ABOVE: Santa’s Husband. Photo via Harper Design.
Whether you’re cuddled up with a loved one, celebrating the season in solitude or looking for the perfect present for a gift swap, books are a fantastic way to get in the holiday spirit.
LGBTQ representation is still arguably more prevalent on the page than it is in any other form of media, and as it does in every medium, representation matters. It’s something major book publishers around the world agree on, introducing inclusive content year after year.
“Books draw us in, teach us lessons and allow us to see other points of view and places in the world,” HarperCollins Publishers explains. “Everyone should be able to see themselves and their lives reflected in quality literature, from picture books to chapter books, graphic novels and non-fiction.”
That’s why we’ve gathered a list of 8 LGBTQ-inclusive holiday books for all ages here. They’re sure to become some of your favorite reads this and every season, so pick up a copy wherever books are sold.
“Holiday Hearts” (Bold Strokes Books, 2021)
Diana Day-Admire’s holiday romance introduces readers to Logan Brady, who’s dreading coming out to her family over the holidays. She meets Mick Finnegan on her plane ride home, unaware her brother has invited her to celebrate the season with their family. When they’re stranded in Chicago overnight and share the only available hotel room, things get interesting. “Being home for the holidays is complicated, and Logan and Mick are one food fight and a ride to jail away from learning to live without fear and love without limits,” it’s described.
“Light the Menorah! A Hanukkah Handbook” (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2018)
This all-ages picture book from author Jacqueline Jules and illustrator Kristina Swarner is billed as “the Hanukkah manual for the contemporary Jewish family,” featuring at least one same-sex couple. It includes the holiday’s history, rituals, activities, songs and recipes, providing tools “for creating meaningful family moments in light of the menorah.” It also includes “brief reflections to read aloud before reciting the candle-lighting blessings” on each of Hanukkah’s eight nights.
“Miss Claus” (NineStar Press, 2021)
J.R. Hart’s narrative introduces Kris Claus, Santa Claus’ daughter and successor. Nothing can stop her except her ex, who’s trying to replace her “by bringing up an archaic gender law that says women can’t be Santa.” Miss Claus “won’t give up who she really is – a proud woman – to reach her dreams,” however, and “when a letter from a transgender girl down South reminds her of herself as a child, Kris knows exactly what’s at stake, not just for her own dreams, but for the dreams of girls everywhere.”
“Over the River & Through the Wood: A Holiday Adventure” (Union Square Kids, 2015)
Author Linda Ashman and illustrator Kim Smith bring a new twist to a classic song. In this winter tale, Grandma and Grandpa invite “their far-flung, modern and multiracial family [to] ‘Come to our house for the holidays – and bring your favorite pie!’” That includes LGBTQ members. “Off everyone goes, driving down snowy roads, riding the train, boarding a plane … even sailing along in a hot-air balloon,” its synopsis reads.
“Rachel’s Christmas Boat” (Flamingo Rampant, 2017)
Sophie Labelle’s picture book introduces readers to Lulu and her transgender parent, dealing with pronouns and more. “When Lulu’s Dad tells Lulu that she’s going to change her name to Rachel and be a lady now, Lulu has a major worry: what if Santa doesn’t find out in time to fix all the tags on Rachel’s presents?” its synopsis asks. “Lulu decides to take matters into her own hands and make sure her Dad gets the lovely Christmas she deserves for being a most excellent parent.”
“Santa’s Husband” (Harper Design, 2017)
Author Daniel Kibblesmith and illustrator A.P. Quach introduce readers to a Santa who is Black and married to a white husband, an equally cheery fellow. “We see the Clauses sitting by the fire at their cozy North Pole home, vacationing at the beach, having an occasional disagreement, celebrating their wedding day, and comforting each other when some loudmouth people on television angrily dispute Santa’s appearance and lifestyle,” it’s described. It shows readers that Santa “can come in all shapes and colors and sizes – just like the children and families he visits all over the world each Christmas eve.”
“The Christmas Truck” (NarraGarden LLC, 2014)
“If you are in need of some Christmas cheer, or you have some cheer to spare, here is a book to warm you heart, a gift for friends to share,” author J.B. Blankenship and illustrator Cassandre Bolan’s book teases. “So settle in and know, my friend, before you turn the page, that this is a story for everyone: for friends of every age.” “The Christmas Truck” introduces readers to Papa, Dad and their amazing kid, who work together with a fabulous grandmother to “implement a plan to save Christmas for a child they have never met.”
“The Holiday Trap” (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2022)
This LGBTQ romcom from Roan Parrish features two separate couples who find love after swapping homes for the holidays. Meet Truman Belvedere, whose heart was broken by his boyfriend’s secret life, and Greta Russakoff, who’s grappling with being LGBTQ in a small town. They give one another a chance to experience a new life, “but all holidays must come to an end, and eventually these two transplants will have to decide whether the love (and found family) they each discovered so far from home is worth fighting for.”
View each book’s cover below via their respective publishers.
This feature was originally published in Watermark’s 2022 Holiday Guide. Read it online here for an LGBTQ-inclusive look at the holiday season in Tampa Bay and Central Florida.
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