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Check It Out Now on NetGalley!
There’s a special young adult novel waiting for you to download from NetGalley! THE ART OF HOLDING ON AND LETTING GO, by Kristen Bartley Lenz and published in a 10th Anniversary edition by Left Field Publishing, is as powerful and teen-resonant now as ever. Not every loss comes with an ending. This story is a lyrical, high-stakes coming-of-age novel about a teenage elite climber forced to confront the limits of control—on the rock, in competition, and in love, when the people she trusts most disappear. The setting takes readers to far flung places and into literary classics, both a part of the unending adventure of life.
Read It Now: Our Latest Article
- Loud and Proud: Picture Books about Pride
This article was authored by Publisher Spotlight intern Shanti Liu.
Every summer, we come together to celebrate Pride. The origin of Pride dates back to the June 1969 Stonewall Protests in New York City. During these protests, brave individuals from the LGBTQI+ community stood up for their civil rights and sparked a movement that would forever change the fight for equality. Today, Pride is celebrated by millions across the world. Picture books about Pride join in the conversation by helping children in the discovery of their own identity, facets of their family, community membership, and celebration of love. It has been quite clear from the beginning—Pride is for everyone.
Beaming Books’ PLAY PROUD: Fiercely Fabulous Queer Athletes, written by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Izzy Evans, is a collection of biographical sketches of queer athletes of all sorts. From historical to modern and amateur to professional, readers will be able to learn about a wide variety of athletes. These athletes not only play hard, but they serve as an inspirational reminder to be authentic and proud no matter what. Geared towards children ages 3-5.
MARLEY’S PRIDE, written by Joëlle Retener, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley, and published by Barefoot Books, follows a young nonbinary kid named Marley who has big anxieties with crowds and loud noises. When Marley’s Zaza (Grandparent) is nominated for an award at the Pride Parade, they must overcome their fears to support their beloved family member. This is a heartwarming story about a young child finding community at Pride, and is perfect for readers ages 3-9.
A human is invited to the wedding of two very big giants in Tiger Tales’ THE BIG DAY: A Giant Celebration of Love, written by Rachel Plummer and illustrated by Forrest Burdett. At the Giants’ celebration, everyone is welcome no matter what they look like, where they are from, or what their background. Suitable for children ages 3-7.
THE PERFECT MATCH is a Cinderella-inspired story with a soccer spin, published by Nosy Crow, written by Chris Becker,illustrated by Dan Taylor. Jack’s favorite bedtime story is about a boy named Leo who joins the royal soccer match. Prince Ollie searches far and wide for the boy who scored the winning goal with him, and when he finds Leo, they live happily ever after. A perfect match for readers ages 4-8.
We highlight these unapologetically authentic picture books that continue the legacy of Pride by representing inclusion and diversity in children’s literature.. From uplifting LGBTQI+ experiences to celebrating stories of love, picture books play an important role in providing safe spaces for kids to freely embrace their identity and belonging. In sharing these stories, we hope to share our pride with readers and hope that it continues to inspire future generations.