Pride Month Book Recommendations

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

 June is Pride Month! Let's celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community with amazing books and materials.

Board Books

Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate

This board book is adorably shaped like the camper from the title. It tells the story of a granddaughter who has grown up with stories of her Grandad and his late partner’s trips in their pink camper. Their stories continue in Grandad’s Pride. 

Pride is Love by Dano Moreno

This board book full of beautiful and diverse illustrations shows that Pride is about love and celebration as well as just being you.

Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson

This rhyming board book shares messages of unconditional love while writing about the colors of the rainbow.

Picture Books

It’s Pride, Baby! By Allen R. Wells

The beautifully illustrated picture book features a Black family celebrating Pride. The book affirms that you should be proud of yourself for being who you are and celebrating a sense of community. 

You are Loved: A Book About Families by Margaret O’Hair

Multiple diverse families are featured in this book that shows that a family can look like anything: it’s the love and support that makes them special.

Marley’s Pride by Joëlle Retener

This book tells the story of Marley’s first pride with their grandparent. Both are black and use them/they pronouns, and there are many more positive depictions of representation. This book shows how welcoming and inclusive Pride can be.

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

This beautiful picture book shows the story of Julian, a gender non-conforming child as he dresses up like a mermaid to mimic a woman he saw earlier that day.

Prince and Knight by Daniel Haack

A prince who must wed can’t seem to find his match even when his parents have a ball for all the single maidens in the land. He ends up finding his perfect fairy-tale ending with a knight after they fight a dragon together. Their story continues in a sequel. 

Nonfiction Books:

The Every Body Book: The LGBTQ+ Inclusive Guide for Kids about Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families by Rachel E. Simon

This book is an amazing guide to growing up, changing bodies, sexuality, and gender for older kids. It is inclusive and allows a safe space for kids to ask trusted adults questions. Make sure to also check out The Every Body Book of Consent! 

Rainbow Revolutionaries: 50 LGBTQ+ People Who Made History by Sarah Prager

With small biographies of 50 individuals from all over the world and throughout history, this book shows that LGBTQIA+ individuals have helped shape the world and make big impacts!

A Kids Book About Pronouns by Dr. Courtney Wells and Lee Wells

This book explains pronouns, their importance, and how they might affect other people's lives to kids and adults alike. Be sure to also look for other amazing A Kids Book About… books!

Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes by Rob Sanders

Using different forms of poetry, this book highlights a variety of individuals that have made a lasting impact on the world. The illustrations are beautiful and add to the stories being told. 

Being a Super Trans Ally! A Creative Workbook and Journal for Young People by Phoenix Schneider, MSW & Sherry Paris, MEd

Using fun activities and prompts, this book is a great resource for those wanting to learn how to be a better ally to the transgender community. This book is important because the transgender community deals with a lot of misunderstanding, and the book shows ways to help advocate for the community. 

Graphic Novels

Carousel Summer by Kathleen Gros


Lucy is a tomboy whose father doesn’t understand why she isn’t more feminine. She starts the book as a shy girl, but a blossoming relationship with the new girl in town, Anaïs, helps her break out of her shell. Beautiful illustrations and relationships make this a great summer read.

Dungeon Club by Molly Knox Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma

This fun-filled graphic novel series shows two friends, Jess and Olivia, as they set up a Dungeons and Dragons club. The series shows how the game can be used as a way to explore your identity and discover truths and parts of yourself you might not have realized before. 

Tegan and Sarah: Junior High by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin

This graphic novel is a fictionalized memoir of twin musicians Tegan and Sara as they start middle school for the first time. The story and art beautifully convey the emotions of such an important time in young adolescents' lives.

Chapter Book

Jamie by L.D. Lapinski

This chapter book tells the story of Jamie who is non-binary and must pick between enrolling in an all-boys or an all-girls middle school. Their story shows what it is like to live outside the gender binary in a world built around it. 

The Truth About Triangles by Michael Leali

Luca is having a rough time juggling life with a failing, family-run Chicago pizzeria, parents who are separating, and struggles between his long-time friend and his new friend and crush, Will. The story is endearing and is a treat for middle grade readers. 

Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne

Noah’s friends come back to school after summer vacation and are interested in talking about their crushes on boys at school. Noah doesn't relate but eventually pretends that she has a crush on a boy too. Through a journey of self-discovery, Noah realizes that maybe having a crush on a girl can be good too. 

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

In this imaginative fantasy story, Callie is non-binary and wants to train as a knight, something that only boys are allowed to do in their world. They take a chance to follow their father and train in the city of Helston. Throughout the story Callie and their new friends find ways to challenge the rigid gender norms of their society. 

Crushing It by Erin Becker

In this soccer-themed middle grade story, former-friends and current teammates Mel and Tory are trying to get along on the field while dealing with big life changes. They both write to anonymous pen pals on their school's message board, unknowingly messaging each other. When new feelings for their pen pals start to rise, they must learn to accept their identities. 

This is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us Edited by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby



This anthology shows the joy and pride of being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. This book shows that everyone is a valuable part of the community and that everyone belongs.

Parenting Books

Rainbow Relatives: Real-World Stories and Advice on How to Talk to Kids about LGBTQ+ Families and Friends by Sudi “Rick” Karatas

Using humor and accessible language, this book provides advice for parents and caregivers about talking to their kids about LGBTQIA+ individuals, both those whom they know and those whom they might encounter in the world. 

Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child by Telaina Eriksen

This book is a great resource for parents of children in the LGBTQIA+ community. The author empathetically answers a variety of questions that parents might have about their LGBTQIA+ child. Included are a variety of other helpful resources.

Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parents Guide to Changing the Messages From the Playground by Chris Tompkins

This book shows parents how to be better allies and and how to raise children as allies through a discussion of the history and persecution of the LGBTQIA+ community. This book is an in-depth and thoughtful resource. 

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Nonbinary Children by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper

This updated version of the 2008 original is organized and thorough and features amazing resources to help parents and caregivers of transgender and gender non-conforming children of all ages. The authors compassionately share how best to support your child, no matter their gender identity and expression.

Raising the Transgender Child: A Complete Guide for Parents, Families, and Caregivers by Dr. Michele Angello and Alisa Bowman

Even though this book is almost a decade old, it still provides good information and practical advice on how to handle many aspects of raising a child who does not conform to their assigned gender, including health insurance, legal concerns, and schools. 

Raising Ryland: Our Story of Parenting a Transgender Child With No Strings Attached by Hillary Whittington

This memoir tells the story of one mom’s journey raising her transgender son. It shows her family's journey in listening to their son, who was also born deaf, and showing him unconditional love and support.

LGBTQAI+ Books for Children and Teens: Providing a Window for All by Christina Dorr and Liz Deskins

This book published by the American Library Association is a great collection of books for children and teens of all ages. 


We hope you find some amazing books to celebrate Pride Month!
-Rachel and Alyssa


at June 17, 2025 0 comments

Level Up Your Summer With Materials about Games!

Thursday, June 5, 2025

This summer, Worcester Public Library is running a game themed summer program called SummerQuest from June 1st to September 1st. We are challenging you and your family to visit our branches, attend events, and read throughout the summer. Participants in our fun and games are eligible for prizes. To celebrate, here is a list of game themed books and resources!

Board Books

Play Games with Me by Kat Chen 

The narrator of this interactive board book discusses his favorite game and asks readers to play games like hide and seek with him and his best friend, Rex.

Bluey. What games should we play? by Tallulah May 

This book lets us play games with Bluey through lifting its fun and interactive flaps.

Rosa Plays Ball: A Rosa Le Encanta Jugar a la Pelota by Jessica Spanyol 

Let's read about what toys Rosa and her friends will play with today in this English-Spanish bilingual book.

Hide-and-seek with Little Hippo by Geraldine Elschner 

Little Hippo is playing hide-and-seek, and we can help find him!

Picture Books


Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle

This is a hilarious and interactive picture book where readers play a game, answering “No” to all of Mr. Fox’s questions.

Clack, Clack! Smack!: a Cherokee Stickball Story by Traci Sorrell 

This beautiful story introduces us to a game, stickball, and a language, Tsalagi, that we might not be familiar with while emphasizing the importance of working together.

Do Not Eat the Game by Matthew McElligott 

What happens when you try to play a game with monsters? This book shows us that games aren’t fun unless we play by the rules.

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by  Drew Daywalt 

This laugh-out-loud tale tells the origin story of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Graphic Novels


Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie

Maggie Sankhar is worried about starting sixth grade, but things start well when she joins a club for her favorite role playing game and makes a new friend. However, she also discovers new struggles, like bullies and fears of making mistakes. 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

What happens when Astrid dives head first into the world of Roller Derby, but her best friend, Nicole, doesn't want to do the same? Even readers who are not familiar with Roller Derby will find this book relatable and heartwarming following Astrid as she learns about a new sport and juggles new and old friendships.

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin

This graphic novel follows Isaac, a middle schooler who was recently diagnosed with OCD, as he starts playing a Dungeons-and-Dragons-like role playing game while juggling his home and school life with his mental health.

The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Méndez

Twelve-year-old Valeria is having a hard summer: she bled through her shorts when she got her first period, she was kicked off her soccer team, and she is experiencing a familial loss. Grappling with these struggles, Valeria joins an all-girls soccer team, makes new friends, and works through new family dynamics. This is a beautiful graphic novel about resilience, teamwork, and family.

Chapter Books


Dungeon Academy series by Madeleine Roux 

This series is great for both fans and newcomers to tabletop games. This book follows Zelli, a student at a Dungeons & Dragons monster training school. Zelli is a human secretly adopted by her minotaur mothers, so she wears fake horns and a tail to blend in. This funny and adventure-packed book also has themes of family and belonging.

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

Charlotte and Ben meet playing scrabble online. They are both tackling their own struggles, from bullying to sick parents and divorced parents. Ben and Charlotte are complex and relatable characters finding their own voice and learning to communicate well with one another.

Minecraft Novels

These standalone novels follow incredible adventures in the same world as Minecraft, the videogame.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

This novel-in-verse follows twins, Josh and Jordan, who adore basketball. It is a tender story about basketball, love, and family. This award-winning book is perfect for both fans and newcomers to basketball and poetry, and it is sure to touch all who read it. 

Parenting


Well Played: the Ultimate Guide to Awakening Your Family's Playful Spirit by Meredith Sinclair 

This collection of activities encourages a family's sense of adventure and reminds readers that while childhood is short, playfulness can be a lifelong endeavor.  

How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad Screen Habits, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids by Alok Kanojia

Harvard-trained psychiatrist Alok Kanojia offers a proven and nurturing plan to set and enforce healthy boundaries between children and video games, especially helping children struggling with video game addiction.

I Can Play It: Music Games and Activities to Help Your Child Learn by Patricia Shehan Campbell

Patricia Shehan Campell, a college music professor, encourages parents to have their children explore and play with their environment through musical sounds.

Library of Things

Worcester Public Library's adult patrons can check out objects from our Library of Things! This includes outdoor games, like Spikeball and Cornhole, and indoor games, like Giant Jenga and Exploding Kittens.

I hope this list helped you find something great to explore!
- Alyssa





































at June 05, 2025 0 comments

Superhero Books for Children of All Ages

Thursday, May 15, 2025

There are many superhero movies coming out this year, including Thunderbolts that just came out and Superman and Fantastic Four that are coming out in July. Inspired by all of these superhero films, I wanted to compile a list of amazing books featuring superheroes!

Picture Books:

The Purim Superhero by Elisabeth Kushner

When choosing a costume for his synagogue's Purim celebration, Nate has a hard time deciding if he should follow the crowd to fit in or choose the costume he would prefer. His fathers remind him about the spirit of the holiday, and Nate finds a compromise that allows him to be himself. This is an amazing book with a great message.

Superluminous by Ian De Haes

This beautiful story follows Nour, a girl who was born with the power to glow. When she starts school, other children's comments start to dim her glow, but she soon learns that she has the power to share her glow with others. This is a heart-warming, positive story that pulls on the heart strings.

Be A Star, Wonder Woman! by Michael Dahl

This fun and positive story relates day-to-day life with being a superhero by following a young girl at school along side a classic Wonder Woman depiction. If you like this story, make sure to check out the others in the series: Good Morning, Superman; Bedtime for Batman; and Sweet Dreams, Super Girl.

Lucia the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza

After boys tell Lucia that only boys can be superheroes, Lucia's Abuela teaches her about luchadoras and lucha libre. Through becoming a luchadora, Lucia becomes confident enough to fight for what is right and show that girls can be powerful superheroes. This is a fun and fast-paced picture book with beautiful art.

Superhero vs. School by Ethan Long


A young superhero fighting evil is interrupted by his mother and instructed to get dressed for the first day of school. With school embodied as his foe, the young hero is worried about his capabilities of fighting school but learns that everything is easier to tackle when taken on together with friends. Joined with his superhero friends, the young champion discovers school is not the villain he once thought. This is a fun, confidence-inspiring book perfect for heroes about to start school.

Chapter Books:

Mia Mayhem is a Superhero by Kara West



A letter comes in the mail notifying Mia that she is a superhero, and soon, she learns that her parents are too! Join Mia as she navigates life as a superhero, learning how to fly,  going to superhero training school throughout this series.  

Shuri: a Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone

Thirteen- year-old Princess Shuri is a genius scientist on her way to becoming Wakanda's Minister of Technology and Advancement, but her brother, the King of Wakanda, treats her like a child. When her brother's powers start dying and her family fails to act urgently, Shuri goes on a mission to find out what's causing the destruction. This is an action-packed story about girl power!

Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds

Portico Reeves knows himself as Stuntboy, a superhero whose job it is to keep other heroes safe. When Portico is Stuntboy, he doesn't have his regular anxiety or worry about his parents' endless fighting. This both heartfelt and humorous illustrated novel is engaging and energetic. 

Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste

 
Things have been difficult for thirteen-year-old Coal Keegan since he was sent to a new foster home. It gets worse when he is threatened at gunpoint and chased by the police. He escapes only because he actually turned invisible. Now Coal is trying to figure out details about his powers while struggling with mental health and racism. Thankfully, he has a positive and supportive community of people he can rely on. This is an impactful novel that blends modern conflicts with a sci-fi plot line. 

Graphic Novels

Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin by Nadia Shammas


Kamala Khan was an ordinary girl from Jersey City when she suddenly gets powers! How does Kamala adjust to life as Ms. Marvel? Can she balance family, friends, superpowers, and more?

The Solvers series by Jon Chad


This graphic novel series mixes math with superpowers! A crew of crime-fighting superheroes use math to fights their enemy Null Void in this action-packed story that also helps teach foundational math skills.

Secret Hero Society series by Dereck Fridolfs


This series follows young superheroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman as they attend Ducard Academy, a school for gifted middle schoolers. Follow Bruce Wayne as he starts at Ducard and learns that the school's faculty promotes villainous behavior. This is a fun and imaginative reimagining of superheroes.

Max Meow series by John Gallagher

This series follows an anthropomorphic cat named Max Meow and his human friend, Mindy Microbe, who receive powers from a space meatball and become superheroes: Cat Crusader and Science Kitty. This silly superhero series is perfect for fans of Dog Man!

Miles Morales: Stranger Tides by Justin Reynolds

Miles Morales (a.k.a. Spider-Man)  is a scholarship student at Brooklyn Visions Academy. He is struggling to balance school, family, and life as a superhero. Juggling so many things is hard work, but he has a great support system: his parents, roommate-Ganke, and the other Spider-Man - Peter Parker. This fast-paced and funny graphic novel is perfect for all superhero fans! If you like it, make sure to check out others in the series.

Nonfiction Books

What Is the Story of Batman? by Michael Burgan

Come learn the history of one of your favorite superheroes! This book discusses the creation and progression of Batman from his appearance in a 1939 Detective Comics through today. If you liked this, make sure to check out the series' discussion of other superheroes like What Is the Story of Wonder Woman?

Fearless and Fantastic!: Female Super Heroes Save the World by Sam Maggs, Emma Grange, and Ruth Amos

Learn about amazing female superheroes that you might not have known before! This book has short biographies with quotes, powers, and connections to the Marvel universe of fifty amazing female superheroes. 

The Official DC Super Hero Joke Book by Sarah Parvis, Michael Robin, and Noah Smith

Come laugh at great jokes about your favorite superheroes and then share them with your friends in this hilarious book!

The DC Book of Pride: A Celebration of DC's LGBTQIA+ Characters by Jadzia Axelrod

Let's celebrate Pride next month through learning about awesome LGBTQIA+ characters! This book features biographies of DC superheroes with drawings, quotes, appearances, and likes and dislikes.

I hope you find a few super stories you enjoy!
-Alyssa
at May 15, 2025 0 comments
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