (FB)
Day 7: LOVE IS ACTION (TIPS!)  (FB)

XO
Charlotte

image from Love, Violet of Mira with brown skin and thick curly dark hair in violet winter coat smiling and holding up a glittery torn valentine with a violet heart background. Text: "Always remember: Love is stronger than hate." "Artwork (c) 2022 Charlene Chua, from Love, Violet

Image from Love, Violet of Mira with brown skin and thick curly dark hair in violet winter coat smiling and holding up a glittery torn valentine with a violet heart background layered over rainbow colors.