YA LGBTQ+ books

[sadie]

My daughter is interested in reading some supportive LGBTQ+ books. Any young adult recs? She's 11, loves graphic novels, mythology, humor.

[mccallister84]

I don’t have any reccs - but we were at the library today and they had a display of books for pride. She may find something she’s interested there.

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 13:20:33 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

I don’t have any reccs - but we were at the library today and they had a display of books for pride. She may find something she’s interested there.

Our library has a Pride section, which sparked her interest. We looked there yesterday. She wanted to check out an adult romance novel from this display-i'm hoping for something a little more age appropriate.

[ssmjlm]

Christina Lauren has their kindle version of Autoboyography for free right now: simonteen.com/book/autoboyography/?fbclid=IwAR2gL88kk6TIY3uf16tuI-pXc-DNrLWwGpf6fL_JqUYgSmfkD83NdIxAJRw

[kdubs923]

I've used the ADL's literature recommendations:

www.adl.org/education-and-resources/resources-for-educators-parents-families/childrens-literature?f%5B0%5D=topic%3A1584

You can filter on various topics & age levels.

[msmerymac]

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

[deadwing]

Symptoms of Being Human is a YA novel about a gender fluid high school student. I thought it was really well written and informative. It's told in first-person and you never find out what gender the narrator was assigned at birth, which can be maddening, but it's also a huge point of the book.

[nsl]

If she's 11 I'd be looking more at middle grade books than YA, which are geared at teens 14+. Some great middle grade LGBTQ+ recommendations are

-The Deep and Dark Blue (graphic novel)
-Girl From the Sea (graphic novel)
-Too Bright to See
-Alan Cole Doesn't Dance
-Melissa
-Drum Roll Please
-Felix YZ
-the Magnus Chase series
-Hurricane Child
-The House You Pass on the Way

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 13:35:13 GMT -5 nsl said:

If she's 11 I'd be looking more at middle grade books than YA, which are geared at teens 14+. Some great middle grade LGBTQ+ recommendations are

-The Deep and Dark Blue (graphic novel)
-Girl From the Sea (graphic novel)
-Too Bright to See
-Alan Cole Doesn't Dance
-Melissa
-Drum Roll Please
-Felix YZ
-the Magnus Chase series
-Hurricane Child
-The House You Pass on the Way

Thanks everyone!

And, thanks NSL..was hoping you'd chime in!

[turkletsmom]

Check out the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman. They're graphic novels about 2 high school boys. I've only read the first one but it's so so sweet and very short. I can't remember if it is appropriate for 11, but you could easily pre-read it in a few minutes and decide. I borrowed it on Kindle Unlimited.

[abs]

DD read Almost Flying by Jake Arlow last summer when she was 11. She read it all in one day and loved it.

[Pilsy]

My older daughter recently read and enjoyed The Girl from Earth's End and mentioned there is a pretty important character who is gender fluid. Not sure if that fits the bill for you and your kiddo, but DD1 did love the book.

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 13:40:12 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

Check out the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman. They're graphic novels about 2 high school boys. I've only read the first one but it's so so sweet and very short. I can't remember if it is appropriate for 11, but you could easily pre-read it in a few minutes and decide. I borrowed it on Kindle Unlimited.

I've read these and they are cute! Thanks.

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 13:59:13 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

My older daughter recently read and enjoyed The Girl from Earth's End and mentioned there is a pretty important character who is gender fluid. Not sure if that fits the bill for you and your kiddo, but DD1 did love the book.

Will check it out! Thanks.

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 13:55:27 GMT -5 abs said:

DD read Almost Flying by Jake Arlow last summer when she was 11. She read it all in one day and loved it.

I'll take a look. Thanks!

[AJL]

My daughter is 12 and loves these books:

by Alice Oseman:
Heartstopper -- it's a graphic novel series. There are currently 4 out right now. Number 5 comes out in December
Nick and Charlie
Solitaire
Loveless

Drama (graphic novel) by Raina Telgemeier
Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
Carry On (series) by Rainbow Rowell
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston (might be a little more adult than YA. I can't remember. The characters are in their 20s
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall
Autoboyagraphy by Christina Lauren
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

[Jalapeñomel]

Hero by Percy Moore

[charlatti]

My 14 year old says Summer & July is a good middle grade book.

[litskispeciality]

I was also going to tag nsl but they beat me to it

The YA and older books I've read are a bit too mature for 11 y.o. I (mentions of sex, and sometimes some pretty graphic aversion therapy). OP if you're interested you may enjoy This is How It Always Is. I BLEW through that (fictional) book a couple of years ago and it stuck with me.

[notsopicky]

Melissa, by Alex Gino. It was originally titled George, because the publisher made the author name it that way. They (the author) have since said they were pressured to rename it, that was bullshit, and subsequently (re)titled it as it was originally intended.

Gracefully Grayson, Ami Polonsky
Redwood & Ponytail, K.A. Holt
This is Our Rainbow, edited by Katherine Locke & Nicole Melleby (an anthology)

(former MS librarian)

[sonrisa]

My youngest is currently reading "Camp Quiltbag"
Ciel in All Directions
Too Bright to See
My eldest has enjoyed:
The Girl From the Sea
Mooncakes
Witchboy
Witches of Brooklyn
The Magic Fish
Of Fire and Stars (and it's sequel: of Ice and Shadows)

[sadie]

Jun 5, 2023 15:22:13 GMT -5 notsopicky said:

Melissa, by Alex Gino. It was originally titled George, because the publisher made the author name it that way. They (the author) have since said they were pressured to rename it, that was bullshit, and subsequently (re)titled it as it was originally intended.

Gracefully Grayson, Ami Polonsky
Redwood & Ponytail, K.A. Holt
This is Our Rainbow, edited by Katherine Locke & Nicole Melleby (an anthology)

(former MS librarian)

Thanks! Love when librarians chime in!
-Current Library Board Trustee 🙃

[sadlebred]

I'd also check your city/county library's website/Facebook page. My county library has a list of YA and children's books for Pride month.

[bee20]

I enjoyed The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School, covers female friendships accurately and the romance is no more graphic than a tween show on the disney channel.

[litasail]

For older kids, I love all of Becky Albertalli's books!

[katfco]

In addition to the ones referenced, Pants Project is a great one with a trans protagonist.

[shananagins]

The Prince and the Dressmaker is a great graphic novel
You Should See Me in a Crown is a sweet G/G romance totally middle school appropriate. So is Her Royal Highness.
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James is great too

If she has read the Percy Jackson books the newest Rick Riordan book that was just released, The Sun and the Star, has a b/b relationship at the center.

Check the recommendations above depending on how mature your kid is. Some of them have some intense sex scenes. I

-Middle School librarian

[textbookcase]

Mooncakes is a super cute graphic novel, my 11 year old really liked it. Oh! The Girl From the Sea is another good one. Lumberjanes.

Mason Deaver
Becky Albertalli
Jennifer Dugan
Nina LaCour
Casey McQuiston

Check that the content is appropriate for your child, but these are all great authors to check out!

[litebright]

Jun 5, 2023 14:12:38 GMT -5 sadie said:

Jun 5, 2023 13:40:12 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

Check out the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman. They're graphic novels about 2 high school boys. I've only read the first one but it's so so sweet and very short. I can't remember if it is appropriate for 11, but you could easily pre-read it in a few minutes and decide. I borrowed it on Kindle Unlimited.

I've read these and they are cute! Thanks.

It's a TV series, too -- on Netflix. It's very well-done and the whole cast is great, but the two main characters are particularly adorable (separately and together). Both of my not-straight kiddos LOVED it.

[fancynewbeesly]

Jun 5, 2023 18:40:29 GMT -5 shananagins said:

The Prince and the Dressmaker is a great graphic novel
You Should See Me in a Crown is a sweet G/G romance totally middle school appropriate. So is Her Royal Highness.
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James is great too

If she has read the Percy Jackson books the newest Rick Riordan book that was just released, The Sun and the Star, has a b/b relationship at the center.

Check the recommendations above depending on how mature your kid is. Some of them have some intense sex scenes. I

-Middle School librarian

A little off topic but my DD is 12 and is working her way through the Rick Riordan books--where does Sun and the Star fall in the series. She is SOOO excited to read it-but is reading the books in order (she is halfway done with the Son of Neptune) so she doesn't want to wait much longer to read it.