Open Books 2024 Book Donation Set

The book list below is the current book donation set for Open Books. If you are a school or a school district, you would want to contact Open Books because it is quite possible you could get all of these books for your elementary school libraries.

Actor/Co-founder of Open Books Morgan Walsh was interviewed for our Book Flood Podcast.

Golden Libraries provides this list solely for readers who want a vetted list of LGBTQ+ from which to choose. If you are a school looking for a donation, contact Open Books.

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The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived

THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE GLAAD AWARD-WINNING HULU SERIES, THE BRAVEST KNIGHT Follow Cedric on his journey from his days on a humble pumpkin farm to his adventures as a full-fledged knight in this tale about following your heart, wherever it may lead
Bravery isn’t just slaying dragons and rescuing people in distress; bravery is also being true to yourself
In this LGBTQIA+ fairytale that inspired The Bravest Knight series on Hulu, The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived shines a light on the importance of choosing one’s own path
Read how, from his humble beginnings on a pumpkin farm, Cedric transforms from a farm boy to full-fledged knight! Follow Sir Cedric as he faces thrilling adventures, vanquishes fire-breathing dragons, and saves a princess AND a prince
But the true test? Sir Cedric must follow his heart and choose his own fairy-tale ending

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Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag

JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION • Celebrate Pride and it’s iconic rainbow flag–a symbol of inclusion and acceptance around the world– with the very first picture book to tell its remarkable and inspiring history!
“Pride is a beacon of (technicolor) light
” –Entertainment Weekly
In this deeply moving and empowering true story, young readers will trace the life of the Gay Pride Flag, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today’s world
Award-winning author Rob Sanders’s stirring text, and acclaimed illustrator Steven Salerno’s evocative images, combine to tell this remarkable – and undertold – story

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The Boy & the Bindi

In this beautiful children’s picture book by Vivek Shraya, author of the acclaimed God Loves Hair, a five-year-old South Asian boy becomes fascinated with his mother’s bindi, the red dot commonly worn by Hindu women to indicate the point at which creation begins, and wishes to have one of his own
Rather than chastise her son, she agrees to it, and teaches him about its cultural significance, allowing the boy to discover the magic of the bindi, which in turn gives him permission to be more fully himself
Beautifully illustrated by Rajni Perera, The Boy & the Bindi is a joyful celebration of gender and cultural difference
Vivek Shraya is a writer, musician, performer, and filmmaker
His body of work includes twelve albums, four short films, and four books which include God Loves Hair, She of the Mountains, and even this page is white

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Red: A Crayon’s Story

A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as “red” suffers an identity crisis in this picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo
This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone
Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon’s Story is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way
Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age!Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue
His teacher tries to help him be red (let’s draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe

Rojo: Historia de una cera de colores (Spanish Edition)

Rojo es una cera de color azul con una etiqueta donde pone «rojo»
Su maestro intenta ayudarla a pintar de color rojo («¡Vamos a pintar fresas!»), su madre intenta ayudarla a ser de color rojo enviándola a jugar con una compañera de color amarillo («¡Id a pintar una bonita naranja!»), y las tijeras intentan ayudarla a ser de color rojo cortando un poco la etiqueta para que pueda respirar con más libertad
Pero Rojo no es feliz
No hay manera de que pinte rojo, por mucho que se esfuerce
Pero un día una nueva amiga la invita a pintar un océano y entonces Rojo descubre lo que los lectores ya sabían todo el rato: ¡ella es azul! Una colorida narración sobre el derecho a la diferencia en la cual todo el mundo encontrará su propio motivo de reflexión

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Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman

This acclaimed picture book autobiography tells the triumphant story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas
When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she’d be in Congress
And she never thought she’d be one of the first Native American women in Congress
During her campaign, she heard from a lot of doubters
They said she couldn’t win because of how she looked, who she loved, and where she came from

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Melissa (previously published as GEORGE)

BE WHO YOU ARE
Melissa joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels
Includes exclusive bonus content!When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George
But she knows she’s not a boy
She knows she’s a girl

Annie’s Plaid Shirt

ANNIE’S PLAID SHIRT is a Mom’s Choice Awards GOLD Recipient!A Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Awards Winner!A Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist! 5 STARS from San Francisco Book Review!Annie loves her plaid shirt and wears it everywhere
But one day her mom tells Annie that she must wear a dress to her uncle’s wedding
Annie protests, but her mom insists and buys her a fancy new dress anyway
Annie is miserable
She feels weird in dresses

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The Civil War of Amos Abernathy

An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Selection * Golden Kite Award Winner * New York Public Library Best Books for Kids * ALA Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth * Jane Addams Award finalist * Lambda Literary Award FinalistA heartfelt debut novel about a boy’s attempt to find himself in the history he loves—perfect for fans of Dear Sweet Pea and From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Amos Abernathy lives for history
Literally
He’s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life
But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there’s something missing from history: someone like the two of them

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Be Who You Are

This modern classic from New York Times bestselling author Todd Parr encourages kids to be proud of who they are inside—perfect for fans of Todd’s beloved It’s Okay to Be Different
With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling, beloved author Todd Parr has long been a favorite among young readers and caregivers
His books promote an essential message of love and acceptance that is inspiring, empowering, and accessible
Be who you are! Be proud of where you’re from
Be a different color

Miguel’s Community Garden (Where In the Garden?)

Miguel searches for sunflowers in his community garden in this vibrant exploration of growing food and healthy eating, from the Where in the Garden? series
Miguel is throwing a party at his community garden for all of his friends, and he needs help searching for sunflowers to complete the celebration
What do we know about sunflowers? They’re tall with petals and leaves—and, hold on, is that a sunflower? No, that’s an artichoke
Where, oh, where could those sunflowers be? Can you help Miguel find them in time for his party?
The second title in the Where in the Garden? picture book series stars a young Latino boy who visits his community garden with his two dads to explore the fruits and vegetables growing there

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Calvin

In this joyful and impactful picture book, a transgender boy prepares for the first day of school and introduces himself to his family and friends for the first time
Calvin has always been a boy, even if the world sees him as a girl
He knows who he is in his heart and in his mind but he hasn’t yet told his family
Finally, he can wait no longer: “I’m not a girl,” he tells his family
“I’m a boy–a boy in my heart and in my brain