Queer Representation in Picture Books - An Online Exhibition from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Have you seen this wonderful online exhibition? ALL: A Look into LGBTQ+ Representation in Picture Books was curated by Chandra Boudreau, the museum’s former Trinkett Clark Intern and a current librarian, and it's a celebration and exploration!

Chandra's opening statement:

Western society has long judged the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) community for the way they live and whom they love. While people who identify as LGBTQ+ have always existed throughout the world, their visibility has been intentionally hidden by those who see them as “different.” Historic events—from the Stonewall riots of 1969 to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality in 2015—have advanced social understanding, paving the way for the publication of LGBTQ+ picture books.

This exhibition explores representations beyond the seminal books Heather Has Two Mommies (1989) by Lesléa Newman and Daddy’s Roommate (1991) by Michael Willhoite. The publishing field has widened in the last 20 years to include more diverse identities and stories. The books in this exhibition support

LGBTQ+ readers, validating their experiences while allowing others to read, learn and build empathy. Above all, the books confirm there is no one right way to live or to love.

Organized into the sections "All Loving," "All People," "All Overcoming," "All Valid," "All Families," and "All Together" the exhibit showcases more than two dozen amazing illustrations from picture books that show LGBTQ+ lives and loves.

It's well-worth checking out!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee