GLAAD & LITTLE BEE BOOKS RELEASE NEW LGBTQ CHILDREN’S BOOKS OUR RAINBOW AND EXCEPT WHEN THEY DON’T

Influencers Frankie Grande, Joey Graceffa & Daniel Preda to host special “Storytime” reading events in NY and LA to celebrate Pride month

New York, NY, June 20, 2019 – Today, GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, celebrates the release of the two new LGBTQ-inclusive children’s books: Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t. In partnership with Little Bee Books, Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t are the fourth and fifth books to be released in an ongoing series of LGBTQ-inclusive children’s books.

Illustrated by nine illustrators from the LGBTQ+ community, Our Rainbow is a board book that teaches children about the meaning of each color of the pride flag. Told in simple, engaging text and paired with bright illustrations, Our Rainbow aims to show children how simple acts of kindness can brighten up our world.

Written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Joshua Heinsz, Except When They Don’t is a book that challenges gender stereotypes by inviting children to examine what they’re told “boy” and “girl” activities are. Instead of telling them what toys they’re supposed to play with, what interests they should have, and who they should be because of their gender, Except When They Don’t encourages children to play with whatever they want to and to be exactly who they are.

The release of Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t continues GLAAD’s initiative to further LGBTQ images in Kids & Family Entertainment. As part of this initiative, the “Outstanding Kids & Family” Category was added to the GLAAD Media Awards in 2018. At the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles in March, Steven Universe became the second ever winner in the category.

“Children’s books are essential tools in encouraging awareness, kindness, and acceptance at an early age,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “GLAAD is committed to advancing representation of LGBTQ lives and families, and books like Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t are shining examples of stories that families of all kinds can learn from and celebrate.”

As the fourth and fifth children’s books of the series, Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t follow the release of Prince & Knight, Jack (Not Jackie), and Maiden & Princess. Written by Daniel Haack and illustrated by Stevie Lewis, Prince & Knight follows the heartwarming story of a prince and a knight who fall in love after slaying a dragon. Written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Holly Hatam, Jack (Not Jackie) is the story of how big sister Susan learns to understand and accept that her younger sibling identifies as “Jack” rather than “Jackie.” The most recent release, Maiden & Princess, tells the story of a maiden sent to a royal ball to fall in love with a prince, but instead falls in love with the princess. Maiden & Princess was written by Daniel Haack and Isabel Galupo and illustrated by Becca Human.

Joey Graceffa and Daniel Preda will be reading both Maiden & Princess and Prince & Knight at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles on June 29th. On the same day, Frankie Grande with also being reading both books at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square in New York City.

Our Rainbow and Except When They Don’t can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at various in-store locations.

About Little Bee Books:

Little Bee Books is a children’s book publisher dedicated to making high-quality, creative, and fun books for busy little bees ages 0 through 12, offering an inspired selection of early learning concept books, board books, novelty books, activity books, picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, gift sets, and more. For more information, please visit littlebeebooks.com