Books for children and youth

The books below feature trans or non-binary main characters. Find more books for kids about diverse families, sexuality, orientation, and gender at The Rainbow Owl. Thanks to Lindsay Russel of BC Libraries Association for your contributions to this list!

Please support books written by trans authors! Indicated by * .

Books for adults

Elementary

From the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea
Kai Cheng Thom*

Cover of book

Who are you?
Brook Pessin-Whedbee

Book cover - kids playing on a swing, and in a tree.

It's ok to sparkle!
Avery Jackson*

Cover of book

Introducing Teddy
Jessica Walton

Book cover - Introducing Teddy, and image of a teddy bear looking into the mirror.

I am Jazz
Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings*

Book cover - I am Jazz, an image of a girl, with framed photos of her family in the background.

Are you a boy or a girl?
Sarah Savage

Book cover - a drawing of a smiling red head

Can I tell you about Gender Diversity?
CJ Atkinson*

Book cover - Can I tell you about gender diversity, each letter alternates from yellow to red to blue.

My new daddy
Lilly Mossiano*

Book cover - My New Daddy, a parent and child laying in the grass.

My new mommy
Lilly Mossiano*

Book cover - My New Mommy, a parent and child, with vines and flowers in the background.

Be who you are!
Jennifer Carr

Book cover - Be who you are! A masculine child looking into the mirror and seeing a feminine reflection..

One of A Kind, Like Me/Único como yo
Laurin Mayeno

Book Cover - Illustration of a child holding a piece of paper with a drawing of a person wearing a skirt and crown.

Middle School

George
Alex Gino*

Booke Cover - multi-coloured 'George' with a person's eyes peaking through the 'O'

The other boy
M.G. Hennessey

Book Cover - a trans boy looking at his shadow.

Gracefully Grayson
Ami Polonsky

An image of 3 shirts - one that is masculine, one that is feminine, and one that is in between.

The pants project
Cat Clarke

A picture of legs wearing pants, next to skirts on either side. Text reads 'The Pants Project'

Lily and Dunkin
Donna Gephart

Lily and Dunkin - two people sitting next to one another in a tree.

They She He Me: Free to Be!
Maya Christina Gonzalez and Matthew SG

Book Cover - title written in green, blue, and yellow bubble letters.

It Feels Good to Be Yourself
Theresa Thorn

Book Cover - Colourful children on grass, surrounded by flowers

High School Fiction

If I was your girl
Meredith Russo*

Picture of a girl whose body turn away, and she is looking back at the reader.

Dreadnaught
April Daniels*

Book Cover - a person in a cape with a city-scape in the background.

Fierce femmes and notorius liars
Kai Cheng Thom*

Book cover - two hands with painted nails, holding a cigarette. Other femme imagery including heels, lipstick, and a fancy cake.

I am J
Cris Beam

Book cover - a grey zip-up hoodie with a blue shirt underneath. As the hoodie unzips, it reveals the text 'I am J'

Symptoms of being human
Jeff Garvin

Book cover - a shaggy, black haircut with no face.

When the moon was ours
Anna-Marie McLemore

Book Cover - a silhouetted tower with a starlit sky in the background.

Beautiful music for ugly children
Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Book cover - a teal city-scape with a set of yellow headphones on top and pink headphones underneath.

Lizard radio
Pat Schmatz

Book cover - A black lizard on blue, green, and yellow circles.

The art of being normal
Lisa Williamson

Book cover - a male sign (as seen on washrooms) split in half by a female sign (as seen on washrooms).

I Wish You all the Best
Mason Deaver*

Book Cover - illustration of person resting their head on another's shoulder.

Birthday: A Novel
Meredith Russo*

Book Cover - two teens one with short blonde hair, one with shaved brown hair

High School Non-Fiction

The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity
Rylan Jay Testa PhD, Deborah Coolhart PhD LMFT, and Jayme Peta MA MS

Book Cover - The back of three teens walking down a dirt road while embracing one another

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
Susan Kuklin

Book Cover - Transmasculine teen holding face and smiling, wearing pink shirt, black bow-tie, green pants, and rainbow belt

Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult
Skylar Kergil*

Book Cover - Illustration of author's profile

Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen
Jazz Jennings*

Book Cover - Author with long brown hair, smiling, wearing pink sweater and jean cut-off shorts

Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition
Katie Rain Hill*

Book Cover - Small boy with shadow of a woman

Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen
Arin Andrews*

Book Cover - Title written with odds and ends

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns
Archie Bongiovanni* and Tristan Jimerson

Book Cover - Two illustrated people stand back to back, smiling

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