100 books like Pink Is for Boys

By Robb Pearlman, Eda Kaban (illustrator),

Here are 100 books that Pink Is for Boys fans have personally recommended if you like Pink Is for Boys. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Proudest Blue

Matthew Ralph Author Of Family Means...

From my list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a British author who specializes in writing about diversity and inclusion. I’ve always been a firm believer in equality for all, and I think diversity is such a vital subject for children to learn. It’s so important to teach children to love themselves and treat others how they would want to be treated, even if they are different than you. I believe a little bit of love goes a long way. I hope you enjoy my list of children’s books about diversity and share in my passion for children’s books that champion love and acceptance for everyone.

Matthew's book list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion

Matthew Ralph Why did Matthew love this book?

I don’t think there is enough representation in children’s books for different religions and cultures. This book celebrates the hijab and its cultural significance and is an inspiring story of love and acceptance. I’ve not seen many other books like this one, so it’s important to champion books that showcase underrepresented groups. The illustrations are fantastic and accentuate the story, and the color blue serves as a beautiful theme that runs throughout the book. My favorite color is blue as well, so perhaps that is also why I have a soft spot for this book.

By Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali, Hatem Aly (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Proudest Blue 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?

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2019!
'A ground-breaking picture book about religion, sisterhood and identity' Waterstones Best Picture Books of 2020
Asiya's hijab is like the ocean and the sky, no line between them, saying hello with a loud wave.
It's Faizah's first day of school, and her older sister Asiya's first day of hijab - made of a beautiful blue fabric. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful. In the face of hurtful, confusing words, will Faizah find new ways to be strong?
This is an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the…


Book cover of Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger: Social Emotional Book for Kids about Diversity and Kindness

Matthew Ralph Author Of Family Means...

From my list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a British author who specializes in writing about diversity and inclusion. I’ve always been a firm believer in equality for all, and I think diversity is such a vital subject for children to learn. It’s so important to teach children to love themselves and treat others how they would want to be treated, even if they are different than you. I believe a little bit of love goes a long way. I hope you enjoy my list of children’s books about diversity and share in my passion for children’s books that champion love and acceptance for everyone.

Matthew's book list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion

Matthew Ralph Why did Matthew love this book?

This story is told in bouncy rhyme and teaches children an important message of self-love and acceptance of others. Most importantly, the message of the book is genuinely charming and heartwarming. The rich and engaging illustrations in this book are a joy to look at and perfectly fit with the theme of this book. I especially appreciate the variety of characters shown in the book: every gender, ethnicity, and body type is showcased beautifully. 

By Elizabeth Cole, Julia Kamenshikova (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger 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?

If you want to teach your child to accept himself and others as they are, then this picture book about diversity will be your best assistant. It will help your little ones to respect all the differences that make us unique.

In this kids’ book, our little hero named Nick will show your children that we all are different in many ways, and everyone is unique—which is great! Nicky is afraid that his friends will not accept him because of his new reading glasses. By talking to his peers on the way to school, he discovers the beauty of diversity…


Book cover of Julian Is a Mermaid

Beth Cox Author Of All Bodies Are Wonderful: An Inclusive Guide to talking about you!

From my list on embracing who you are.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an inclusion consultant working with publishers to help ensure all children are included in books. It’s easy to forget how important embracing all types of bodies is when thinking about diversity and inclusion. But inclusion is essentially about welcoming and appreciating all different types of bodies. The best way to promote this is to build a sense of awe about how bodies are created, understand the science behind why differences occur, and see that bodies come in many shapes and forms, and are all beautiful. There are so many books that can help with this, but alongside my book, the books on this list are a great place to start.

Beth's book list on embracing who you are

Beth Cox Why did Beth love this book?

This book is a joyful celebration of being a child and exploring your interests, without feeling bound by the constraints of expectations, gendered or otherwise. Books like these help our children to see that it’s okay to explore who they are, and model to adults how you can positively accept that exploration (rather than fear it). 

By Jessica Love,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Julian Is a Mermaid 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?

A glimpse of three women dressed as mermaids leaves one boy filled with wonder and ready to dazzle the world.

"Every choice Jessica Love makes imbues the story with charm, tenderness and humor" New York TImes Book Review

While riding the subway home with his Nana one day, Julian notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train carriage. When Julian gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies and making his own fabulous…


Book cover of But No Elephants

Matthew Ralph Author Of Family Means...

From my list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a British author who specializes in writing about diversity and inclusion. I’ve always been a firm believer in equality for all, and I think diversity is such a vital subject for children to learn. It’s so important to teach children to love themselves and treat others how they would want to be treated, even if they are different than you. I believe a little bit of love goes a long way. I hope you enjoy my list of children’s books about diversity and share in my passion for children’s books that champion love and acceptance for everyone.

Matthew's book list on children’s books about diversity and inclusion

Matthew Ralph Why did Matthew love this book?

This book is an enduring memory from my own childhood. I remember my parents used to read this to me, and they put on funny voices for each of the characters. I love the message of this book, that even though you are different from others, we can all coexist and learn to celebrate our differences. The illustrations are also so charming and really bring the story to life. 

By Jerry Smath,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked But No Elephants 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?

Grandma Tildy, who lives alone and works so hard she has no time to play, decides to adopt a variety of pets


Book cover of You're Leaving When?: Adventures in Downward Mobility

Liz Alterman Author Of Sad Sacked

From my list on humor to balance difficult circumstances.

Why am I passionate about this?

I think there’s a little voyeur in all of us, which is why we love reading memoirs. These stories typically are written by people who’ve wrestled with a life-changing event and emerged on the other side with wisdom to share. Whether they’ve grappled with a heartbreaking loss, a debilitating illness, or an unsettling change in circumstances that left them reeling, authors who temper their truth with humor are the ones who inspire me most. Finding hilarity in the midst of hardship is no easy feat, but it reminds us that humor is a great coping skill. 

Liz's book list on humor to balance difficult circumstances

Liz Alterman Why did Liz love this book?

I adore Annabelle Gurwitch’s humor and keen observations. She never loses her trademark wit as she navigates midlife curveballs—divorce, empty nest, financial challenges, dating, and taking in roommates.

A finalist for The Thurber Prize, this memoir in essays made me laugh as I nodded along in commiseration. Reinventing yourself in midlife can be funny if you look at it right; Gurwitch reminded me just when I needed it most.

By Annabelle Gurwitch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked You're Leaving When? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor

"In this surprisingly upbeat memoir, Annabelle Gurwitch writes about the financial curveballs that can hit you in midlife . . . Somehow, Ms. Gurwitch manages to find humor in these setbacks. Ultimately, this is a story about harnessing resilience and learning how life’s disappointments can teach you about the things that matter most." —Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times

From the New York Times bestselling author of I See You Made an Effort comes a timely and hilarious chronicle of downward mobility, financial and emotional.

With signature "sharp wit" (NPR), Annabelle Gurwitch…


Book cover of The Detransition Diaries

Lisa Shultz Author Of The Trans Train: A Parent's Perspective on Transgender Medicalization and Ideology

From my list on shed light on the gender-critical perspective.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mom who has struggled to understand the changes I have witnessed in my child after she told me she was “trans.” Nothing about her declaration or how she came to that point made sense to me. As a loving mother and curious person who loves to learn, I studied the topic of gender from multiple angles. As I recorded my research findings and experience, the content developed into a book. I provide a voice for parents who challenge transgender medicalization of cross-sex hormones and surgeries and instead desire natural options to treat the root cause of their child’s distress. 

Lisa's book list on shed light on the gender-critical perspective

Lisa Shultz Why did Lisa love this book?

I read this book because I was curious about the detransition experience. I wanted to know the perspective of kids who chose to both transition and detransition. I felt compelled to hear their own words about what moved them to go in either direction. I also desired to learn about their lives as older adults and how their health and perspectives evolved with time.

I found each of the seven kids’ stories to be of value in growing my understanding beyond the parent perspective. As a mom of a daughter, I was also interested in learning why adolescent girls are more likely to become involved in the trans trend. 

By Jennifer Lahl, Kallie Fell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Detransition Diaries as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We live in unprecedented times, when what was known for thousands of years, that we are created male and female, is now up for debate.  It is now controversial to see that sex is binary, that a man can never become a woman, nor a woman a man, and that men should not enter women's sports, women's bathrooms, and women's prisons, merely for saying that they are a woman. We are witnessing a rapid rise in gender confusion among young people, especially among young women and girls.

The Detransition Diaries is both personal and historical. It is personal in that…


Book cover of The Spare Man

Paige E. Ewing Author Of Precise Oaths

From my list on sci-fi that blow raspberries at hero stereotypes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a woman in a technology field dominated by men, a person with both mental and physical problems, and I’ve studied a dozen different martial arts. I’m a mean shot with a bow and love to hurl axes and spears. None of these things are contradictory. They’re just different aspects of me. Real people don’t fit in boxes and neither should good characters. My world is filled with my Hispanic grandkids, my bi daughter, my gay foster brother, my friends and family and people I love that don’t fit the Captain Awesome stereotype. Remember that we, too, can be heroes.

Paige's book list on sci-fi that blow raspberries at hero stereotypes

Paige E. Ewing Why did Paige love this book?

My mother has a service dog, and I’ve inherited a disability or two. The heroine in The Spare Man didn’t let her dog or her physical limitations stop her. She even used them to her advantage when she could.

I also loved how the book was an old-school Nick and Nora style murder mystery told in the far future on a space cruise ship. The author mixed those genres like she was mixing a tasty cocktail.

It was glorious fun from first page to last. And like all the stories on my list, it showed how much a hero can shine, no matter what gender or lack of gender she is, no matter how big or how small, what sort of personality or capability she has. It might be more of a mark of courage for a hero to find a friend than storm a castle, but that’s okay because…

By Mary Robinette Kowal,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Spare Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hugo, Locus, and Nebula-Award winner Mary Robinette Kowal blends her no-nonsense approach to life in space with her talent for creating glittering high-society in this stylish SF mystery, The Spare Man.

Tesla Crane, a brilliant inventor and an heiress, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between the Moon and Mars. She’s traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and the festering chowderheads who run security have the audacity to arrest her spouse. Armed with banter, martinis and her small service dog, Tesla is determined to solve the crime so that the…


Book cover of Life Isn't Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, and In-Between

Kelly Vincent Author Of Uglier

From my list on reminding us that nonbinary people are human too.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a Gen X kid growing up in a very conservative place, I struggled with gender, not feeling like the girl I was supposed to be. I knew I wasn’t a boy, and that just led to uncertainty and perpetual emotional discomfort. When I first heard about the concept of nonbinary gender a few years ago, my mind was blown. I knew if I were young, I would have immediately come out as nonbinary. But as an older person, it felt weird and pointless. Writing and reading books about people struggling with gender gave me the courage to finally be true to myself, and acknowledge that I am agender. 

Kelly's book list on reminding us that nonbinary people are human too

Kelly Vincent Why did Kelly love this book?

I loved this nonfiction book because it puts the gender binary in the context of other things that we often falsely consider binaries.

For instance, the mind-body binary is ridiculous when you consider that experiencing emotions is not entirely in the mind, given what we know emotions and stress do to the body, both short-term and long-term. The authors also point out that feelings can be something other than completely positive or completely negative, and that the idea that emotion and rationality, or work and play, are mutually exclusive is absurd.

What makes this book especially good is that it shares practical advice for changing the binary mindset, like avoiding the either/or view by making yourself consider what possibilities are real between two extremes—or in both extremes—at the same time. Marginalized people can use these techniques to avoid judging themselves so harshly, and allies can learn better ways to understand…

By Meg-John Barker, Alex Iantaffi,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Life Isn't Binary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'The book we all need for this moment in time.' CN LESTER
'An absolute must read' FOX FISHER
'A genius book' LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW

Much of society's thinking operates in a highly rigid and binary manner; something is good or bad, right or wrong, a success or a failure, and so on. Challenging this limited way of thinking, this ground-breaking book looks at how non-binary methods of thought can be applied to all aspects of life, and offer new and greater ways of understanding ourselves and how we relate to others.

Using bisexual and non-binary gender experiences as a starting…


Book cover of Kevin the Unicorn: It's Not All Rainbows

Jess Hernandez Author Of First Day of Unicorn School

From my list on unusual unicorns.

Why am I passionate about this?

No one would ever describe me as a unicorn. I’m not graceful. My mane of hair is half an inch long. And I rarely (if ever) prance. I’m a donkey in a party hat and that’s perfectly okay with me. But sometimes it can be kinda rough in a world that tells you that you must be gorgeous instead of goofy, fabulous instead of funny. So I love stories that make me feel a little less alone in my awkwardness – that remind me that all of us, from the most beautiful unicorn to the weirdest little goblin, are not quite what they seem.  

Jess' book list on unusual unicorns

Jess Hernandez Why did Jess love this book?

Kevin the Unicorn is having a disastrous, non-magical, totally not-sparkly day. And you know what? That’s okay. Uber-talented author/illustrator Jessika von Innerebner’s vibrant illustrations and sparkling prose are a delight. The book gives a playful plug for authenticity in a world where perceptions of people are too often filtered, edited, or curated.

By Jessika Von Innerebner,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Kevin the Unicorn 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?

Everyone knows that unicorns are perfect. They are glamorous and glittery, and their smiles make rainbows appear! But Kevin is having a less-than-perfect day. First, he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed . . . on the floor. Then he discovers that his mane is so wild that even his Super-Perfect-Hair-Day-Spray can't tame it. And the day just gets worse from there. Kevin does his best to keep his outlook sunny, but it's hard to keep smiling when everything goes horribly wrong!


Book cover of How to Catch a Unicorn

Shelli R. Johannes Author Of Shine Like a Unicorn

From my list on unicorn in the uni-verse.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved unicorns because they are magical and mysterious. They also represent individuality and uniqueness that makes them different. I love the different takes we see now – the grumpy unicorn, the difficult unicorn, the stereotypical unicorn, and the kittycorn.

Shelli's book list on unicorn in the uni-verse

Shelli R. Johannes Why did Shelli love this book?

I love this book because it's about kids who want to try and catch a unicorn. They set up all kinds of traps to trap the magical creature. Of course, the unicorn is way too clever and is determined not to be caught. The kids use everything imaginable to lure the unicorn: ice cream, glitter, and lemonade. It’s also a very sweet rhyming book, which is hard to do. Better luck next time!

By Adam Wallace,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Catch a Unicorn 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?

The #1 New York Times bestseller! Try to catch one of the world's most elusive mythical creatures-the unicorn-in this enchanting picture book for kids!

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes a dazzling new adventure! Filled with zany traps, STEAM concepts, silly rhymes, and lots of rainbow unicorn fun, parents, educators, and young readers alike will delight in this colorful story as the Catch Club Kids are off in the zoo to catch this fantastical beast. Perfect for children ages 4-10, this is the ultimate unicorn gift of the year, great for birthdays,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in unicorns, baseball, and gender?

Unicorns 42 books
Baseball 176 books
Gender 32 books