D.C. bookstore owner urges pride readers beyond headlines

Patrick Kern, owner of Little District Books in Southeast D.C., says Pride Month is an ideal time to pick up queer stories that reflect everyday life—offering recommendations ranging from trans romance and lesbian bar histories to international community-build

On a quiet stretch of Southeast Washington, Patrick Kern unlocks a different kind of Pride—one that doesn’t start and end with a single celebration moment. In his bookstore, Little District Books, he says June is the right time to look for stories that feel closer to lived experience.

“Pride Month is a really good time to read queer stories,” Kern said. “Because so much of Pride Month either focuses on the really high highs or the really low lows of the queer experience.”

His argument is simple: there’s a whole spectrum between extremes, and books can help fill it in. Kern said the shelves offer chances to see “the full spectrum. ” whether someone wants a slice-of-life novel or something more expansive. “an epic fantasy. ” paired with “delving into nuances of things you don’t understand.”.

Kern’s recommendations point in that direction—each one taking a different route into ordinary hopes, hard memories, and community. One of his picks is Second Chances in New Port Stephen by T.J. Alexander. a romance that follows “a trans man heading home for the holidays” as he faces what went wrong in his life and tries to “reconnect with the lost love.”.

For readers interested in how queer spaces shape stories of belonging, Kern recommends The Lesbian Bar Chronicles by Rachel Karp. He said the book highlights stories from lesbian bars across the country. including an aspect he thinks is too often missing elsewhere: “A lot of the emphasis on queer spaces is on bars that are very focused on men. ” he said. “so this is getting people who are not very much the spectacle of queer stories.”.

If the focus is community—how it’s built when politics and pressure make it harder—Kern points to Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis. The novel follows “a group of women building community during difficult political times in Uruguay. ” as Kern put it. as they come together “finding community in kind of inhospitable times” while working to “create joy in a terrible moment.”.

Kern also steers readers toward connection through culture with Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi. He described it as “an interesting exploration of Taiwanese culture and Taiwanese food at the same time. ” alongside “a really beautiful relationship with her tour guide. ” showing “how rich and deep different cultures coming together can be.”.

And for something offbeat, he recommends Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki, which blends science fiction and fantasy. Kern said it “blends” two narratives into one: “One is the story of a young girl finding herself. and the other is a woman who is reconciling with the consequences of what she did to become famous and coming together.”.

Little District Books is located at 631 Pennsylvania Avenue in Southeast D.C., and Kern said the store’s shelves already run deep—“with thousands of titles”—so there’s something for just about anyone looking to explore LGBTQ+ stories “this month or any time of year.”

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