The Rainbow Flag: Bright, Bold, and Beautiful

Based on 2015 interviews the author conducted with Gilbert Baker, co-creator of the pride flag, this informative picture book relays the flag’s history and the group of San Francisco friends who created it. Gilbert loves flags, and his friends Faerie Argyle, James, Cleve, and Harvey support him when he decides to design one for the Gay Freedom Day Parade. With a band of helpers, Gilbert dyes bolts of white cotton in a multitude of hues, then sews the stripes into rainbow flags. Digital illustrations combine fluid bodies with angular buildings, creating striking visual contrast. While the occasionally pedantic text (“Flags tell us about history and heraldry and belonging. They tell stories of geography and nations”) may be better suited for older readers, this book nonetheless delivers a comprehensive background of a global symbol. Ages 4–8. [em](Oct.) [/em]