As transgender issues become more mainstream, so have books about the subject for children,
The New York Times reports.
"My goal was to write stories that would have helped me feel less alone at that age," said Sam Martin, whose semi-autobiographical story will be included in an upcoming collection. Martin, 43, began transitioning from female to male after seeing a book featuring photographs of women who had become men 23 years ago.
The books include not only memoirs, but science fiction and young adult romance, the Times notes. And though some are printed by publishers that focus on gay and lesbian themes, mainstream publishers such as Scholastic Press and Disney Hyperion are getting on board.
"As our culture is starting to acknowledge transgender people and acknowledge that they are part of the fabric of who we are, literature is reflecting that," Scholastic Press' David Levithan told the Times.
But not everyone is happy.
One Amazon review of "I am Jazz," aimed at 4- to 8-year-olds said the story was "inappropriate material for young readers," the Times noted. Another reviewer said, "We should not be indoctrinating young kids about 'trans.'"
Scholastic's upcoming "George," has faced resistance from some teachers and librarians who say third- and fourth-graders may not be ready for the transgender discussion. But the publisher has actually increased its first printing from 35,000 to 50,000 copies based on strong pre-orders.
A search of "transgender children's books" on Amazon returns 191 results, though many of those titles are written for families of transgender children.
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