Why am I passionate about this?

I wrote Uncle Bobby’s Wedding in 2005, just after same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts. It was published in 2008 and immediately became the target of anti-LGBT attacks. Many people attempted to ban it. Some went so far as to burn it – and then they wrote to tell me they had. It was one of the most challenged books in the country that year, and it was one of the 100 most-challenged books of the decade. I have been deeply involved with LGBTQ+ picture books ever since. 


I wrote

Uncle Bobby's Wedding

By Sarah S. Brannen, Lucia Soto (illustrator),

Book cover of Uncle Bobby's Wedding

What is my book about?

Chloe’s favorite uncle is getting married, and she’s not happy about it. But after a magical day with Uncle Bobby…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Mommy, Mama, and Me

Sarah S. Brannen Why did I love this book?

This is a lovely little book, told in rhyming couplets, about sweet everyday moments between a child and one or the other of its mothers. At the end, both moms tuck the child, whose gender is not specified, into bed. The ink and watercolor illustrations capture each moment with positive emotions. 

By Lesléa Newman, Carol Thompson (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Mommy, Mama, and Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Mommy, Mama, and Me by Lesléa Newman [Tricycle Press, 2009] Board book [Board...


Book cover of Maiden & Princess

Sarah S. Brannen Why did I love this book?

This sweet story told in rhyme begins with the usual trope of a royal family holding a ball to find a bride for the prince. One maiden, the bravest in the land, is not thrilled. The racially diverse cast of characters, illustrated in bright colors, find an ending satisfying to all when the maiden falls in love with the prince’s sister.

By Daniel Haack, Isabel Galupo, Becca Human (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Maiden & Princess as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

In this modern fairy tale, a strong, brave maiden is invited to attend the prince's royal ball, but at the dance, she ends up finding true love in a most surprising place.

"The prince is smart and strong,"

she confided in her mother.

"But if I'm being honest,

I see him as a brother."

Her mother said, "Just go!

And have a bit of fun.

The prince might not be right,

but you could meet the one."

Once in a faraway kingdom, a strong, brave maiden is invited to attend the prince's royal ball, but she's not as excited to…


Book cover of When Aidan Became a Brother

Sarah S. Brannen Why did I love this book?

Everyone thought Aiden was a girl, but he hated the sound of his name and felt like his room belonged to someone else. Aiden knows he is a boy, and although it’s hard to tell his parents, he does. Spare, straightforward text and detailed illustrations will bring young readers along on Aiden’s journey as he gets ready to be a big brother to a new baby.

By Kyle Lukoff, Kaylani Juanita (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked When Aidan Became a Brother as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

This sweet and groundbreaking picture book, winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother.Best Books of 2019, Kirkus Reviews
Best Books of 2019, School Library Journal
Editors' Choices for Books for Youth, Booklist
Best of the Best Books of 2019, Chicago Public Library
Starred review, Kirkus Reviews
Starred review, Publishers Weekly
Starred review, Booklist
Starred review, School Library Journal

When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and…


Book cover of Worm Loves Worm

Sarah S. Brannen Why did I love this book?

Worm and Worm decide to get married, with a supportive group of bugs. They have a few problems: they don’t have fingers, so how can they wear rings? And they both want to be the bride! In fact, they both want to be the groom, too. “We’ll just change how it’s done,” says Worm, and so they get married. A cute and funny story with delightful illustrations.

By J.J. Austrian, Mike Curato (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Worm Loves Worm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of And Tango Makes Three and The Sissy Duckling, this irresistible picture book is a celebration of love in all its splendid forms from debut author J. J. Austrian and the acclaimed author-illustrator of Little Elliot, Big City, Mike Curato. You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm ...and a worm. 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…


Book cover of Jerome by Heart

Sarah S. Brannen Why did I love this book?

The main character, a little boy named Raphael, loves his friend Jerome. And Raphael loves Jerome for good reasons – Jerome makes him feel protected, Jerome holds his hand, “Jerome always sees me, even when he’s with his friends.” Despite a little opposition from Raphael’s parents, this is the warmest of books about how sweet and life-affirming the love between two children can be.

By Thomas Scotto, Olivier Tallec (illustrator), Claudia Bedrick (translator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jerome by Heart as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Raphael loves Jerome. I say it. It's easy."
This story follows a little boy named Raphael, whose daily rhythm is steeped in his immense affection for his friend Jerome. The two boys share jokes and snacks and plan future adventures to the Himalayas. Even when Raphael's constant talk of Jerome is driving his parents crazy, he remains steadfast: "Raphael loves Jerome. I can say it. It's easy." And the truth is, when he's with Jerome, Raphael feels happy, liked, and understood- even special. Thomas Scotto's simple, strong, and insightful prose and Olivier Tallec's delightful, expressive illustrations give much emotion and…


Explore my book 😀

Uncle Bobby's Wedding

By Sarah S. Brannen, Lucia Soto (illustrator),

Book cover of Uncle Bobby's Wedding

What is my book about?

Chloe’s favorite uncle is getting married, and she’s not happy about it. But after a magical day with Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend, Jamie, Chloe realizes she’s not losing an uncle, but gaining one.

​Produced in coordination with GLAAD, this adorable picture book is a positive example of same-sex marriage and a celebration of family.

You might also like...

What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

Book cover of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

Sharman Apt Russell Author Of Diary of a Citizen Scientist: Chasing Tiger Beetles and Other New Ways of Engaging the World

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Explorer Runner Mother

Sharman's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife—mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice—near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. She guides readers through the basics of identifying tracks and signs, revealing a landscape filled with the marks left by browsing deer, predatory weasels, and inquisitive bears, skunks, and raccoons. Master tracker Kim A Cabrera provides photos and illustrations.

Winner of the prestigious John Burroughs Medal, Russell also writes about community, a sense of place, and a renewed connection with the nonhuman world. She explores the health of…

What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

What is this book about?

Did a red fox pass this way? Could that be a bobcat print there in the dirt? Do those tracks belong to a domestic dog or a coyote? Combining lyrical memoir with an introduction to wildlife tracking, What Walks This Way explores the joys of learning to recognize the traces of the creatures with whom we share our world.

The nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife-mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice-near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. With wit and compassion, she guides readers through…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in best friends, brothers, and spiders?

Best Friends 79 books
Brothers 113 books
Spiders 14 books