A really wonderful story about a little boy who doesn't want to feel different, but when Mom and Dad take him to the pride parade, he can COUNT all the ways being different is the best part of being human!

Very sweet, colorful and approachable. It's a great follow up to the original, and a must-have for libraries. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read!

Book 087 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This made my weary and heavy heart (due to a book that I am reading)feel full and happy.

Be proud of who you are, and you can be whoever you wanna be.

This colourful and inclusive book is great for ALL ages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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This book feels like a big, happy hug! With gorgeous, colorful artwork and a story full of heart, it follows a brave kid learning to love who they are and celebrating at a joyful Pride parade. Every page sparkles with happiness and hope. It’s the kind of book that leaves your heart smiling!

This was such a delightful book! It is a great reminder that especially during this current climate we should celebrate who we are and stay true to ourselves, even if that makes us different.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! What a sweet celebration of pride and diversity. This book is the perfect way to encourage kiddos to be themselves.

Pure joy in picture book form. What a beautiful celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and what acceptance means to kids who feel different. There’s even some clever counting worked in as well. And the illustrations are so vibrant. Just lovely.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

A big, big thank you to the author, Taylor Rouanzion, the illustrator, Stacey Chomiak, Beaming Books, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade, a children's picture book for ages 3-6 about loving yourself and others, and celebrating all the various forms humans come in. I will share my review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble upon release.

"Something more precious than gold, my love," she says, "There's joy."

When a little boy stops wearing his rainbow clothes for fear of being seen as different, his parents decide to take him somewhere he can be proud to wear his rainbow clothes - a pride parade! At the pride parade, the boy and his parents see lots of people with all different kinds of rainbow gear and flags, and proudly marching with their friends and family, in celebration of who they are. The diversity of the crowd is especially intriguing to the boy, and it's a lot of fun to see all the different humans proudly and joyfully being themselves. The parents do a great job of supporting the boy's interests and sharing new experiences in order to help him realize he will never be alone as a rainbow boy. A really lovely and beautiful part of the whole book is that sexuality is actually never mentioned - which is the perfect way to introduce children to Pride and expressing yourself and leaves the conversation open for children and their adults to discuss further in a way that is developmentally and age appropriate for the child. The art is gorgeous, and I loved the variety and diversity of the characters, which felt reflective of how a pride parade would look! All of the different pride flags are displayed throughout, which was really cool. Would recommend for any child's home library or any library collection!

5/5 stars!

“Daddy says that pride means feeling happy about who you are.”

Adorable story. Gorgeous illustrations. Wish I’d had books like this when I was a child 💝

This is an adorable book about a little boy who starts to feel insecure about being different. His parents love and support him so they took him to see that other people are different in the same way. It's so important to teach children self acceptance.
The pictures are wonderfully colorful.

This book brought so much joy into my heart, every page was so colorful and it was such a beautiful celebration and normalization of queer identity for kids.

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK!!! I can't even accurately express in words how much I enjoyed reading this book, and how important it is for all kids everywhere to have this book. Specifically for *rainbow kids* out there, this book means the world. Every kid reading this book will want to embrace their own rainbow and let it shine loud and proud after they finish reading. It's truly so impressive how the creators of this book crafted such a beautiful, joyful, hopeful, and heartwarming book that speaks directly to the heart. Lastly, this book also has educational value, as it is formatted as a counting (to ten) book! I have nothing bad to say about this book, but I will finish by saying that EVERYONE needs this book. ASAP!

“Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade” is an adorable read, especially for kids around Pride month. As an LGBTQIA+ identified adult, I wasn’t sure how to provide feedback on this book, as I was having a difficult time connecting with the “Rainbow Boy.” However, I read this to my 5-year old daughter (who’s read all the Pride books we can find), and she loved it. She said, “I really like it!” and that she would want to buy it for her little library collection. She felt sad that the boy didn’t want to go to the parade, but after seeing ALL the Rainbows and joy, felt comfortable and happy. She loved the artwork, especially the pages with the dogs!

I did appreciate that this book was written *for* children. I feel that many of these Pride books use language that’s actually geared towards the adults reading the book.

A huge thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book and to the author and illustrator. It looks like we’ll be buying a copy when it comes out!

Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade is a sweet illustrated children’s book. Awesome to see so many different layers of diversity in a kids book, whether it be racial, LGBTQ+, and more.

A lovely story and important message for kids!

Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade is a heartwarming and vibrantly illustrated picture book that delivers a powerful message about self-acceptance, diversity, and the joy of being exactly who you are. The story begins with a tender moment: a little boy, once proud of his colorful rainbow identity, begins to feel uncertain. He quietly tells his parents he doesn’t like rainbows anymore—because they make him feel “different.”

Sensitive and supportive, his parents respond in the best way possible: they take him to a Pride parade. There, the boy is immersed in a beautiful whirlwind of color, music, movement, and above all, pride. As he watches the parade march by, he begins to count the people around him—each a vibrant expression of individuality. There are dancers, drummers, families, superheroes, fairy queens, and so many more, all celebrating their true selves.

What makes this book especially effective is how it uses counting and visual storytelling to show the boy's emotional journey. With every group he counts, he regains a little more confidence, realizing he isn’t alone. The world is full of rainbows—people just like him, each proudly shining in their own way. By the end of the parade, the boy’s rainbow identity feels not like something that sets him apart, but something that connects him to a joyful, colorful community.

The illustrations are super cute and wonderfully inclusive, bursting with detail, energy, and warmth. Each page is filled with diverse characters and playful visuals that kids will love exploring again and again. It’s a celebration not only of Pride, but of individuality, love, and belonging.

Perfect for reading during Pride Month or anytime a child needs a reminder that being different is beautiful, Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade is a joyful, affirming book that belongs on every bookshelf.

This was a cute book with beautiful illustrations. I loved the colors in the artwork and the overall message of being proud to be who you are.

I have some mixed feelings about this one, but overall I loved the positive message and the colorful pictures.

Things I loved: inclusive dialogue and plot. Seeing examples of different kinds of families and showing them not as scary or as abnormal is really important and the author did a good job. The illustrations were awesome. Everything was very bright and cheerful and did emote a sense of pride.

Things I didn't love: I wasn't sure who the intended audience was. It seemed like it was likely for a very young child, who was potentially being bullied into thinking that they were wrong for liking rainbows.. but then the family took the child to a pride parade. I've been to pride parades and I would argue that they aren't the best place for really young children. I worry that this may do more harm to the lgbtq community (however unintentional) because it will allow people to point to the "indoctrination" of improper concepts to youth. Don't get me wrong, there was no improper content in the book - but those conservative people will grasp on to anything.

I loved this book! Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade outlines a boy who likes to dress up in tutus and mermaid tails and is feeling down because he's "different." His parents take him to a Pride Parade where he gets to see lots of other adults and children just like him and reclaim that feeling of pride about who he is and what he likes to wear! This is definitely a book we need now more than ever and I'm so excited for it to be available for children. I literally have chills!

This was super cute!! I was especially thrilled to see such body, gender, and racial diversity as well as so many different pride flags. Definitely recommend

This book is about a boy who learns to have pride in what makes him different. While at a pride parade, he counts different things he sees.

The story itself is so wholesome and particularly moving as a parent of a little boy who loves rainbows. I even found myself emotional on some of the pages, especially the mom hugs one. The counting format also really works to keep kids engaged.

The illustrations are so well done and adorable - honestly some of my favorites I’ve seen and I’ve read probably 500 picture books this year. They really capture the joy of the parade and there’s a lot of diversity and disability representation, which is so important for children to see.

My son’s favorite color is rainbow and he loves counting, so this is honestly the perfect book for him. I just know he is going to love pointing out all the rainbows he can find and tapping the page as he counts things.

He’s a little under 2 so he doesn’t understand gender yet, but the story is still such a good message to expose him to as he’s developing his understanding of things. You don’t need to conform to your gender if that doesn’t feel like you and you can find joy in that. The world is full of so many different people and that's what makes it beautiful. I hope to raise an accepting and inclusive child, regardless of his identity, so this book is definitely becoming a staple in our home.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I’m absolutely buying a physical copy for my son’s bookshelf as soon as I can.