This Day in June by Gale E. Pitman and Kristyna Litten

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

1. Bibliography

Pitman, Gayle E., and Kristyna Litten. This Day in June. Washington D.C.: Magination Press, 2014. ISBN 9781433816581

2. Plot Summary

This Day in June invites readers to celebrate, along with the LGBT community, by attending a Pride March. The picture book walks readers through a June parade and welcomes them to “share in a day when we are all united.” Each vivid, colorful image and illusion has a deeper meaning than it seems at first. A reading guide at the back of the book allows readers to dig deeper into the meaning of each phrase and image in the book, providing an explanation of the rich history and culture of the LGBT community.

3. Critical Analysis

This Day in June makes introducing children to pride parades easy. Each page is filled with vibrant, colorful illustrations of celebration. The book begins with “This day in June / Parade starts soon!” This line refers to the reason for a pride parade in June. The reading guide at the back of the book explains that pride celebrations are traditionally held in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots in New York. The riots marked the beginning of the gay liberation movement, so there’s no better way to begin this children’s book about gay pride than with this line referring to its beginning.  

Following these first two lines of the book, each two-page spread contains simple rhyming couplets about some aspect of LGBT pride. Each text contains two lines with two words per line. The simplicity of the text allows readers to focus on the vivid, colorful illustrations, while giving them a hint about what the words mean. Lines such as “Clad in leather / Perfect weather” refers to the association of leather to the gay and lesbian community, and the illustration pictures men and women dressed in leather from head to toe dancing down the street in the parade. The two-page spread with “Artists painting / Sisters sainting” refers to an order of LGBT nuns in San Francisco, and the illustration shows nuns in traditional and nontraditional clothing celebrating along with everyone else.

The reading guide at the back of this picture book is the meat of the book for teaching children. It is filled with facts about LGBT history and culture. These well-written, easily-understood facts teach children about the history, struggles, and triumphs of the LGBT community. A child reading this book with no knowledge of the LGBT history or community would come away with more knowledge about it than most adults. Following the reading guide is a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” about how to use this book in talking to children about LGBT people. It “provides a positive, normalizing, and exuberant reflection of the LGBT community, and can serve as a jumping-off point for children to ask questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Kristyna Litten’s illustrations in This Day in June are colorful and celebratory - the life of the party for sure. Each illustration contains deeper historical meaning that is explained at the end of the book, but until the reader gets there, they are immersed in each aspect of LGBT pride that the illustration is portraying. The rainbow flag and colors are pictured throughout the book as a symbol of the diversity of the LGBT community. Gay and lesbian couples are featured throughout the book, as well as their children and families who are walking in the parade or standing on the sidewalk in celebration of them. There is no better way to portray the celebration of This Day in June than with Litten’s vibrant illustrations.

4. Review Excerpts

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (June 1, 2014): "This beautifully illustrated book is a great addition to a school or personal library to add diversity in a responsible manner without contributing to stereotypes about LGBT people."

From PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY (March 31, 2014): "Pitman, in her first book for children, salutes the LGBT parades that take place across the U.S. in June. Her couplets keep things marching steadily forward, but it's Litten's artwork that creates a sense of joyous excitement and showcases the diversity on display."

5. Connections

Gather other books illustrated by Kristyna Litten such as:

• Snoozefest. ISBN 978-0803740464
• Blue and Bertie. ISBN 978-1471123740
• Pins and Needles. ISBN 978-0448462097

Use This Day in June to teach children about LGBT history without the stereotypes that are often included. Plan to attend a pride parade in June to experience a parade like the one portrayed in this picture book. Point out the historical significance for the LGBT community of dress and behavior during the parade.