Brazilian picture books about queer characters and gender identity (Part 1 of 2)
A Princesa e a costureira (The Princess and the Seamstress) by Janaína Leslão
Before she was born, Princess Cíntia was promised in marriage to Febo, a prince from a neighboring kingdom. Close to the ceremony, Cíntia meets the seamstress Isthar, with whom she falls in love. When she announces to her parents that she will no longer marry Febo, the king decides to imprison the princess in a tower, because according to the kingdom's tradition, she should marry a young man. To ensure a happy ending, the princess and the seamstress will receive help from the princess's sister, the prince himself, a Fairy Godmother, and a magic needle.
Maya: bebê arco-íris (Maya: Rainbow Baby) by Xuxa Meneghel
Inspired by her goddaughter, Xuxa tells the story of a little angel who has lived in heaven for some time and who receives the difficult task of choosing who will be responsible for her when she lives on Earth. With the mission of coming to this world to spread love, the baby had to find the perfect family. Thus, the little angel chooses to have two mothers and receives the name Maya.
Note for Brazilians: Yes, that Xuxa wrote this. (For non-Brazilians: Xuxa was a huge celebrity in children’s entertainment in the 90s).
Meu maninho é uma menina (My Bro Is a Girl) by João Paulo Hergesel
Tom's younger sister notices that he doesn't seem completely happy. Then Tom, in his teens, begins to identify as Tina. In a poetic way, the book tells how Tina's sister sees her transition.
Joana princesa (Princess Joana) by Janaína Leslão
When Princess Joana was born, her parents thought she was a boy because she had a red mark on her forehead instead of the brown marks on her palms, as was customary for women in the kingdom. Her parents named her João, but on her birthday, the princess asked her parents to call her by her real name: Joana. To fulfill her dream of being a girl, she embarks on an adventure with witches and magical rainbows. (In Brazil, it's said that if you walk under a rainbow you switch genders).
Fausto, o dragão que queria ser dragão (Fausto, the Dragon Who Wanted to Be a Dragon) by André Romano
In the realm of Perfection, male dragons are blue and females are pink, Fausto was born pink. Afraid of Fausto suffering prejudice, his parents paint Fausto blue so he can leave the house. Fausto suffers an accident and ends up being expelled from the kingdom of Perfection and going to the kingdom of Imperfection, where he discovers a new world, full of adventure, friends, and a secret of the Kingdom of Perfection.