When You Look Out the Window: How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Built a Community

In a book that’s less biography than portrait of change, Pitman (This Day in June) imagines LGBTQ activists Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin looking out their window at the city of San Francisco. Readers won’t learn much about the couple from the primary narrative, which contrasts the past (“So many women who didn’t have rights”) and present (“We see open doors. We see women who can do anything”) while highlighting local landmarks and buildings. In patchwork collages, Lyles (Lucy and Lila) conjures a bustling, inclusive city. Extensive information about Lyon and Martin’s activism, marriage equality, and San Francisco itself (contained in a readers’ guide) offers a useful overview of LGBTQ history and women’s rights. Ages 4–8. (June)