Are You a Friend of Dorothy?: The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped

Gr 1-3–Even today, people who fall outside of the binary spectrum of sexuality have difficulty in many aspects of their lives, but in the earlier parts of the 20th century in the United States, things were even more challenging. Luckily, there were ways that people could come together and be themselves, even when the outside world was less than accommodating. To do this, people would ask one another if they were a friend of Dorothy, and it was the answer to this question that would dictate future interactions among those individuals. This nonfiction narrative connects young readers with the very real tools with which people 100 years ago built bridges among one another. Using colorful imagery, straightforward, honest language, and an accessible storytelling structure, this book makes history feel more immediate and tangible to children. Each page depicts people of varying backgrounds as they interact with one another in both joyful and frightening situations, highlighting the fact that even in the worst of times, people are able to come together and find opportunities to love being themselves. Best suited to elementary school-aged readers due to the complexity of the content, this book is one that will open minds and hearts to the realities of LGBTQIA+ people in the U.S.