Celebrate Equal Love With Groundbreaking LGBT Children’s Book “Promised Land”

"We decided to write the story that our eight-year-old selves needed."

From: NewNowNext

 From star-crossed lovers to enchanted adventures, the children’s book Promised Land features all the usual fairy tale tropes, but with one major difference—its two protagonists are both men.

 After a successful Kickstarter campaign, New Zealand-based authors Adam Reynolds & Chaz Harris are celebrating Valentine’s Day by releasing their LGBT fairy tale, Promised Land, about a prince and a young farmhand who fall in love after a chance meeting in an enchanted forest.

“Our hope is that young people growing up and struggling with their sexuality can look at the characters in our book and see themselves represented,” Reynolds said. “We also hope it may be able to contribute to early acceptance from young people ahead of the time when they may encounter LGBTQ classmates, friends or relatives later on in their lives.”

Although Promised Land may not be the first LGBT children’s book in existence, the authors say it’s unique to have a story about a gay couple “where the sexuality of the characters was not the focus and one where their relationship was not an issue.”

“Our story features two lead characters who meet and fall in love that just happen to be same-sex, nobody questions that,” said Harris. “That was vitally important to both of us.”

Promised Land is available now.