Waterstones to host LGBTQ+ picture book event

Waterstones' London flagship store is to host a panel discussion about the importance of queer representation in culture and literature for children.

The event will take place at the Piccadilly shop on 8th September, during what would have been London Pride Week. 

Chaired by Charlie Morris, host of the "Down the Rabbit Hole" radio show and podcast, founder of the "Read it Queer" blog and social media officer for Pride in Publishing, the event will feature the authors of four LGBTQ+ themed picture books published this year: Jodie Lancet-Grant, Ian Eagleton, Gareth Peter and Harry Woodgate.  

The conversation will discuss the need to represent different kinds of families in books for young children, including the importance of representing children who grow up with same-sex parents, the adoption journey, the idea of longing and love in a queer setting, and queer elders and what they can teach younger generations. The evening will also include readings from each of the authors' books, and will be an adult-focused event.

Lancet-Grant said: "I was so happy that my debut, The Pirate Mums (OUP), was one of a small cluster of beautiful picture books with LGBTQ+ themes to publish this year. I had the idea of getting together with the authors of three of the other books together to talk about what drove us to write them and why we believe our books are so needed. While there is a huge choice of brilliant queer YA reads, and these are taken seriously by the industry, this is the first year where there has been the start of a movement to publish more LGBTQ+ books for younger readers. I'm thrilled that this event is happening at Waterstones' flagship store: these stories are rich and vibrant; they mean a huge amount to their readers, and we hope the industry and the general public takes notice, so that more books like these reach the shelves."

Tickets are available on the Waterstones website.