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What Kind of Queen?: A Royal Biography of Drag Queen and Activist José Sarria

What Kind of Queen?: A Royal Biography of Drag Queen and Activist José Sarria

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Author(s)

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Cindy Lozito

Publisher

Harry N. Abrams

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

April 28, 2026

ISBN

978-1419780806

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A joyous picture book biography of José Sarria, a pioneering activist, drag queen, and the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in the United States

Once upon a time, there lived a boy named José who dreamed of becoming royalty―and of a queendom where everyone would be treated fairly and with respect.

A child of immigrants from Colombia, José Sarria was born in San Francisco in 1922. With the support of his family, he grew up to discover what it means to be a queen.

He fought against evil by serving in WWII, helping to liberate a Nazi concentration camp; he inspired others to be their authentic selves by performing at San Francisco’s Black Cat Café, a haven for artists and activists; and he cared for his community through his LGBTQ+ advocacy work, including the establishment of the Imperial Court System, a global charitable organization that still thrives today.

Sarria led by example, joyfully giving back to his community while challenging the status quo. With a fairy-tale feel and radiant illustrations, this picture book biography celebrates his legacy of seeing the world not as it is but as it could be.

Editor review

1 review

A Glittering Biography of José Sarria

May 21, 2026 (Updated: June 22, 2026)

Overall rating

4.7

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Learning Value

5.0

WHAT KIND OF QUEEN is a picture book that tells the story of José Sarria. José was a drag queen and activist from San Francisco. This book tells his story: from his childhood to his military service, from his performances to his activism. The book manages to cover a lot of aspects of his life in a short number of pages.

The illustrations in this book are stunning and fit the personality of José Sarria, at least what is being displayed, very well. It’s fun and colorful, radiating with life and energy. The art style is simple, but effective.

The book isn’t long and José Sarria had quite a lot that happened in his life. So, at times the story feels a bit rushed, like it is jumping from one milestone to another with no breathing time in between. But I also appreciated that the book covered a bunch of different things that happened in Sarria’s life. It might’ve been cleaned to focus on a couple of bigger moments, but it’s more impactful to cover it all.

This book ends with a wonderful message. I think it is present in the book and Sarria’s life, and I think it’s a very important message for both kids and adults to hear. Especially when times get rough.

A picture book about a powerful figure of LGBTQ+ history, WHAT KIND OF QUEEN surpasses expectations. The book is written with a lot of heart, carefully covering José Sarria’s life and accomplishments. The illustrations are magnificent, seeming to capture the vibrancy and life that José had. It’s important to know queer history and José Sarria was an important figure in that history. I am genuinely moved to know more about his life than I did before.