Publisher of Books in Supreme Court Case Committed to LGBTQ+ Representation

By the time this column appears, the U.S. Supreme Court may have decided in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case revolving around LGBTQ+-inclusive books in public school classrooms. Two of the books in the case were published by Little Bee Books, whose CEO and editorial director spoke with me about LGBTQ+ inclusion, their partnership with LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization GLAAD, and the case itself.

Little Bee, an independent children's book publisher specializing in progressive and inclusive books, is "a very mission driven and focused company," said CEO Shimul Tolia. One of its five core "pillars of publishing" focuses on LGBTQ+ acceptance. "We wanted to publish LGBTQ+-inclusive books because we were looking for gaps in the children's publishing industry, and one of those gaps was content and storytelling that showcased the LGBTQ+ community," explained Tolia. "We really wanted to tell stories that were overlooked or silenced."

Daniel Haack's "Prince & Knight" was "the book that started it all for us," she said. After they received the story, in 2017, they started thinking about partnering with GLAAD, because they wanted to ensure that "the content we were putting out was respectful and all-encompassing of the community that we were trying to elevate and empower." GLAAD, for its part, was seeking to do more outreach to families, she said, while Little Bee, as a children's book publisher, had those connections. "It ended up being very mutually beneficial," she observed.

Editorial Director Brett Duquette, a queer dad himself, said that more than 20 books have come from the partnership so far, with more in development. He said Little Bee is "always looking for stories that center the child," and ones that "help our LGBTQ+ kids and families find themselves positively represented so they can feel valued." They may even help adults "have the words that they might not organically have to share with their child."

For example, Little Bee is working with GLAAD on "My Gender, My Rules," by Andy Passchier, a nonfiction picture book coming out in November. "There's been a lot of misinformation about gender and gender expression," he said, and the book is meant "to help families and kids have important conversations about it." Another recent title is "I Am Not a Vampire," by actor and activist Miles McKenna, illustrated by Riley Samels, "an allegory about finding your authentic self."

Perhaps the most well-known book from the partnership, however, is "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," by Sarah Brannen, illustrated by Lucia Soto, about a girl worried that her favorite uncle will no longer have time for her after he marries his boyfriend. It had originally been published elsewhere in 2008, but was republished by Little Bee with updated text and new illustrations in 2020. The new edition was named to multiple "best books" lists.

In 2022, both "Uncle Bobby's Wedding" and "Prince & Knight" were among several LGBTQ+-inclusive picture books added to a list of optional, supplemental materials for Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). A group of parents, however, brought a lawsuit against MCPS, claiming their religious freedom was violated if they did not have a chance to opt out their children before the books were read in classrooms. The case was ultimately heard this past April by the U.S. Supreme Court, where Justice Samuel Alito tried to argue that the protagonist in "Uncle Bobby's Wedding" had "reservations" about her uncle marrying a man, an interpretation that Brannen has publicly refuted.

Tolia said of the case, "The reason the [MCPS] educators brought these books in was to showcase the neighbors in that community. That to me, is really the crux of everything. If the books you're bringing into school are to help the children see themselves or their neighbors, then I think it's really sad that this case had to go all the way to the Supreme Court."

She asserted, "I think that being exposed to ideas broadens our perspective and broadens our compassion, and that is what we are trying to teach children through our books," adding, "I don't think that violates somebody's religious belief, that compassion and that understanding."

At the same time, she said, "We'll fully acknowledge our LGBTQ+ books are not meant for everyone." Instead, "What we are here to do is offer a variety of different types of storytelling for people who do want to bring this content into their homes or communities." She "completely respect[s}" whatever choice parents want to make within a household, but said, "It's tougher when a household wants to make a decision for a community, and that's when we'll be there to ensure our voice is heard."

That means supporting "the people on the frontline," including librarians, teachers, and other educators "who often bear the brunt of a lot of the discourse around book bans," she said. "That's what we always try to do: support the people who are doing their best to stick up for this First Amendment that we all believe in."

Duquette added, "We are going to continue to support our authors and the publishing partnership that we have with GLAAD. It's important for LGBTQ+ kids and families and also families who are not members of the LGBTQ+ community to see these lives positively represented."

And he emphasized, "The editors at Little Bee take our work very seriously about helping children see themselves, especially children who are sometimes not shown in a positive light. I want to ensure that we give them a book that says, 'You're valued, you exist."

Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian (mombian.com), a two-time GLAAD Media Award-winning blog for LGBTQ+ parents plus a searchable database of 1,800+ LGBTQ+ family books.