To celebrate Pride Month, I have curated this list of LGBTQIA+ children’s books in Chinese. I hope these books will help us raise LGBTQIA+ awareness and promote equality and inclusivity in the Chinese learning community.
Children’s books with LGBTQIA+ characters and content are hard to find, even more so in Chinese. I will continue to add more books and create a more extensive list. Please comment below or send me an email to share any book titles that you would like added to this list.
她有兩個爸爸
- [Tā yǒu liǎng gè bàba]
- English: The Girls with Two Dads
- By Mel Elliot
- ISBN: 9789862744727
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
The story is about a new girl in school that has two dads. The protagonist thinks her dad is so much fun, having two dads must be even more fun! She wonders about all the cool things they will get to do at her new friend’s house. Surely they will have cake for dinner because that’s what fun dads do. But it turns out, her friend’s family is just like any other family.
Available at books.com.tw
我有兩個媽媽
- [Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè māmā]
- English Translation: I Have Two Moms
- By 劉育豪
- ISBN：9789865517380
- Language: Traditional Chinese
This is Taiwan’s first picture book to teach children about diverse family structures. Written by an elementary school teacher and gender equality activist in Taiwan.
Available at books.com.tw
The ABC’s of LGBT+ 性別是彩虹色的嗎？
- [Xìngbié shì cǎihóng sè de ma?]
- English: The ABC’s of LGBT+
- By Ashley Mardell
- ISBN: 9789578544444
- Language: Traditional Chinese
A collection of 39 personal LGBT stories and 112 gender vocabulary words. This book also introduces the gender spectrum to help children understand gender identity topics.
Available at books.com.tw, Hyread, and ReadMoo
凱文公主
- [Kǎi wén gōngzhǔ]
- English: Princess Kevin
- By Michaël Escoffier
- ISBN：9789865503307
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
Kevin wants to enter the school costume show as a princess but things don’t go as planned when none of the knights will partner with him. This is a heartwarming and funny story about self-expression.
Available at Yo Baby Shop and books.com.tw
胡利安是隻美人魚
- [Hú lì’ān shì zhī měirényú]
- English: Julian is a Mermaid
- By Jessica Love
- ISBN: 9789571466927
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
While riding the subway home with his abuela, Julián sees three women dressed up as beautiful mermaids. When Julián gets home he creates his own fabulous mermaid costume. But what will Abuela think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.
Available at books.com.tw
迪斯可
- [Dí sī kě]
- English: Disco
- By Frauke Angel
- ISBN: 9789865223229
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
Disco! is a heartwarming and funny picture book about a girl named Pina that confronts gender stereotypes.
Available at books.com.tw
粉紅色影子的男孩
- [Fěnhóng sè yǐngzi de nánhái]
- English: My Shadow is Pink
- ISBN: 9789577627063
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
My Shadow Is Pink touches on the subjects of gender identity, self-acceptance, equality, and diversity. Inspired by the author’s own little boy, the main character likes princesses, fairies, and things “not for boys.” He soon learns (through the support of his dad) that everyone has a shadow that they sometimes feel they need to hide.
Available at books.com.tw and Eslite
蝸牛小ㄕㄢ是男生或女生？
- [Wōniú xiǎoshan1 shì nánshēng huò nǚshēng?]
- Polish: Kim jest slimak Sam?
- By Jakub Szamalek
- ISBN: 9789862942208
- Language: Traditional Chinese
Sam the snail is a bit different than the rest of the class. He cannot decide if he is a boy or a girl. He hides in his shell out of shame, but the school teacher sends him on a special assignment to the forest. Sam meets animals that teach him there is more than one way to live and create a family.
Available at books.com.tw
誰說這是男生的玩具！
- [Shéi shuō zhè shì nánshēng de wánjù!]
- English: Pearl Power and the Toy Problem
- By Mel Elliott
- ISBN: 9789862744987
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
“Who says this is a boy’s toy!” Pei Er faces the stereotype that girls can’t play dinosaurs, but her friend Peier bravely stands up to break the stereotype. Young readers can learn about subtle gender stereotypes in society and reflect on the social responsibility and the role of others in the community.
Available at books.com.tw
女生 男生
- [Nǚshēng nánshēng]
- Spanish: Las mujeres y los hombres
- By Equipo Plantel
- ISBN: 9789865505325
- Language: Traditional Chinese
The book points out society’s gender expectations—girls wear pink and boys wear blue, boys need to be brave and strong while girls need to be beautiful and well-behaved. The story helps to break down these stereotypes to promote gender equality.
Available at books.com.tw and Readmoo
國王與國王
- [Guówáng yǔ guówáng]
- Dutch: Koning & Koning
- By Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
- ISBN: 9789862744154
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
To inherit the throne, the prince must marry. The queen invites many princesses but the prince’s heart is moved by a princess’s brother. This story teaches that love knows no boundaries and cannot be forced or controlled.
Available at books.com.tw
國王一家人系列 2
- [Guówáng yījiā rén xìliè 2]
- Dutch: Kral & kral & rodina
- By Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
- ISBN: 9789862744161
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
The Kings are headed to the jungle for their honeymoon! This fairytale shows the diverse faces of love and family.
Available at books.com.tw
一家三口
- [Yījiā sānkǒu]
- English: And Tango Makes Three
- By Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
- ISBN: 9789865513580
- Language: Traditional Chinese
This award-winning children’s book is an adaptation of the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo. The pair adopted an egg and raised a penguin chick together, creating their own family.
Available at books.com.tw
蚯蚓愛蚯蚓
- [Qiūyǐn ài qiūyǐn]
- English: Worm Loves Worm
- By J. J. Austrian
- ISBN: 9789570850864
- Language: Traditional Chinese
When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?
The answer is: It doesn’t matter. Because Worm loves Worm.
Available at books.com.tw
各種各樣的家：家庭大書
- [Gè zhǒng gè yàng de jiā: Jiātíng dà shū]
- English: The Great Big Book of Families
- By Mary Hoffman
- ISBN: 9789866310713
- Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
This book celebrates all kinds of families and their lives together, depicting different cultures and family structures beyond a mother, father, and children.
Available at books.com.tw and Gloria’s Bookstore
*Cantonese speakers can watch the read aloud by Cantonese Mommy
Habbi Habbi Books
- Language: Bilingual—English, Simplified Chinese, and Pinyin
Habbi Habbi books are always diverse and inclusive. Their Book of Family features different types of families. Their books come with a reading wand that makes learning a second language fun and easy.
Habbi Habbi also offers free printable resources at Habbi Habbi Website
Hello! Do these book websites ship to the US? I am a 3rd grade Mandarin dual language immersion teacher in a public school in New York City. We teach traditional Chinese and I am always looking for new places to order for our school!
Hello Karen! Gloria’s bookstore and YoBaby are located in the US and will ship free (with a minimum purchase) to NYC. Books.com.tw will ship to the US from Taiwan.