LGBT books are becoming ever more popular in recent times, including children’s literature. In 2017 Promised Land was released thanks to a crowd funding project started by the creators Chaz Harris and Adam Reynolds from Wellington, New Zealand. As a follow up to the success of that romance story about a farm boy and a prince comes a new LGBT love story following the adventures of a fisherman’s daughter and a female sea captain.
Famous faces have come out (no pun intended) in support of Promised Land and Maiden Voyage– particularly LGBT celebrities such as George Takei and Sir Ian McKellen.
“In Maiden Voyage, a fisherman’s daughter called Ru inherits a map from her father and joins the crew of the courageous Captain Freya. Setting sail to discover the map’s destination, a bond between them soon forms into love.
Pursuing them on their high seas adventure is a fierce band of pirates led by Captain Crow, bewitched by the wicked Queen Neva. As her past threatens to catch up with her, ‘The Queen of Lies’ is determined to keep her dark secret from surfacing.”
Just like your usual children’s storybooks there is an adventure, a friendship, and a newly kindled romance full of the innocence of youth. Unlike the usual stories this one is not between a handsome lad and a sweet girl but two courageous young women. Children’s books, especially fairytales, usually have a ‘boy meets girl’ type storyline so it is heartening to see greater representation for the great spectrum of sexualities.
I hope the team behind these books keeps going, keeps writing, and keeps representing those of us who do not fit the heteronormative ideal pushed by the mainstream.
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