The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets

by Gayle E. Pitman

This book is about the Stonewall Riots, a series of spontaneous, often violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBTQ+) community in reaction to a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The Riots are attributed as the spark that ignited the LGBTQ+ movement. The author describes American gay history leading up to the Riots, the Riots themselves, and the aftermath, and includes her interviews of people involved or witnesses, including a woman who was ten at the time. Profusely illustrated, the book includes contemporary photos, newspaper clippings, and other period objects. A timely and necessary read, The Stonewall Riots helps readers to understand the history and legacy of the LGBTQ+ movement. 
 

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, History, Queer, Middle Grade, Social Justice, Historical

208 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2019

About the author

Gayle E. Pitman, Ph.D. is a professor of psychology at Sacramento City College. Her writing, research, and teaching focuses on issues of gender and sexual orientation. She lives in Northern California.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful little rainbow book is an easy to read, accessible story of the Stonewall Riots told through important objects, pictures and news reports. It chronicles events up to the riots, what happened during, and the life changing events it has brought about.

I'm ashamed to say I knew very little about Stonewall before going into this. Living in the UK, and growing up mainly outside of the LGBTQ+ community as a child, I was never told anything about the prevelant figures and events in the wider world of LGBTQ+ history. This is aimed at younger teens, and it manages to present all the facts and events in an easy to digest way. The photographs and objects scattered throughout help to bring to life the story and the people involved and I really felt that I came away from reading this with a plethora of knowledge to build on.

I will say that at times the story repeats itself or goes back over the timeline, resulting in a few jumbled paragraphs that left me a little disorientated or confused. We read about the actual riots through a police statement first, followed by the same scenario a few chapters later from an eye witness report. I felt it would have made more sense to have these two statements closer together so they could be compared, and the reader could see the contrast between the two instead of retreading information when we have moved on.

An excellent starting reference point to the Stonewall riots for younger readers or those without any prior knowledge. Plus the book itself is stunning.

[Anna Avian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small, but very important book packed with a lot of facts. The various objects, photographs, news articles, leaflets bring the whole story to life. An engaging and well written read with very easy to digest content. It goes through time before, during and after the riots. It will leave you with the need to expand on pretty much everything but it is a great introduction to the facts and events that led to the Stonewall Riots.

[Tucker Almengor]

Many thanks to Abram's Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

This is going to be a (very) short review. I enjoyed The Stonewall Riots. As a gay young adult, it definitely resonated with me. This is marked as middle grade and I definitely think that age range can handle it. That said, it will be challenging to read for anyone.

It sucks that all of this happened and that the LGBT community had to fight for the rights that they should have had in the first place. That said, it's very important for those in the LGBT community (and those not, too) to know this history.

Fortunately, said history is presented in this book in an easily digestible, attention-holding way. Happy reading!

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the update below makes me laugh because I most certainly did not read this for pride month because I am horrible at remembering things.

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Perfect timing for Pride Month!!

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[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stonewall riots were a crucial, era-defining moment in the struggle for equality. In the early hours of June 28 1969, The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the West Village of Manhattan, became the epicentre of an event that changed the course of LGBT history.

As the world celebrates 50 years since the riots and as Pride month (June) approaches, Pitman has compiled the known details into a book which is a lot less dry than its competitors. There is plenty of colour and the way it is structured keeps youngsters engaged. Not only are there bold and beautiful illustrations throughout but there are newspaper clippings, photographs and interviews with some of the people who were key players in the LGBTQ+ movement.

Although targeted at youngsters this is the perfect introduction to the mood leading up to the riots and what came after. It is an important topic, and despite not being part of the LGBTQ+ community myself I have many friends who are and I support the notion of equal rights for all. The book is a great way to see how far we've come in terms of acceptance, but we still have so much further to go.

I feel strongly that children should be introduced to the existence of LGBTQ+ issues from a young age due to the horrendous prejudice I have witnessed when spending time with friends. This is an essential addition to the bookshelf in schools, libraries and home collections. Many thanks to ABRAMS Books for Young Readers for an ARC.

[Alejo Alvarez || babblewithale · Rating 5 out of 5]

More recommended required reading ✨️✨️

There was also a ton of cited literature in the text and further reading recommendations in the bibliography, so here they are 🙌

Poetry: 🎶
- The Songs of Bilits by Pierre Louÿs

Fiction: ✍️
- City of Night by John Rechy

- Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

- Wish You Were Here (#1) by Rita Mae Brown

Non-fiction: 🤓
- The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

- Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution by David Carter

- Respectability on Trial: Sex Crimes in New York City, 1900-1918 by Brian Donovan

- Stonewall by David Duberman

- The Gay Revolution: The Story of The Struggle by Lillian Faderman

- The Gay Metropolis: 1940-1996 by Charles Kaiser

- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

- And Then I Danced: Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality by Mark Segal

Memoir: 💫
- Tales of the Lavender Menace: A Memoir of Liberation by Karla Jay

- Rita Will: Memoir of a Literary Rabble-Rouser by Rita Mae Brown

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geared for young readers, this history of the Stonewall Riots and the events leading up to them is fascinating. The author does a wonderful job of clearly setting out the history of the gay rights movement and its earlier incarnations (The Mattachine Society, the Gay Liberation Front, The Daughters of Bilitis, etc.). Slowly, but surely, the reader sees just how pivotal the Stonewall Riots were in creating public awareness of gay rights. I also like how the pictures of various objects give readers a picture of the times (old matchbooks, pictures of the early Stonewall Inn, protest posters, etc.)

My only comment is that at times the text is repetitive with events described several times. But overall, this is an very good non-fiction book for young readers (and readers of all ages) who want a good understanding of the Stonewall Riots and their importance in our nation's history. 4 stars.

I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews

[Elliott Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best nonfiction book I've ever read. It read like fiction. Gayle E. Pitman you have literally all my props. Thank you!

[Rachael Fryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book, taking a look at the history and context of the Stonewall Riots through the lens of important items from the time. I really enjoyed this style - It's like a little walk through an LGBTQIA+ museum! This is a perfect Pride read.

Please be aware that this book contains many unsettling experiences of trauma, mistreatment, and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community. Further, due to context there are mentions of several things that might warrant a conversation with a young reader: illegal activity, mafia/mob activity, prostitution and sex work. This content is all in context and related to the history of LGBTQIA+ community and not overly explicit or gratuitous, but please be aware that it is present.

[Cameron Kreger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this book for young readers? Yes. But this was so informative and interesting, especially since I had never been taught about or heard anything about the stonewall riots. This book covered the history leading up to the riots, the riots themselves, and what followed all the way up to almost present day. I think this is a very important read, especially if you’ve never learned about this before

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2019 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, I was treated to 196 pages of engaging facts and stories written like you would listen in headphones at a museum. I liked this book quickly with its 50 objects to commemorate the 50 anniversary of Stonewall.

Object 1: Picture of The Jefferson Livery Stables built at 51 and 53 Christopher Street in 1843 and 1846 respectively. Up to 200,000 horses lived in NYC in the 1800's.

This leads to object 2: Matchbook covers for "Bonnie's Stonewall Inn". In the 1930, the Livery stable reopened as "Bonnie's Stone Wall" - a tearoom (aka speakeasy - prohibition 1920-1933).
"In 1930, a book titled The Stone Wall, was written by Ruth Fuller Field under the pen name Mary Casal. It was an autobiographical account of her romantic relationship with another woman. The name Stone Wall may have been a way to send a code welcome message to lesbians."

I'm only 7 pages into this book and I have learned some very cool new information (to me). I'm hooked by this unique museum-artifact-object method to tell the story of The Stonewall Riots.

I continued to enjoy the artifact method of exploration, but I found some Stonewall-facts repeated when another artifact was discussed. I suppose it was OK to state the facts again, since a new twist might be found by this new witness. I wish the leaflets and news articles used as artifacts would have been reproduced in the book better and larger.

The paper quality in the book may have been OK for print, but pictures did not come out as clear as I would have liked. I would like to see more pictures too.

The brief talk of the parade the following year in 1970 could have been given more print. It was very brief in this book. A couple other books I've read on Stonewall may keep the parade short, but it is very inspiring, and it was DEFINITELY inspired by the riots, so it deserves a prominent mention.

I thought a bit too much time in the book was spent talking about the broken factions trying to work toward 'coming out' for everyone. But I'm reading about these problems in other sources too, so it needs to be analyzed. For example, Craig Rodwell (owner of Oscar Wilde bookstore) was in a relationship with Harvey Milk. Milk did not want so much visibility, and it led to squabbles between them, so Harvey Milk left to go to San Francisco. (An incredible other story). Craig attempted suicide. All this is part of the story and struggles for the gay liberation movement. If these tumultuous times did NOT happen, would the movement have transpired?!

This books is filed in the library with callsign J 306.766, so the "Juvenile" J signifies this as a 'beginner' book. While very appropriate for the "J" crowd, I appreciated the honest and open tone of the author aiming for an audience that wants to know and understand.

Bibliography is good. I see "Stonewall" by Duberman in 1993. A GR Review quickly read seems to like that book as the 'definitive' source. I'll read that as soon as I can.

[By The Cover · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty easy read with lots of great facts about stonewall. Not the most in depth, but for the first book I read about stonewall I definitely learned a lot. The cover art is just gorgeous. I will say, I feel a little iffy about the way that the book goes around about the contributions of people of color, specifically around gender non-conforming people. I get that the term “transgender” didn’t exist at the time but I still feel like it could have been acknowledged that many modern scholars agree that “transvestites” were generally not cis men and women, with Sylvia Rivera even saying that she didn’t feel defined by strict gender Identity. The big thing for me though, is that it kinda feels like every BIPOC’s contribution is put under question but the same never happens to their white counterparts. Like even though Stormee Delarverie literally said she was the stonewall lesbian and matches the description It’s still put under huge scrutiny, but Brenda Howard apparently being the first to call it Pride is just accepted as fact? Idk guys. I also don’t love that the Pulse shooter was name dropped at least twice but not a single one of his victims or survivors were? Credit where credit is due, they do address the continuing issues of trans and BIPOC rights and treatment in the epilogue, and I really appreciated the part where they mentioned that part of the reason Marsha is discredited is due to her mental health issues. I think I was just off out by the opening note by Fred Sargeant. He may have been at stonewall, but he’s spent a good amount of time in the last few years (at least) trying to exclude transgender people from queer spaces and I just can’t abide that, so seeing him here left a sour taste in my mouth. In all actuality, these issues do make up a smaller portion of the book. I know this seems like a really negative review, but I wanted to thoroughly explain my problems as to not seem unreasonable or hating on something for no reason.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read books about the Stonewall Riots before, but this was a whole other ballpark.  Instead of the usual dry, ambiguous factual information that authors tend to present alongside maps, Pitman presents the lead-up and aftermath of the Riots through pieces of evidence she calls "Objects".  Those objects are news clippings, photographs, buttons, testimonials, and even more. 

She discusses movements such as the GLF and the Mattachine Society, and how they failed lesbians and trans folks and drag queens.  How much of the liberation movement was focused on white, middle-class gay folks.  She discusses ambiguity of the Stonewall Riots, such as when Marsha P. Johnson showed up, and whether Storme Delarverie was actually present.  Not only that, but she discusses the lingo of the time, and how terms such as "transgender" were not really in existence, though those experiences were.  

Filled to the brim with photographs and an additional timeline and citation section, this book certainly asserts its validity, and is written in a way that neither shies away from the difficulties nor overly dramatizes them--after all, this is a book perfect for middle grade students, and if they're part of the lgbt community, this book should inform and comfort them, not scare them!

It's overall just a really great and informational text.  I learned a lot from it, and makes me even more excited for this coming June!

Review cross-listed here!

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual 4.25-4.5. Mostly because of the tactic it takes leaves way too much room for more (I get it. It's for a younger crowd.)

If you need a basic rundown of what sparked the Stonewall Riots in '69 that got the ball rolling in the open field for LGBTQ+ rights, this is a good starting point. The coupling of pictures and documents with the information for each is done in a way that crafts a solid timeline while providing these unique looks at the people and places. There is a lot of room for a far more in depth look (again, I get why), but it does enough to warrant being read to learn about or brush up on the general history of Stonewall and the movement.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book on the Stonewall Riots is an excellent resource on the history of the LGBTQIA+ movement, primarily in New York's Greenwich Village. The author takes a unique approach to this by giving the young reader a history in objects. Each "chapter" is an object (a photo, newspaper article, police report, etc.) And gives a 1-3 page explanation of the significance of the object as it relates to Stonewall Inn. I really liked this approach, and I learned a lot about the people involved in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, which I had little knowledge of the events leading up to the riots. I think this is perfect for someone in 6th grade on up. The explanations are clear and concise, without sacrificing detail. Be forewarned that there are a few homophobic slurs in the book, though. Definitely worth reading for the younger generation to learn about this event and the impact it had.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introductory text to the Stonewall Riots and the movement for LGBTQ rights. I like the approach of telling the story through artifacts.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

happy pride 🌈🤗

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I definitely have some thoughts about The Stonewall Riots. While I do think it can be a good starting point for teens to learn more about Stonewall, I also felt like some statements needed more evidence/context and ended up feeling far too generalized or conjured up out of thin air. For example, when Pitman briefly talks about the Black Is Beautiful movement, she says that, as a result of European features being considered superior in the 18th century, "many African Americans, marinating in the oppressive attitudes of the larger culture, believed that white people were better than black people", which makes sense because of how hegemonic structures work, but also isn't supported with any studies. I get that this is not an academic paper, but a statement like this should still be backed up by SOMETHING, right? She also mentions that the phrase "Black Is Beautiful" can be traced back to the mid-1800s, but doesn't elaborate. Tell me more! In what context? Coined by whom?

The part that really irked me was the one about Marsha P. Johnson. Weirdly enough, a lot of this segment is dedicated to Marsha's mental health struggles which bare little significance in the face of her activism. The fact that she co-founded STAR with Sylvia Rivera is curiously absent, as well as the circumstances of her death (which would theoretically make sense since it's aimed at teens, but the Pulse shooting is mentioned later on so that doesn't seem to be the reason); STAR is first mentioned in the segment about Rivera, which is much longer and more detailed. I don't feel like Marsha was done justice here.

Also, I found it weirdly funny and pedantic that Pitman criticized a news article for being "dull and uninspired" - it's the news. Calm down.
I liked the idea of structuring the book around different "objects" like a museum* and I feel like I did learn some more from The Stonewall Riots. Still, I think this book needs to be read VERY critically, which is why I'll only give it two stars. It's a fine tool to introduce younger readers to gay rights history, but definitely shouldn't be taken at face value.

*The term "object" can be problematic especially in the museum context, hence why I put it in brackets; I won't get into the whole museum discourse here though.

[Manasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is organized into three sections that discuss people and events before/during/and after the famous Stonewall Riots of 1969. Since it’s difficult to construct an accurate history of the events on that fateful night, the author uniquely frames her discussion around objects from the time (like a museum!). Great for readers of any age who want to expand their knowledge of queer history!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about the Stonewall Riots for teens. It is well written, concise and very respectful. The reader gets a true sense on how the stonewall riots took place and how it became so important. Great book.

[Seema Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful ~ Informative ~ Compelling

tl; dr: A well-written, thoroughly researched book about the Stonewall Riots, a 50-year-old police action against an LGTBQ+ space in New York City.

This is an incredibly important book that I hope finds its ways into schools and libraries as well as homes. For many urban library children inclusion might be the norm, but fifty years ago, America was much less accepting. The story of Stonewall is told here in clear detail, with all the prejudice and sadness is stark display. For LGBTQ+ middle schoolers and teens who perceive that acceptance is the norm, this book helps explain the struggle.

Much of America, however, has not moved past the prejudice of 60s New York. And, this book is equally important for people in those communities. Their struggles are not alone. There are important, historical people, who struggled like them.

I was particularly surprised by the quality of the writing. Often non-fiction is written in an unpalatable manner, particularly when academics write text for all ages. This book is very well-written. The prose feels compelling, though be warned, the problems and tragedy of Stonewall are not obscured. Stonewall was an American tragedy, and this book is ideal for anyone seeking a better understanding of how the 20th century was an era where Civil Rights were very much a struggle.

I highly recommend this book for everyone, but particularly schools, libraries, and anyone who is or cares for an LGBTQ+ person. In other words, I recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book uses an unusual but important organizational tool-- not specifically chronology but using "artifacts" like photos, items that place people in that time period, and an understanding of vocabulary used using primary source documents. The lead-in for each of these items as it told the story of GLBTQ rights and liberation with associations and groups, individuals, and locations, I found myself squinting to read the article in its entirety or focus in on the item discussed. It was a unique way to present the story.

I think my one criticism is that for it being "the Stonewall Riots", there is so much coverage of the history before and after and people, that the book isn't really *just* about the Stonewall Riots. For obvious reasons but I also don't know if I got a deep enough understanding of what really happened-- it was more of a "shot heard round the world"-- so I get it. The book does a phenomenal job placing readers in time and place. And the use of the items is a useful tool for educators but any reader regardless because it's a vantage point about all of the inter-workings and interlocking parts of any social movement.

The short chapters makes it move so quickly- almost too quickly!

[teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stonewall Riots were a pivotal part of the LGBT+ rights movement and the fight for equality. Being bisexual, I've been wanting to learn more about queer history for a while now. This book was the perfect place to start. Coming in at 169 pages, it is the perfect introduction to the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the queer rights movement. The information was easy to digest and it was written in a way that made it very accessible to anyone. I also enjoyed the edition of images of important LGBT activists that were involved in the riots and other relevant photos of the events.

Even though this book was very short, I still feel like I learned a lot of things I didn't know before. I wouldn't of minded if it had been longer and more in-depth though. There were some sections that left me wanting more information after they ended. And some of the information was repeated several times throughout the book when it didn't need to be. Overall though, I think it was a very informative introduction into LGBT+ history and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone who is looking to learn more about the brave people who fought for equality.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at Silver in the City on Mass Ave in Indianapolis (an AWESOME store). It's almost the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and it's Pride month. But what's really interesting about this is that Stonewall *wasn't* the start of the Gay Rights movement.

This is actually a YA reader book but I thoroughly enjoyed learning the history of the movement. This book is structured in a way of a museum. What? A museum in a book?

The author walks us through the exhibit of the gay rights movement. Each object, starting with the Jefferson Livery Stables to the Stonewall Inn today. Each object moves us through the history of the movement and explains why everything was truly important in moving things forward. We learn about the Mattachine Society, The Daughters of Bilitis, how the mafia tied in with the gay movement, how the Rockettes factored in the riots, why the VW bug has Nazi history (did you know this????) and more.

This isn't an in-depth history but it's still a good one if you find you really don't know how the gay rights movement started or what it meant.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

As far as giving general knowledge about Stonewall and queer liberation, the book is overall successful. I think the title is a bit misleading, in that it implies a more specific focus on Stonewall rather than the history of queer rioting, and readers would be better served by a different description so they have a better idea of what they’re going to be reading, but the more generalized focus isn’t a bad thing and it was nice to learn about different aspects of the liberation movement over the decades.

Some things that were bad, though! I’m not happy that the introduction opens with a quote from a literal white supremacist! Or that Marsha P. Johnson is deadnamed in the book! Also, the book focuses more heavily on white, cis, gay men’s contributions than any other race, gender, and sexuality—which isn’t surprising but is still disappointing, and disabled queer people aren’t mentioned at all, except in a brief mention of Marsha P. Johnson being “crazy” because she was mentally ill.

[Heather McKillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I borrowed this from my library and it was on the adult non-fiction shelves. It is however a book published for young adults/ youth.

I really learned a lot from this book. I vaguely knew that modern Pride events were a response to remember the Stonewall Riots, but really knew little to nothing about it (other than it happened in New York City and was a response by members of the LGBTQ+ population to the way they were frequently harassed by the police and other members of society.

The book is laid out by presenting historic artifacts and explaining why they are relevant to this piece of US history. It is divided into four sections: Before the riots, The riots, The aftermath of the riots, and Liberation.

I loved the historic information before the riots because it helps the reader understand why LGBTQ+ people felt the need to riot and stick up for themselves. There is lots of information on early reformers who wanted acceptance and equal rights for the the gay community and the ways they tried to make that happen.

There is also a lot of information on the way people who were on the margins were treated in the US, especially the gay and lesbian population. It is eye opening and helped make me more aware of what the activists who came before today had to face for us to get to greater acceptance and tolerance of the LGBTQ+ community.

I was surprised to see how little information is actually known about the Stonewall Riots due to many of those participating have passed away and the lack of news coverage on it. The coverage that did exist was mostly degrading and slanted towards maintaining the status quo.

If you want to learn about this historic event and how it shaped modern Pride events, I highly recommend this book. It is easy to read and very informative, even if it is written for young adults.

[PastelQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am usually the type of person who sticks to documentaries when it comes to educating myself on historical events. I felt non-fiction/history never seemed to stay with for me when I'm reading it verses listening or viewing it. BUT the way this book is broken down makes it very interesting and kept me engaged the whole time.

There is so much that revolved around the Stonewall Riots and this book understands that and breaks it down for you in pieces. Like, it's encouraging you to seek out more information by giving you the highlights of important events, people, places and objects. I feel like I learned a lot but not like I didn't learn enough? More like, there are some things I want to seek out more information for! I absolutely recommend this book! I read it in ebook format but I am definitely going to buy the book! I am sure that would be the optimal reading experience considering all the pictures and just look at that cover! :D

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what I already knew about the LGBTQ+ community, I do feel as though I learned at least a few things from this young readers edition of ‘The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets,’ but I’m not sure how this book would impact a person in the intended audience/age group. And even though it seems to have covered Stonewell fairly well, I suspect that this version just grazes the surface; I plan on reading the adult version whenever I can obtain a copy because I’m sure there is still more for me to learn.

One benign thing I did learn: Rita Mae Brown. I didn’t know anything about Brown before this book, other than her paperbacks are part of the mystery section in my bookstore that I co-own with my husband. Brown’s mystery titles blended with all of the other mystery titles until I read this book. Now I know she had her own significant role in Stonewall and LGBTQ+ history, which makes me want to read her writing.

All of the various abuses that this community suffered then and still do now were not unknown to me, and even though it’s a good bet that some graphic details were left out of this young reader edition, it’s still heartbreaking to read about the biases, discrimination, and general pain inflicted.

I plan on reading further via any titles covering Stonewall and the community. Moreover, I’d appreciate an opportunity to connect and understand further by doing such things as visiting the Gay Liberation figures at Christopher Street Park.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very educational book covering not only Stonewall but important LGBTQIA+ activism preceding and subsequent to Stonewall.

Having known very little about Stonewall and other important queer historical events around that time (1969), I found the book very educational & easy to read. I really enjoyed the use of 'objects' throughout the book which made the story even more accessible and easy to envisage. I think the book successfully summarises a few different LGBTQIA+ historical events in a short span of pages, but I do think it suffers a little from repetition and jumbling of the story by jumping back and forth in time.

Overall, a good read and definitely worth pursuing for those with little to no knowledge of Stonewall who enjoy representation of events through pictures also.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful, easy and super accessible way to read about the story of the Stonewall Riots and their importance in history. I really enjoyed the photographs, news stories, and other items that were used in the book to show the history of before, during, and after the riots as I feel like that really helped me get a solid understanding of facts and events leading to the riots themselves.

This was a crucial moment in the struggle for equality, and I am grateful that I was able to read this book, and to learn more. It's been 50 years since the riots and we still have so far to go in making sure that everyone has equal rights.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short, easy and quick read about the history of stonewall riots in the 60´s. Its filled with facts, photos, stories and news articles from those times bringing the story to life. it goes through the time before, during and after the riots which is great. After reading this you're left wanting to learn more. As a part of the LGBTQ community myself, sadly I didn't really know much about this topic which made this a great introduction to it. One thing that I loved learning more about was what an icon Judy garland was to the LGBT community not only at the time but also afterwards.