10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert; Ages 4-8

Every night, Bailey dreams about magical dresses: dresses made of crystals and rainbows, dresses made of flowers, and dresses made of windows. Unfortunately, when Bailey's awake, no one wants to hear about these beautiful dreams. "You're a BOY!" Mother and Father tell Bailey. "You shouldn't be thinking about dresses at all." Then Bailey meets Laurel, an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey’s imagination and courage. In friendship, the two of them begin making dresses together. And Bailey’s dreams come true!  This gorgeous picture book—a modern fairy tale about becoming the person you feel you are inside—will delight people of all ages.

Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards

2009 Rainbow List, American Library Association

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell & Justin Richardson; Ages 4-8

 Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo who for six years formed a couple. The pair was observed trying to hatch a rock that resembled an egg. When zookeepers realized that Roy and Silo were both male, it occurred to them to give them the second egg of a mixed-sex penguin couple, a couple which had previously been unable to successfully hatch two eggs at once. Roy and Silo hatched and raised the healthy young chick, a female named "Tango" by keepers, because it takes two to tango.   

#1 Most Challenged Book in America for 2007 (American Library Association)

 Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Book of the Year (2006)

Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden; Young Adult

MIT and become an architect. Annie goes to a public school and lives with her parents — a bookkeeper and a cabdriver — and grandmother in a more disreputable part of Brooklyn. While they have different histories and goals in life, the two girls do share a close friendship that quickly grows into love.

Liza Winthrop first meets Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a rainy day. The two become fast friends, although they come from different backgrounds. Liza is the student body president at her private school, Foster Academy, where she is studying hard to get into 

100 most influential books of the 20th century; School Library Journal

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger; Grades 9+

Angela McNair is a boy! Oh, to the rest of the world she's obviously a girl. But the transgendered high-school junior 

Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards, 2008  ·  NYPL Books for the Teen Age list, 2008

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; Young Adult

The story is narrated by a teenager named Charlie, who describes various scenes in his life by writing a series of letters to an anonymous friend.  The story explores topics such asintroversion, teenage sexuality, abuse, and the awkward times of adolescence. One of the major stories in the book is the friendship of Charlie and Patrick.  Patrick is an openly gay high school student who has a relationship with the star player of the high school football team.

#10 Most Challenged Book in America in 2007 (American Library Association)

American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults (2000)

Totally Joe by James Howe; Grades 6-8

Joe's teacher asks his seventh-grade class to write an alpha-biography throughout the year, presenting themselves and their lives in entries from A to Z. Joe's essays begin and end with friends, from Addie, a long-time pal and confidant, to Zachary, a new student who, like Joe, has a unique approach to life. Throughout, Joe demonstrates that he truly is a one-of-a-kind kid, mostly comfortable with himself but still struggling with common adolescent issues. It's difficult for him to relate to his athletic brother, and he misses his much-loved Aunt Pam, who moves to New York City. He also comes to grips with his sexuality, questioning gender expectations and traditional roles as he realizes he is gay. Because he is different, he is tormented by Kevin, who calls him a girl and faggot and falsely accuses him of kissing his friend Colin (a jock not yet ready to come out).

 Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards  ·  American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults Nominee