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gender identity: 6 Articles

Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They

Identity September 28, 2021 11:43 pm By Sarah and Ian Hoffman
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Jacob—star of one of the most banned books of the decade according to the American Library Association—is back in his third book and ready to put on a school play! While learning their lines and making their costumes, Jacob’s class finds itself unexpectedly struggling with identity, and what it means to be “he”, “she”, or “they”. Jacob’s School Play is an engaging way to introduce young readers to non-binary people and the pronoun options available to us all. Learning that individuals are more nuanced than how others see them is a developmentally important milestone and helps foster respect of one’s self and one’s peers. Read an interview with Jacob about his play and learning about pronouns. Hear Jacob's School Play read aloud.

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Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They 2021-10-05T15:39:41-04:00

Celebrate Fathers and Father Figures

families June 17, 2021 10:00 am

Celebrate the father figures in your life! Whether you call him Dad, Papa, Father, Gramps, Opa, Abuelo, or Maddy—and no matter which pronouns they use—these people are an important part of families. Check out our stories about dads and father figures: My Maddy by Gayle E. Pitman, PhD explores what it’s like to have a gender-nonconforming parent from a child’s perspective.  “Most mommies are girls. Most daddies are boys. But lots of parents are like my Maddy. My Maddy has hazel eyes which are not brown or green. And my Maddy likes sporks because they are not quite a spoon or a fork. The best things in the world are not one thing or the other. They are something in between and entirely their own.” Read an excerpt from My Maddy’s Note to Readers here. Pockets Full of Rocks by Yair Engelberg presents a young daughter’s questions to her depressed father. He offers direct answers and promotes the hope that he will become his old self again. This gentle, hopeful book will help kids cope with a parent’s mental illness. Read an interview with the author here. Papa, Daddy, & Riley by Seamus Kirst explores Riley’s experience when one of her schoolmates asks which one of her dads is her real father. It celebrates the special, unique relationships children have with each of their parents and the love that makes a family. Hear Papa, Daddy, & Riley read aloud here.  Read a piece by Seamus Kirst about the power of inclusion here. Accordionly: Abuelo and Opa Make Music by Michael Genhart, PhD, tells the story of two musical grandfathers and a boy who uses their shared love of accordions to help them connect, even though they don’t speak the same language. It explores families’ rich cultural diversity and how, while we may be different, we all have much in common as well. Hear Accordionly read aloud here. Read a piece Dr. Genhart wrote about writing the book here.

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Celebrate Fathers and Father Figures 2021-06-14T18:51:24-04:00

Celebrate Pride Month with Great Books

families June 15, 2021 10:38 am

In June, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with Pride Month. Magination Press celebrates LGBTQ+ kids and families year-round with these books for LGBTQ+ kids and teens. Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They by Ian and Sarah Hoffman In his third book, Jacob, a gender-nonconforming kindergartner, prepares for a school play. A classmate, Ari, uses “they/them” pronouns, and Jacob finds it confusing. Jacob’s teacher helps him understand what it means to identify as nonbinary and why Ari uses “they.”  Read an interview about the school play with Jacob here. Read an interview with Jacob about his second book, Jacob’s Room to Choose, here. My Maddy by Gayle E. Pitman, PhD Most mommies are girls. Most daddies are boys. But lots of parents are like Maddy. Maddy has hazel eyes which are not brown or green. And Maddy likes sporks because they are not quite a spoon or a fork. The best things in the world are not one thing or the other. They are something in between and entirely their own. My Maddy explores what it’s like to have a gender-nonconforming parent from a child’s perspective.  Read an excerpt from My Maddy’s Note to Readers here. Papa, Daddy, & Riley by Seamus Kirst This book explores Riley’s experience when one of her schoolmates asks which one of her dads is her real father. It celebrates the special, unique relationships children have with each of their parents and the love that makes a family. Hear Papa, Daddy, & Riley read aloud here.  Read a piece by Seamus Kirst about the power of inclusion here. Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You by Karen Rayne, PhD and Kathryn Gonzales, MBA This all-inclusive, uncensored guide is for teens who are transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or gender fluid. Read an interview with Karen Rayne and Kathryn Gonzales about writing Trans+ here.  Read an excerpt from Trans+’s dictionary to learn about accurate and respectful language to discuss gender identity here. Our Rainbow Collection has stories about  the rainbow flag, and LBGTQ+ community leaders, various aspects of LBGTQ+ history, and the LBGTQ+ experience for young readers and teens. 

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Celebrate Pride Month with Great Books 2021-06-15T10:38:28-04:00