Pride: An Inspirational History of the LGBTQ+ Movement

by Stella Caldwell, Layton Williams (Foreword by)

Overview

Take pride in who you are! This inspiring history of the LGBTQ+ community enlightens young readers on the true timeline of LGBTQ+ history around the world, the lives of important figures like Harvey Milk, and iconic events like Stonewall.

The LGBTQ+ community is so much more than rainbow flags and the month of June. In this beautifully designed dynamic book, young readers will learn about groundbreaking events, including historic pushes for equality and the legalization of same-sex marriages across the world. They will dive into the phenomenal history of queer icons from ancient times to the present and read about Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson, Audre Lorde, and more.

Including several personal current essays from inspiring young, LGBTQ+ people, this book encourages readers to take pride in their identity and the identities of those around them. Don’t just learn about LGBTQ+ history – take pride in it!

The lively four-color interior, including photographs and bold illustrations, enhances the text and makes this a beautiful and dynamic addition to any collection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593382943
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/19/2022
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	484,172
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.51(d)
Lexile:	1170L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

About the Author

Stella Caldwell is an experienced children's author. She studied English Literature at university, and has worked in book publishing as an editor and author for many years. She lives in Oxford, UK.

Layton Williams is an English actor, singer, and dancer, whose first role was playing the title role in Billy Elliot in London's West End.

Editorial Reviews

06/20/2022

Caldwell’s wide-ranging, clearly contextualized account of LGBTQ history, told across seven chapters, begins with “evidence of same-sex love in almost all ancient civilizations” and follows through to today. Bolstered by timelines, the primer details LGBTQ rights over time, including periods of advancement and backlash, Pride’s beginnings, and the HIV/AIDS crisis, among other topics. Profiles of queer luminaries dot each section, including of Marlene Dietrich, Lili Elbe, Marsha P. Johnson, Audre Lord, and Harvey Milk. Additional boxes provide one-line biographies of lesser-known figures, while first-person interstitials from queer youth anchor Pride firmly in the present. Though the book’s lively scrapbook feel is largely engaging, it occasionally jars, as on a spread that juxtaposes a cartoon image of barbed wire with a 1938 photograph of gay concentration camp prisoners. Nevertheless, this well-paced history offers an engaging survey of a movement—and of individuals working to help “LGBTQ+ people in all their diversity to be visible, proud, and safe.” Includes a foreword by actor Layton Williams and back matter with a glossary, index, and further information. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 04/01/2022

Gr 6 Up—A short but global view of LGBTQIA+ milestones and important figures, this vibrant book shines all the colors of the rainbow on history that's largely only been told in black and white. Bright infographics, time lines, and notable quotations add visual interest, while one-page profiles of notable figures such as Oscar Wilde, Audre Lorde, and Marsha P. Johnson will be sure to motivate readers to seek out additional sources on their own. Starting with ancient human societies across the globe and moving through the centuries to today, this bird's eye view of LGBTQIA+ history will help young people find hope in how far we've come and gain inspiration for the necessary work still ahead. The author never balks at sharing hard truths about the hate and violence that many folks have faced throughout history; however, the major notes are positive, affirming, and full of pride. Inspiring messages from modern-day young adults offer many diverse perspectives and serve as a cleansing breath at the end of each chapter. VERDICT A highly accessible, entertaining, and visually engaging nonfiction book that is a recommended first purchase for all middle and high school libraries.—Catherine Cote

School Library Journal

★ 2022-04-13
There's pride everywhere!

This stirring work affirms that LGBTQ+ people have existed for centuries. Caldwell notes that ancient cultures—Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, and China—all reflect stories of queer love and offers profiles of queer people throughout history—Oscar Wilde, Lili Elbe, and Audre Lorde, for example—who have embraced their authentic selves. “Have You Heard Of” boxes scattered throughout shed light on lesser-known people who advanced LGBTQ+ rights, such as AIDS activist Cecilia Chung (b. 1935), former drag performer and political hopeful José Sarria (1922-2013), and openly lesbian suffragette Lettice Floyd (1865-1934). Each of the seven chapters includes essays from young people articulating why they're proud members of the LGBTQ+ community. Moments of history are explored in brief vignettes that range in length from a paragraph to approximately two pages. Bright digital illustrations, color and black-and-white photographs, and bold background colors that mirror various pride flags decorate the pages. As a whole, the information provided is far from exhaustive, but it serves to inspire, educate, and bolster—and it does these things exceedingly well. Curious readers will find a springboard for further research—and more potential role models.

The pride of any bookshelf, this is a delightful introduction to LGBTQ+ history. (timeline, glossary, index, further reading) (Nonfiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews