S
ince Drag Queen Story Hour first took flight in San
Francisco in 2015, chapters across the country and
around the world have facilitated lively events where
drag queens read aloud
to children in libraries,
schools, and bookstores. This season
brings picture books starring drag
queens, a development that lets kids
LGBTQ Books
A trio of picture books about drag queens sashay into bookstores
take a little of the sparkle home.
Michelle Tea, who created DQSH, is the author of Tabitha
and Magoo Dress Up Too (ages 4–8). Illustrated by Ellis van
der Does, the picture book was released in February by
Amethyst Editions, the Feminist Press imprint that Tea
launched in 2016.
“The thing that continues to shock me as I parent and
observe kids is how much gendering of colors, toys, and hob-
bies persists,” Tea says. “I think every message that counters
that is valuable.” In her book, a pair of siblings don each
other’s clothes to create superhero capes and a gown. A tur-
quoise-haired drag queen named Morgana sweeps in and
encourages their sartorial explorations, offering a gentle
lesson in gender—“some children have both boy and girl in
their heart”—before whisking them off to a DQSH.
“I think drag queens have been overdue for a starring
moment in children’s publishing for a while,” says Jordan
Nielsen, associate publisher and editorial
director at PowerHouse imprint Pow!
Kids, which will publish Auntie Uncle:
Drag Queen Hero by Ellie Royce, illus-
trated by Hannah Chambers, in May.
In Auntie Uncle, narrated by a young
relative of the title character, (Auntie)Michelle TeaEllie Royce© amos mac© caitlin royce