A CHILD'S INTRODUCTION TO PRIDE

Prager offers young readers a deep dive into LGBTQIA+ history.

The author starts by explaining gender and sexual identities, defining terms such as lesbian, gay, and asexual, before exploring LGBTQIA+ history from the ancient world to the present. Prager includes racially and culturally diverse figures from around the world, among them poet Sappho, painter Frida Kahlo, and civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, though the book is weighted a bit more toward the United States. She also addresses the impact of colonialism on LGBTQIA+ identities in a way that young people will easily understand. Prager asks readers to consider whose stories get told (we’re far more likely to know stories of LGBTQIA+ royalty than of servants and peasants, for example) and how interpretations of history affect our understanding of the past. For the most part, the author effectively walks the line between presenting information accessibly and oversimplifying, though several times she uses pronouns for historical figures that aren’t entirely supported by historical records. Though the assumptions are reasonable efforts to respect those individuals’ identities, these figures may not have identified in ways that modern readers would easily recognize. Ultimately, however, the author is thoughtful in her analysis of historical evidence, and readers will love combing through and learning about LGBTQIA+ people throughout history. O’Dwyer’s graceful illustrations enhance the text.

A strong survey of queer culture and history.