As part of our Rainbow Reads project, below is bibliographic information for each of the recommended books we've selected, gathered from The Horn Book Magazine and Guide/Reviews Database. Organized by spine color (reflecting the colors in the Pride flag) and tagged with the main LGBTQIA+ identities represented, the titles collectively cover all reading age levels, meaning there's something here for everyone. We hope this list will inspire you to make your own rainbow book displays and that you’ll add some of these selections to your collection and return to them all year long. This list is certainly not exhaustive, so please use the Guide/Reviews Database subject search to find more related titles and share your own favorites (and their spine color!) in the comments below. Happy Pride!

White spine

Fitzsimons, Isaac The Passing Playbook
YA | 304 pp. | Dial | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-9848-1540-8 | rev. 9/21
Identities: Transgender, Gay

Greene, Jarad A-Okay
Gr. 4-6 | 240 pp. | HarperCollins/HarperAlley | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-303285-9 | Paper ISBN 978-0-06-303284-2 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-303286-6 | rev. 11/21
Identities: Asexual

Karlsson, Adria My Sister, Daisy
Illustrated by Linus Curci.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | Capstone/Editions | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-68446-384-8 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-68446-381-7 | rev. 9/21
Identities: Transgender

Levy, Dana Alison The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher
Gr. 4-6 | 261 pp. | Delacorte | 2014 | Trade ISBN 978-0-385-37652-5 | Library ISBN 978-0-385-37654-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-385-37653-9 | rev. 9/14
Identities: Gay dads

Little Badger, Darcie Elatsoe
Illustrated by Rovina Cai.
YA | 368 pp. | Levine Querido | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-64614-005-3 | rev. 9/20
Identities: Asexual

Locke, Katherine What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns
Illustrated by Anne Passchier.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Little | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-54206-7
Identities: Queer

Lukoff, Kyle When Aidan Became a Brother
Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | Lee | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-62014-837-2 | rev. 7/19
Identities: Transgender
See also: Five questions for Kyle Lukoff about When Aidan Became a Brother

Patterson, Jodie Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope
Illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Crown | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-12363-8 | Library ISBN 978-0-593-12365-2 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-593-12364-5 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Transgender

Sanders, Rob Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
Illustrated by Steven Salerno.
Gr. K-3 | 48 pp. | Random | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-0-399-55531-2 | Library ISBN 978-0-399-55532-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-399-55533-6
Identities: Gay
See also: Rob Sanders Talks with Roger about Pride

Slater, Dashka The 57 Bus
YA | 306 pp. | Farrar | 2017 | Trade ISBN 978-0-374-30323-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-374-30325-9 | rev. 1/18
Identities: Queer

Pink spine

Atta, Dean The Black Flamingo
YA | 409 pp. | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-299029-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-299031-0 | rev. 5/20
Identities: Gay

Brueggemann, Wibke Love Is for Losers
YA | 352 pp. | Farrar | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-374-31397-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-374-31398-2 | rev. 3/21
Identities: Lesbian

Jaigirdar, Adiba The Henna Wars
YA | 400 pp. | Page Street | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-62414-968-9 | rev. 9/20
Identities: Lesbian

Stoeve, Ray Between Perfect and Real
YA | 304 pp. | Abrams/Amulet | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4197-4601-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-951-7 $15.54 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Transgender

Tamaki, Mariko Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
YA | 300 pp. | Roaring Brook/First Second | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-31284-6 | Paper ISBN 978-1-62672-259-0 | rev. 7/19
Identities: Lesbian

Wang, Jen The Prince and the Dressmaker
YA | 288 pp. | Roaring Brook/First Second | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-15985-4 | Paper ISBN 978-1-62672-363-4 | rev. 3/18
Identities: Queer

Light Blue spine

Alexander, Damian Other Boys
YA | 208 pp. | Roaring Brook/First Second | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-22282-4 | Paper ISBN 978-1-250-22281-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-86086-6 | rev. 1/22
Identities: Gay

Blake, Ashley Herring The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James
Gr. 4-6 | 375 pp. | Little | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-51553-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-316-51550-4 | rev. 3/19
Identities: Bisexual

Callender, Kacen King and the Dragonflies
Gr. 4-6 | 263 pp. | Scholastic | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-12933-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-12935-9 | rev. 1/20
Identities: Gay
See also: Roger Sutton's video interview with Kacen Callender about 2020 BGHB Fiction and Poetry winner King and the Dragonflies plus Five Questions for Kacen Callender

Dapier, Jarrett Mr. Watson’s Chickens
Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi.
Gr. K-3 | 48 pp. | Chronicle | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4521-7714-4 | rev. 1/22
Identities: Gay

Gale, Heather Ho'onani: Hula Warrior
Illustrated by Mica Song.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Tundra | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7352-6449-6
Identities: Transgender, Two Spirit, Nonbinary

Jaigirdar, Adiba Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating
YA | 352 pp. | Page Street | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-64567-257-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-64567-258-6 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Bisexual, Lesbian

Konigsberg, Bill The Bridge
YA | 400 pp. | Scholastic | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-32503-4 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-32505-8 | rev. 11/20
Identities: Gay

Sass, A. J. Ellen Outside the Lines
Gr. 4-6 | 336 pp. | Little | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7595-5627-0 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-7595-5630-0 | rev. 3/22
Identities: Lesbian, Nonbinary

Thomas, Peyton Both Sides Now
YA | 304 pp. | Dial | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-32281-9 | rev. 11/21
Identities: Transgender

Brown spine

Harrington, Claudia My Two Dads
Illustrated by Zoe Persico. My Family series.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | ABDO/Magic Wagon | 2015 | Library ISBN 978-1-62402-108-4
Identities: Gay dads

Thomas, Aiden Cemetery Boys
YA | 352 pp. Feiwel/Swoon | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-25046-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-25025051-3 | rev. 1/21
Identities: Transgender, Gay
See also: Five questions for Aiden Thomas about Cemetery Boys

Black spine

Curato, Mike Flamer
YA | 368 pp. | Holt/Godwin | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-62779-641-5 | Paper ISBN 978-1-250-75614-5 | rev. 11/20
Identities: Gay

Haack, Daniel Prince & Knight
Illustrated by Stevie Lewis.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Little Bee | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4998-0552-9
Identities: Gay

Ireland, Justina Dread Nation
YA | 455 pp. | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-257060-4 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-257062-8 | rev. 5/18
Identities: Bisexual

Khorram, Adib Darius the Great Deserves Better
YA | 352 pp. | Dial | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-10823-9 | rev. 9/20
Identities: Gay
See also: Adib Khorram's 2019 BGHB Fiction and Poetry Honor Speech for Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Petrus, Junauda The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
YA | 320 pp. | Dutton | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-0-5255-5548-3 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-5255-5550-6 | rev. 7/20
Identities: Lesbian

Rocha, Lucas Where We Go from Here
Translated by Larissa Helena.
YA | 288 pp. | Scholastic/Push | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-55624-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-63375-7 | rev. 11/20
Identities: Gay

Wilson, Kip The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin
YA | 416 pp. | HarperCollins/Versify | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-358-44890-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-358-44776-4 | rev. 5/22
Identities: Lesbian

Red spine

Clarke, Cat The Pants Project
Gr. 4-6 | 267 pp. | Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky | 2017 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4926-3809-4 | rev. 5/17
Identities: Transgender, Lesbian moms

Gao, Laura Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American
YA | 272 pp. | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-306777-6 | Library ISBN 978-0-06-306776-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-306778-3 | rev. 3/22
Identities: Lesbian

Jackson, Kosoko Survive the Dome
YA | 352 pp. | Sourcebooks | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-7282-3908-8 | rev. 5/22
Identities: Gay

Smyth, Ciara Not My Problem
YA | 368 pp. | HarperTeen | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-295714-6 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-295716-0 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Lesbian

Orange spine

Albertalli, Becky and Silvera, Adam What If It's Us
YA | 437 pp. | HarperTeen/Balzer + Bray | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-279525-0 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-279524-3 | rev. 11/18
Identities: Gay

Callender, Kacen Felix Ever After
YA | 357 pp. | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-282025-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-282027-3 | rev. 7/20
Identities: Transgender, Demiboy

Lukoff, Kyle Different Kinds of Fruit
Gr. 4-6 | 320 pp. | Dial | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-59311-118-5
Identities: Nonbinary, Transgender, Queer

Marie, Racquel Ophelia After All
YA | 352 pp. | Feiwel | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-79730-8 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-79729-2 | rev. 7/22
Identities: Queer

Oshiro, Mark The Insiders
Gr. 4-6 | 384 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-300810-6 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-300812-0 | rev. 11/21
Identities: Gay, Queer
See also: Five questions for Mark Oshiro about The Insiders

Yellow spine

Callender, Kacen Hurricane Child
Gr. 4-6 | 215 pp. | Scholastic | 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-12930-4 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-12932-8 | rev. 5/18
Identities: Lesbian

Davids, Sharice Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman
With Nancy K. Mays. Illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-297966-7
Identities: Lesbian

Kearney, Rob and Rosswood, Eric Strong
Illustrated by Nidhi Chanani.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Little | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-29290-0
Identities: Gay

Khor, Shing Yin The Legend of Auntie Po
YA | 304 pp. | Penguin/Kokila | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-525-55488-2 | Paper ISBN 978-0-525-55489-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-525-55490-5 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Lesbian

Levithan, David Answers in the Pages
Gr. 4-6 | 176 pp. | Knopf | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-48468-5 | Library ISBN 978-0-593-48469-2 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-593-48470-8
Identities: Gay

Green spine

Arnold, Elana K. What Riley Wore
Illustrated by Linda Davick.
PS | 40 pp. | Simon/Beach Lane | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4814-7260-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-4814-7261-6 | rev. 11/19
Identities: Queer

Caldwell, Stella Pride: An Inspirational History of LGBTQ+ Movement
YA | 128 pp. | Penguin Workshop | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-59338-294-3
Identities: Queer

Harrington, Claudia My Two Moms
Illustrated by Zoe Persico. My Family series.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | ABDO/Magic Wagon | 2015 | Library ISBN 978-1-62402-110-7
Identities: Lesbian moms

Hoffman, Sarah and Hoffman, Ian Jacob's Room to Choose
Illustrated by Chris Case.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | Magination | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-43383-073-0
Identities: Queer

Holt, K. A. Redwood and Ponytail
YA | 417 pp. | Chronicle | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4521-7288-0 | rev. 1/20
Identities: Lesbian

McLemore, Anna-Marie Lakelore
YA | 304 pp. | Feiwel | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-62414-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-62415-4 | rev. 5/22
Identities: Transgender

Rutkoski, Marie The Midnight Lie
YA | 358 pp. | Farrar | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-374-30638-0 | rev. 5/20
Identities: Lesbian

Saenz, Benjamin Alire Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
YA | 359 pp. | Simon | 2012 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4424-0892-0 | rev. 3/12
Identities: Gay

Stevens-Holsey, Rosita and Jennings Terry Catasús Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist
YA | 288 pp. | Yellow Jacket | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4998-1251-0 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-4998-1252-7 | rev. 3/22
Identities: Queer

Blue spine

Blake, Ashley Herring Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea
Gr. 4-6 | 352 pp. | Little | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-53545-8 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-316-53546-5 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Lesbian moms, Lesbian, Nonbinary

Borinsky, Agnes Sasha Masha
YA | 240 pp. | Farrar | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-374-31080-6 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-374-31081-3 | rev. 1/21
Identities: Transgender

Haack, Daniel and Galupo, Isabel Maiden & Princess
Illustrated by Becca Human.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Little Bee | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4998-0776-9
Identities: Lesbian

Hutchinson, Shaun David A Complicated Love Story Set in Space
YA | 464 pp. | Simon | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-5344-4863-7 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-5344-4855-1 | rev. 3/21
Identities: Gay

Lo, Malinda Last Night at the Telegraph Club
YA | 416 pp. | Dutton | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-525-55525-4 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-525-55526-1 | rev. 3/21
Identities: Lesbian

Lukoff, Kyle Too Bright to See
YA | 192 pp. | Dial | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-11115-4 | rev. 3/21
Identities: Transgender

McLemore, Anna-Marie The Mirror Season
YA | 320 pp. | Feiwel | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-62412-3 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-62413-0 | rev. 5/21
Identities: Pansexual

Melleby, Nicole How to Become a Planet
YA | 288 pp. | Algonquin | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-64375-036-1 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-64375-162-7 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Lesbian

Purple spine

Emezi, Akwaeke Pet
YA | 204 pp. | Random/Make Me a World | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-0-525-64707-2 | Library ISBN 978-0-525-64708-9 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-525-64709-6 | rev. 11/19
Identities: Transgender

Gottlieb, Iris Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression
YA | 204 pp. | Chronicle | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-7972-1197-8
Identities: Queer

Johnson, Leah You Should See Me in a Crown
YA | 336 pp. | Scholastic | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-50326-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-50362-3 | rev. 11/20
Identities: Lesbian

McClintick, Joanna ’Twas the Night Before Pride
Illustrated by Juana Medina.
Gr. K-3 | 32 pp. | Candlewick | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-5362-1343-0
Identities: Lesbian, Queer

Melleby, Nicole In the Role of Brie Hutchens…
YA | 265 pp. | Algonquin | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-61620-907-0 | rev. 3/20
Identities: Queer

Melleby, Nicole The Science of Being Angry
Gr. 4-6 | 288 pp. | Algonquin | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-64375-037-8 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-64375-286-0 | rev. 5/22
Identities: Lesbian, Lesbian moms

Ormsbee, Kathryn Candidly Cline
Gr. 4-6 | 320 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-305999-3 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-306001-2 | rev. 1/22
Identities: Lesbian

Sass, A. J. Ana on the Edge
Gr. 4-6 | 240 pp. | Little | 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-45861-0 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-316-45863-4 | rev. 11/20
Identities: Nonbinary

Thorn, Theresa It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity
Illustrated by Noah Grigni.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | Holt | 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-30295-3
Identities: Transgender, Nonbinary, Queer

Rainbow spine

Dawson, Juno What’s the T?: The Guide to All Things Trans and/or Nonbinary for Teens
YA | 336 pp. | Sourcebooks | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-7282-5406-7 | Paper ISBN 98-1-7282-5403-6
Identities: Transgender

Gino, Alex Melissa [George]
Gr. 4-6 | 198 pp. | Scholastic | 2015 | Trade ISBN 978-0-545-81254-2 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-545-81258-0 | rev. 9/15
Identities: Transgender

Grimm, Gavin and Lukoff, Kyle If You’re a Kid like Gavin
Illustrated by J Yang.
Gr. K-3 | 40 pp. | HarperCollins/Tegen | 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-305756-2 | rev. 7/22
Identities: Transgender

Locke, Katherine and Melleby, Nicole, Editors This Is Our Rainbow
Gr. 4-6 | 336 pp. | Knopf | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-593-30394-8 | Library ISBN 978-0-593-30395-5 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-593-30395-5
Identities: Queer

Murphy, Julie Pumpkin
YA | 336 pp. | HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray | 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-288045-1 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-288047-5 | rev. 7/21
Identities: Gay