Just over seven years ago , when I was wanting to start writing more queer and trans comics – as opposed to political comics I wrote for my uni mag – I found a thing on live journal asking for submissions for “Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation“. I drew a little comic, and sent it off, assuming I’d get a ‘thanks, but unfortunately…’ reply. Turns out I got accepted. It was one of the moments where I realised ‘hey, I got more stuff to say, and maybe it’s ok to say it?’
One of the co-authors of that books was S. Bear Bergman, an amazing writer who has since set up a little kids publishing house called Flamingo Rampant. When I heard the next set of Flamingo Rampant books were themed on ‘celebrations’ I pitched mine and George’s idea to them:
Knock Knock Birthday is about the different people in Bell’s life coming together to celebrate their big day. It’s a celebration of diverse communities, family structures, relationships, and people who are all connected to one another through their love of Bell. Each page welcomes a new person or group of people into the party, and each person brings something to share with Bell and the group.
It’s ended up incorporating lots of food, counting and sounds in it too, and I’m just so excited about it.
So, yeh, we’re making a book and we’re getting it published! (if we get enough $$)
Can’t wait to see it and share it with all the little people in my life! Yay!
so excited!!
Fantastic. I cannot wait to read it. Flamingo Rampant is great. As an education major I spend a lot of time searching for well written intersectional kids books to fill my future classroom with, but sadly it far harder to find ones that fit that description than I wish it was.
Yay! Thanks! Yeh, I’ve been trying to build up a collection at home, but there’s not a lot out there!
You can say that again. It’s a challenge. Pretty much all of my spare money after paying for school and hormones goes to buying novels, comic collections, graphic novels, and picture books from all the fabulous queer and trans creators out there. So, I’m slowly building up my collection, but goodness knows you have to actively seek all those stories out, which is too darned bad, because goodness knows there’s no end to the number of fantastic creative queer people out there. I love your list of “awesome people” on this website, because it’s helped me find so many other wonderful comics. So, thanks for that.