This Day in June

This Day in June
AuthorGayle E. Pitman
IllustratorKristyna Litten
LanguageEnglish
PublishedJune 30, 2014
PublisherMagination Press
Publication placeUnited States
Pages32
AwardsStonewall Book Award
ISBN9781433816598 Paperback edition

This Day in June is a picture book written by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten, and published May 5, 2014 by Magination Press. The book follows a family as they attend a pride parade.

The book won the 2015 Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature,[1][2] and in 2018, it was the tenth-most banned and challenged book in the United States.[3][4]

End notes

In addition to the story portrayed in the book, This Day in June provides "[s]ubstantial endnotes [that] discuss each scene and provide context for the people and groups represented, along with parental tips for discussing gender and sexuality."[5] Further, "a 'Note to Parents and Caregivers' offers suggestions for talking to various age levels of children about LGBT families."[5]

Reception

A Publishers Weekly[6] review highlighted the book’s “joyous excitement” and diverse imagery, showing how the illustrations reinforce the message of acceptance and visibility for all families. Wisely, Litten only outlines the happy crowds and buildings in the background ..., saving color and detail for the marchers themselves.[6]

One Equal World stated that, "Parents who are eager to talk to their kids about the ways in which people are different, or about LGBT Pride month in general will find that This Day In June provides excellent context and serves as a conversation starter."[7]

The book was included in Advocate's "What Book Changed the Lives of Our '40 Under 40'?"[8] Explaining the choice, staff writer Erica Anderson wrote, "I love that it teaches tolerance and acceptance and makes pride something everyone can celebrate. The book also includes a reading guide for parents."[8]

School Library Journal highlighted the book's "realistic" diversity, noting the inclusion of "both homosexual and heterosexual people, young and old, ... individuals, couples, and families."[5] They continued, saying, "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."[5]

Awards and honors for This Day in June
Year Award/Honor Result Ref.
2015 ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 [9]
Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature Winner [1][2]

Controversy

According to Jennifer Elaine Steele’s 2022 study in Children & Libraries,[10] This Day in June has frequently been cited in discussions of LGBTQ+ censorship in children’s literature and serves as a key example of the ongoing debate around inclusive storytelling. Due to its inclusion of LGBT content, This Day in June was the tenth-most banned and challenged book in the United States in 2018,[4][3] and the 42nd-most banned and challenged book between 2010 and 2019.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "This Day in June | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  2. ^ a b Morales, Macey (2015-02-02). "'This Day in June' wins 2015 Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award". American Library Association. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  3. ^ a b "Long description for Top Eleven Most Challenged Books in 2018 infographic". American Library Association. 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  4. ^ a b Gornall, Jonathan (2019-04-09). "ALA's 'Most Challenged Books' List". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  5. ^ a b c d Sanders, April (2014-06-01). "This Day in June". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  6. ^ a b "Children's Book Review: This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, illus. by Kristyn Litten. APA/Magination, $9.99 paper (32p) ISBN 978-1-4338-1659-8". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  7. ^ Pitman, Gayle E. (January 11, 2024). "This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman" (PDF). Magination Press, an imprint of the American Psychological Association. {{cite journal}}: line feed character in |journal= at position 59 (help)
  8. ^ a b "What Book Changed the Lives of Our '40 Under 40'?". The Advocate. 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  9. ^ "This Day in June | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2017-12-20. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  10. ^ Steele, Jennifer Elaine (Summer 2022). "Challenges to Children's Picture Books with LGBTQ Themes: A 30-Year Review". Children & Libraries. 20 (2): 3–9 – via American Library Association.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books: 2010-2019". American Library Association. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
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