Stonewall's Home Learning Packs help parents and carers support their child’s learning in an inclusive way. While it’s necessary to see LGBTQ+ characters in contemporary, real-life stories, it’s also great to see them having adventures and saving the day.” “Lapinski has not only created endless worlds made up of magic and colour, but characters made up of the same charm to fill them. “This fantasy series where stepping inside a suitcase can transport you to a whole new world is always one I come back to when thinking about children’s books that include LGBTQ+ characters, particularly as it’s unfortunately rare to see that representation within the genre,” Benjamin said. It’s such a well-written story with loveable characters.” Julian is A Mermaid by Jessica Love

I fully expect to see this as a Netflix adaptation in the near future. Acceptance is the key theme - not just of others but ourselves. Despite some cliches and predictability, the books central romance between Liz and Mack is everything first love should be and is the first time I can remember a queer character getting the happy outcome and not just the drama and conflict.

“Liz is a truly likeable character who battles through adversity (racism, homophobia, anxiety) yet remains positive and loveable. That means putting herself front and centre after spending her whole time at high school trying not to be noticed,” explained Jen. Liz has big dreams of attending university and training to be a doctor but when her scholarship dreams fall through, she realises she needs to become Prom queen for the scholarship prize. “This is a YA novel that focuses on Liz, a young, Black, bisexual teenager in Midwest America. From a book about two mums getting married to following the adventures of a trans boy, reading is a great way for children and young people to learn more about the world around them - and that includes learning about lesbian, gay, bi and trans people’s lives,” Sidonie added. “There are many ways that schools, teachers and parents can make sure that they are including LGBT+ people in their teaching, such as through LGBT+ inclusive reading. But sadly, this still isn’t the case in schools across the UK, with our research finding that almost half of LGBT+ pupils (45%) are bullied for being LGBT+ in Britain’s schools, and two in five LGBT+ pupils (40%) are never taught anything about lesbian, gay, bi and trans people or relationships,” said Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, Head of Education and Youth at Stonewall. “Every child deserves an education which reflects the world that we live in, and the opportunity to learn in an environment where everyone can be themselves. As well as the many brilliant books for adults that tell LGBTQ+ stories, there are lots that celebrate equality and inclusivity and are great for reading with kids.

Book julian is a mermaid