Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
by Rob Sanders (Author) Steven Salerno (Illustrator)
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Pride Flag with the very first picture book to tell its remarkable and inspiring history!
In this deeply moving and empowering true story, young readers will trace the life of the Gay Pride Flag, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today's world. Award-winning author Rob Sanders's stirring text, and acclaimed illustrator Steven Salerno's evocative images, combine to tell this remarkable - and undertold - story. A story of love, hope, equality, and pride.
PRAISE FOR PRIDE!
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"Pride is a beacon of (technicolor) light."- Entertainment Weekly
"An essential LGBTQ children's book"- Out.com
"This children's book about gay Pride should be in every school."- Gay Times Magazine
"The picture book about Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag is everything you needed as a kid."- LGBTQ Nation
"I couldn't be more thrilled the world now has this book".- Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of MILK
"This inspiring, positive story is a great introduction to two LGBTQ heroes and to the spirit of the LGBTQ community."- Pridesource.com
"A welcome social history . . . Mission accomplished."- The San Francisco Chronicle
"A children's book that will properly express the struggle and joys that the LGBTQ rights movement went through."- Instinct Magazine
★ "Offers little ones an age-appropriate introduction . . . Ebullient . . ."- Shelf Awareness, starred review
"An uplifting introduction to the symbol of the Rainbow Flag . . . Vibrant and lively . . . Recommended for all collections." - School Library Journal
"A biography LGBTQ rights activists and allies can proudly share with children . . . A hope-filled ode to the rainbow flag."- Kirkus Reviews
"A poignant and uplifting biography."- Publishers Weekly
"A tribute to a leader undertreated in young people's literature."-The Bulletin of the Center For Children's Books
"Salerno's strong art has a colorful seventies vibe . . . There is value here."- Booklist
"Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag beautifully tells the history of both Uncle Harvey's dream and his collaboration with Gilbert Baker to create a global symbol of equality and inclusion. This book tells a history that all children will cherish, and will inspire the next generation of hope givers, our world's youth"- Stuart Milk, Founder and President of the Harvey Milk Foundation
"Harvey Milk and Gilbert Baker showed LGBTQ people that they should be proud of who they are and who they love. That is exactly what we do at The Trevor Project for LGBTQ youth in crisis. We're thrilled that more young people will learn the story behind the original rainbow flag."- Amit Paley, Trevor Project CEO and Executive Director
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Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Gr 1-3—Written in direct, accessible language, this book opens with a quote from Harvey Milk about hope, the connecting theme of this uplifting introduction to the symbol of the Rainbow Flag. The text starts with Milk's choice to enter politics and Gilbert Baker's design of the first flag and connects that to the flag's modern appearances as a symbol of equality and pride and the use of it on June 26, 2015 across the White House. The illustrations are vibrant and lively, taking inspiration from 1970s fashions and styles while emphasizing the effectiveness of symbols. The narrative includes references to opposition to Milk's dream of equality and the assassination of Milk and George Moscone, but moves decisively on to tell of enduring hope, with an illustration of the candlelight vigil and the persistence of the rainbow flag as an icon. Biographical notes include more information on the flag, Milk, Baker, and the significance of the June 16, 2014 rainbow lights across the White House. The back matter also includes two time lines, a few suggested books and websites, and assorted photographs related to the story. VERDICT With its emphasis on pride and hope, this title will make a strong addition to classroom and school library collections to support discussions of character and equality. Recommended for all collections.—Amanda Foulk, Sacramento Public Library
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Publishers Weekly
In a poignant and uplifting biography of Milk, Sanders introduces the political activist through his crusade for human rights: "Harvey dreamed that everyone--even gay people--would have equality. He dreamed that he and his friends would be treated like everyone else." To realize this dream, Sanders explains, Milk became "one of the first openly gay people to be elected to political office in the United States," when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Wanting a potent symbol to represent the fight for gay rights, Milk asked artist Gilbert Baker to create a flag: "Volunteers arrived to help Gilbert's design come to life. Together they dipped fabric into large barrels filled with vivid, bright dyes." Salerno conveys Milk's likeness in gently expressive cartoons; he fills his background spreads with decorative, paisley print designs, and the unfurled rainbow flag is a recurring motif. After the assassinations of Milk and San Francisco mayor George Moscone (communicated through a newspaper headline, reading: "Moscone, Milk Killed"), Milk's message of acceptance and love is carried onward through the pride flag and those who wave it. Biographical notes include timelines and photographs of Milk and fellow activists. Ages 5-8. (Apr.)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
- Entertainment Weekly An essential LGBTQ children's book
- Out.com
This children's book about gay Pride should be in every school.
- Gay Times Magazine The picture book about Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag is everything you needed as a kid.
- LGBTQ Nation I couldn't be more thrilled the world now has this book.
- Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of MILK This inspiring, positive story is a great introduction to two LGBTQ heroes and to the spirit of the LGBTQ community.
- Pridesource.com A welcome social history . . . Mission accomplished.
- The San Francisco Chronicle A children's book that will properly express the struggle and joys that the LGBTQ rights movement went through.
- Instinct Magazine ★ Offers little ones an age-appropriate introduction . . . Ebullient . . .
- Shelf Awareness, starred review An uplifting introduction to the symbol of the Rainbow Flag . . . Vibrant and lively . . . Recommended for all collections.
- School Library Journal A biography LGBTQ rights activists and allies can proudly share with children . . . A hope-filled ode to the rainbow flag.
- Kirkus Reviews A poignant and uplifting biography.
- Publisher's Weekly A tribute to a leader undertreated in young people's literature.
-The Bulletin of the Center For Children's Books
Salerno's strong art has a colorful seventies vibe . . . There is value here.
- Booklist Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and The Rainbow Flag beautifully tells the history of both Uncle Harvey's dream and his collaboration with Gilbert Baker to create a global symbol of equality and inclusion. This book tells a history that all children will cherish, and will inspire the next generation of hope givers, our world's youth
- Stuart Milk, Founder and President of the Harvey Milk Foundation "Harvey Milk and Gilbert Baker showed LGBTQ people that they should be proud of who they are and who they love. That is exactly what we do at The Trevor Project for LGBTQ youth in crisis. We're thrilled that more young people will learn the story behind the original rainbow flag."
- Amit Paley, Trevor Project CEO and Executive Director
He lives in Brandon, Florida. Visit robsanderswrites.com and @RobSandersWrite on Twitter. Sam Kalda is an illustrator and artist based in Saint Paul. His commissioned works include editorial, book, advertising and pattern illustration. In 2017, he received a gold medal in book illustration from the Society of Illustrators in New York. His first book, Of Cats and Men: History's Great Cat-loving Artists, Writers, Thinkers and Statesmen, was published in 2017 with Ten Speed Press. He is the illustrator of When We Walked on the Moon, and the follow-up, When Darwin Sailed the Sea. Visit samkalda.com.
United States
California
San Francisco
Gay liberation movement
Flags
Milk, Harvey
Gay politicians
Gay pride celebrations
Gay rights
