Grandad's Pride (A Grandad's Camper LGBTQ Pride Book for Kids in partnership with GLAAD)

March 17, 2023

Gr 1-4-During a summer visit to her grandfather's house, Milly roots around in the attic and digs out an old rainbow flag. This discovery prompts Grandad to recall his happy memories of Pride parades he attended years ago with his late husband, affectionately known in the family as Gramps (first recounted in the excellent Grandad's Camper). Milly, excited by the vivid accounts, decides to organize a parade right there in Grandad's little village. While the story is sweet and full of positivity, the writing eventually begins to falter. Multiple pieces of dialogue and descriptions of Pride read like an educational pamphlet, and Woodgate inserts inspirational platitudes that-however well-intentioned-distract from the earnest first-person narrative. The text's strongest moments arise from the quiet, evocative details that flesh out the lives of Grandad and the charming village residents: Mr. Singh's rainbow carrots, Temi's delicious bakery, Fleur and Ayo's glitter-strewn costume-making session. The vivid colors of the cheerful flat-style art draw readers into a warm, supportive modern community. VERDICT Though it does not quite live up to the promise of its predecessor, this book will prove meaningful to children and families with connections to the history and continuing tradition of Pride.-Jonah Dragan

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2023
Every summer at Grandad’s seaside home, young Milly, portrayed with brown skin, goes adventuring. When Milly finds a Pride flag that’s ideal for a pirate ship’s sail, Grandad, who reads as white, tells them about Pride, and how he and late Gramps, shown with brown skin, used to travel around attending Pride events. Milly suggests going to Pride in Grandad’s camper van, and when he says that his “partying days” are long gone and the city is too busy, works with him to assemble the first-ever village Pride locally. Bustling, bright-hued images with a rainbow motif show the intersectionally diverse community—portraying people of varying abilities, body types, gender expressions, and skin tones—preparing for the event, giving each page a celebratory vibe. In this gladly intergenerational view of Pride, Woodgate’s sequel to Grandad’s Camper offers a familial portrait that twines past and present. Ages 3–6.

Starred review from February 1, 2023
The protagonists of Grandad's Camper (2021) return in this tale of love, identity, and community. On their last visit to their White Grandad, brown-skinned Milly convinced him to fix up his old van and take it to the beach. This time, Milly is joined by their parents--one White, the other brown-skinned. Milly learns about how Grandad and his late partner, Gramps (depicted as brown-skinned in flashbacks), would travel in their van to march and dance in Pride events around the country. Granddad is convinced he's too old to attend Pride now, but Milly rouses their family and their town to put on a local Pride celebration, with volunteers creating banners, making costumes, baking treats, and putting on a drag show. Readers familiar with Milly and Grandad will welcome this sophomore outing, and the book will be in especially heavy rotation in libraries during Pride Month. Woodgate's upbeat art brims with color and, aptly, rainbow motifs, depicting a supportive community diverse in race, ability, and self-expression. This is a quiet yet moving read with a powerful message: You don't need corporate sponsorship or larger-than-life events to celebrate Pride; all you need is love. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A winner from beginning to end--and affirmation that Pride belongs in every community. (Picture book. 4-8)

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