YA LGBT Books discussion

A new member, Jennifer, who is a teacher asked the question (especially of our younger members):

Think back to those early days of adolescence.
What books do you wish you had in your school library?

So this is the place to answer her.

If your school librarian came to you and said, "I want to add YA LGBT bookes - help me decide what to buy." Which titles would you recommend for junior high? For senior high?

*This is a compilation of recommended titles - I'll try to keep it updated; You can hold your cursor over the covers to see each title. (alphabetized list to come.) - click on the covers for links to the book blurbs and descriptions. For more details, see below for comments and lists, and discussion:

Under 12-years-old suggestions (See post https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... for links)


Addie on the Inside (The Misfits, #3)
My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer
The Center of Everything
The Manny Files
Luv Ya Bunches (Flower Power, #1)
Keeper
Penny Dreadful
Waiting for Normal

12-14 yr old Recommendations:

Sprout - ambiguous-ending, high-school, m-m,abuse,read
Totally Joe -m/m, middle schoool, funny, flamboyant
Dolphins in the Mud m/m, coming out/of age, disabilities, family issues
So Hard to Say -middle school, m/m, coming out/of age
Fledgling - action/adventure, m/m, middle school, family
The Misfits - bullying, M/M, funny,
The Will of the Empress - fantasy, f/f,
The Drowning of Stephan Jones
Sock it to Me, Santa!
Another Kind Of Cowboy - gay coming out
Better Nate Than Ever - funny, warm m/m coming of age
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - lovely coming of age story for all readers including adults, so well done
One Man Guy


Upper middle-school to highschool

The Chocolate War
Geography Club - highschool, m/m, bi, coming out/of age
Peter
Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence
The Year They Burned the Books
The Blue Lawn and others by William Taylor
50 Ways of Saying Fabulous
Desert Sons
Buddy
The Cave
The Year of Ice
Fake
Erik & Isabelle: Freshman Year at Foresthill High
Clay's Way
Lucky
Not the Only One
The Boys and the Bees
The Tragedy of Miss Geneva Flowers
Absolutely Positively Not
Is He Or Isn't He?
Tale of Two Summers
M or F?
The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities
My Side Of The Story
Echo
The Straight Road to Kylie
Saints of Augustine
A Vigil for Joe Rose: Stories of Being Out in High School
Nothing Pink
Dishes
Band Fags!
Out of the Pocket
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Freak Show
Beautiful Boys: Two Weetzie Bat Books
Out
Stotan!
The Vast Fields of Ordinary
My Most Excellent Year
David Inside Out
Josef Jaeger
Will
The Mariposa Club
Mesmerized
Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
Mystery of the Tempest: A Fisher Key Adventure
The Case of the Missing Mother
Speaking Out: LGBTQ Youth Stand Up
It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living
Luck in the Shadows (gay fantasy series)
Magic's Pawn (gay fantasy series)
The God Box
Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture
Boy Meets Boy
Luna
Keeping You a Secret
Parrotfish
Distant Rumblings (first of a trilogy)
Annie on My Mind
The Red Sheet
Bad Boy
The Warrior's Path
The Rules of Ever After
Love Spell
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Older highschool


Thinking Straight
Rainbow Boys (trilogy)
Scars
The Realm of Possibility
I Am J
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity
The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes to their Younger Selves
What Happened to Lani Garver
The Bermudez Triangle
Far from Xanadu
The Rules for Hearts
Almost Perfect
Common Sons
One Boy's Shadow
This High School Has Closets
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Screwed Up Life of Charlie The Second
Ask The Passengers
Troll Or Derby
Ash
Freakboy
Golden Boy
Vivaldi in the Dark
Openly Straight
fml
Winger
More Than This
Children of the Knight
Us Three
Gives Light
rock
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children
Two Boys Kissing
Boyfriends with Girlfriends
Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom
The Summer I Wasn't Me
Fox-Hat and Neko
The Suicidal Peanut
Harmonious Hearts 2015
Us Three

I not a younger reader - but I highly recommend "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithain for senior high readers.

Kaje wrote: "A new member, Jennifer, who is a teacher asked the question (especially of our younger members):

Think back to those early days of adolescence.
What books do you wish you had in your school libra..."

Wow, thank you for starting this discussion.

I'd like to see
Luna and Parrotfish for trans characters
Luck in the Shadows and Magic's Pawn for fantasy that just happens to have gay MC's
The God Box and Thinking Straight for the issues of religion and being gay
Rainbow Boys and Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture for m/m (Plus the Foster High series once it's in paperback)
Keeping You a Secret for F/F
The Realm of Possibility for lovely prose-poems about all the issues of a group of teens.


Sprout and Totally Joe are good middle-school books and possibly Geography Club

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger (I'm sure I've spelled that wrong) because of the portrayal of a transgendered male character.

At the risk of tooting my own horn, my new novel Dolphins in the Mud for a novel about a gay boy who isn't dealing with sexuality issues; instead he's dealing with major upheaval in his family and a mentally ill boyfriend. I'd say it's appropriate for middle or high school.

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield. Lesbian main character who manages to find a healthy relationship while dealing with the aftermath of childhood sexual abuse and self-injury. I would NOT recommend this for junior high/middle school age, because the subject matter is pretty disturbing, though kids at the older end of that range (13-14 years old) might be able to handle it depending on their maturity level.

I'd also recommend my own Reality Shift series (since I've already tooted my horn once... Moderators can thwap me if I'm out of line here) because of the treatment of the issues of bullying and child abuse, but there aren't any characters identified as GLBT in that...(I suspect the main character, Jonah Leighton, is bisexual, as is the person he's based on, but the subject of his sexuality doesn't actually come up in the books.) I've heard from my town's school librarians about 3 students who've come forward to get help with those issues in their own lives after reading the books and hearing me speak, though. And I've heard from some high school age reluctant readers who said they enjoyed the books. Also appropriate for either middle school or high school.

I second Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Sprout, and Keeping You a Secret.

Oh, I remember the one I wanted to recommend. Hero by Perry Moore

Awesome suggestions so far. I would add:




and finally:

I would recommend The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson and Far From Xanadu by Julie Anne Peters.

Caution: The following recommendations come from an ancient librarian, who continues to devour LGBT YA books wishing he had something like that to read back then.

Firstly a note that several of the titles listed in Kaje's post are part of a series, which doesn't always "get them in"

Next: There are a number of "lists" about. I Like the one of Alex Sanchez website and the ALA Rainbow list. I will think about some of the other ones I have used in the past.

Now the good stuff. As I have mentioned before my book list is elsewhere so I think it inappropriate to link but you can easily find me under gsc55. These are a mix of middle, upper elementary & junior high. I know some would consider senior high but I am fast learning that depends on the librarian & the parent/teacher support/or not within the school.
I have also noted OZ & NZ - showing my roots.

The chocolate war (Cormier)
Peter (Kate Walker) OZ
Am I Blue?
The year they burned the books (Garden)
Inside out (OZ - I think it is still in print)
Any by William Taylor (NZ)
50 ways of saying fabulous (Aitken) NZ
Desert sons +sequel (Kendrick)
Buddy (Jones)
The cave (Gervay
Year of ice (Malloy)
Fake (Beck)
Erik & Isabelle series (Wallace)
Clay's way (Mastbaum)
Geography club (Hartinger) great to use with Day of Silence (in fact most of his writings)
Lucky (Oliveira)
Not the only one
The boys & the bees/The tragedy of Miss Jean Flowers (Babcock)
Absolutely positively not (DeRochelle)
Is he of isn't he?
Tale of two summers (Sloan)
M of F? (Papademetriou)
The full spectrum
My side of the story (Davis)
Echo (Morgenroth)
Straight road to Kylie )Medina)
Drama series (Ruditis)
Saints of Augustine (PE Ryan) also another one
Vigil for Joe Rose (Whatling)
Nothing pink (Harding)
Dishes (Wallace)
Band fags / Drama queers (Polito)
Out of the pocket (Konigsberg)
Screwed up life... (Ferguson)
Nich & Norah's Infinite playlist (Lvithan & Cohn) also a movie
any by Robert Riorden (Thinking straight, Evolution of Ethan Poe etc)
Freak Show (St James)
Weetzie Bat boys (Bloch)
Out (Diersch)
Stotan (Cutcher)
Vast fields of ordinary (Field)
My most excellent year (Kluger)
David inside out (Bantle)
Josef Jaeger (Fishback) good to use as it is German brown shirts 1940s
Last of the braves (Fusillo)
Will (Boyd) OZ
Mariposa Club (Gonzalez)
several by David-Matthew Barnes
found some nive ones in BeautoBeau by Wales (I think they are available as print)
Putting makeup on the fat boy (wright) just got a Lammy
Chulito (Rice-Gonzales)
Money boy (Yee)
mystery series by Sam Cameron
mystery series by Ruth Sims
Speaking out
Miguel's secret journal (Zeppa)
Awake
dare I suggest the three Glee books in print
chance to dance for you (Sobat) not yet read my copy is on its way
It gets better
vampire series by Griffo
My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan (Rudetsky)

So if you haven't blown your budget, I have left some out, particularly those I have a eBooks and am unsure whether they are also available as print.

I would have a few suggestions for DVDs as well so let me know if you would like them posted.

Just popped back after dinner and I found this post by Malinda Lo in my RSS Feeds. Malinda has a post from Daisy Porter who blogs on Queer YA but this post on a short history of Queer YA fits into this thread quite well.
And thanks to the crew at I'm here, I'm Queer, What the hell do I read

Graeme wrote: "Caution: The following recommendations come from an ancient librarian, who continues to devour LGBT YA books wishing he had something like that to read back then.

Firstly a note that several of th..."

Wow, that's a great list! When I get the chance, I'll have to make sure they're on our bookshelf too. Thanks for all the new books to try - I've only read half of those :)

I'm curious what you mean about a series that "doesn't always get them in"? That the kids don't get hooked or the library doesn't carry all of them? (I know most of the fantasy I listed is the beginning of trilogies, etc. - and yes, the library would do well to carry the full series because I think the kids will get hooked in.) John Goode's Arcadia series is another I'll probably recommend, but only the first book Distant Rumblings is out yet.

Kaje wrote: I'm curious what you mean about a series that "doesn't always get them in"? That the kids don't get hooked or the library doesn't carry all of them?

It's a tough one. I often find that reluctant readers will not touch a trilogy, even the fantasy ones. But I have to accept that there are always those that get "sucked in" - look at the Harry Potter series for example.

And also yes - libraries are often at fault for not pursuing full sets (or worse recalcitrant borrowers who fail to return, leaving you with gaps LOL)

PS did you know that the Nightrunner series is now up to book 6, have just finished Casket of Souls.

Finally, thanks. One reason I have joined this group is to stay in touch with what LGBT YA are reading/not reading, the other is to share from my own collection, particularly titles set outside the US.

Graeme wrote: "Kaje wrote: I'm curious what you mean about a series that "doesn't always get them in"? That the kids don't get hooked or the library doesn't carry all of them?

It's a tough one. I often find tha..."

Readers do seem to be split with series - some who love them (I'm one of those) and some who want short and complete. I think teens are the same - my kids were/are willing to get 23 books into a series they like, but some of their friends rarely pick up anything longer than a magazine.

We really appreciate the non-US titles - I know you've posted on our international book thread but for anyone who missed it (since it's in the questions section) that thread is here.

I didn't know the 6th Nightrunner book was out - I need it! The fifth was not my favorite, but it seemed like it might be building to a good point for this one. Thanks for the heads-up.

Libraries that only carry a portion of a series is a huge pet peeve of mine, especially when they have like 1,2 and 4 but not number 3. I refuse to borrow a series unless I know the library had the entire series, or there is somewhere I know I can get them if I want to finish it out.

I absolutely love this thread. I'm a high school sponsor for a Gay/Straight Alliance Club and I would like to help the kids put together a book list they can request from our librarian to order. We have a really amazing librarian who would love to jump on this.

Anyone have any suggestions for the club? Activity ideas beyond the safe hang out session? I'd love some input.

Suggest Jason Steed book Fledgling
Remember when you was 10, 11 and 12. The thoughts you had, the story takes you back as jason discovers himself, although you pick it up between the lines. It’s genre is YA, all action story a book about the growing pains of a boy, crossed between a Young James Bond and Karate Kid, he is in the wrong place at the wrong time, he is slowly discovering himself, his best friend Scott, has feelings for him, but its kept PG and below the story. Three of my friends also read it only tow of them picked up he gay theme, its well hidden, book 2, takes it a little further.

I have been donating copies of my book, One Boy's Shadow, to libraries to include in their LGBTQ YA sections. I wrote it largely because it is the kind of book I wish I had had access to as a teen-ager.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the books M or F?, The God Box and Geography Club

The novel Common Sons would also be a good selection for more mature readers.

Great topic. Very interested to learn what other people have to suggest.

Hi,
I did a focus group with gay male youth to see what they wanted to see in a book and This High School Has Closets is the end result. So, I think every school and library should have this book because it doesn't focus on coming out but rather the "in's and out's" of a developing relationship. Guys want to see the interaction that leads to a relationship.

Robert wrote: "Hi,
I did a focus group with gay male youth to see what they wanted to see in a book and This High School Has Closets is the end result. So, I think every school and library should have this book b..."

I'm seeing this book get some nominations on the adult group so it obviously did strike a chord.

Middle Grades: The Drowning of Stephan Jones deals with homophobia. The main character isn't LGBTQ, but the story revolves around a gay couple in the bible belt.The Misfits is about general name calling, and has a gay character in the core group of characters. There's also a sequel, Totally Joe, that focuses on the gay character, but I haven't read it. The Will of the Empress, by Tamora Pierce, has three strong female main characters, one of which is a lesbian.

Lesbian: The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Emily M. Danforth is really good. Keeping You a Secret, by Julie Anne Peters, is also a good coming out novel.

Lesbian and Self-Injury: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield handles both these topics really well.

Gay:
Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey is a really good fantasy book with a gay main character. It's technically marketed as an adult book, but there's no sex or anything, so it's appropriate for YA. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan is a really sweet M/M romance set in a gay utopia in that everyone is accepting of LGBTQ identities.

MtF: Luna by Julie Anne Peters is really well written.

FtM: Parrotfish is a lighter book on the subject. I am J is a bit more serious. They're both fairly good. I feel like I am J deals with gender questioning and dysphoria better, but the humor in Parrotfish is refreshing.

Books with LGBTQ secondary characters: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce.

I liked Totally Joe for middle grades. I saw that The Miseducation of Cameron Post actually made it to the semi-final round of the Goodreads Awards voting, which is something of an achievement.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Not sure if it's been listed above (threads are hard to read, and it's not on the side in the linked list), but I also enjoyed Another Kind Of Cowboy. Might be better for Friends than for the kids who actually questioning themselves.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Not sure if it's been listed above (threads are hard to read, and it's not on the side in the linked list), but I also enjoyed Another Kind Of Cowboy. Might be better for Friends than for the kids..."

I don't know if it's there yet, and I agree - a good book for "what if my best friend is gay?"

I'll try to compile a better linked list above.

tx Kaje :)

It's not very organized - maybe eventually I'll put in more categories. The one unlinked suggestion list was very long and some unfamiliar to me (yay), so I ran out of steam after tracking down the books. Or most of them. I do want this to be a resource though, so it was a good idea :) - I'd had that comment box waiting for me to get to it.

I just recently read Ask the Passengers by A.S. King.

Definitely good for junior-senior level.

Added - another one I haven't read, which is cool. thanks.

I'd recommend Luna and Annie on My Mind for late middle school to high school students.

Luna is up there - one of my favorites too. If Annie isn't I'll put it there (I keep planning to alphabetize and categorize... soon) Thanks for the recommendations.

ETA - didn't see it so I added. I'll try and do an alphabetical title list soon.

I dislike nominating my own books for inclusion in any must-buy list. It is true I did write it partially because I feel there should be more neutral representation of the fluidity of sexuality, though. I think of it as an LGBTQ book, but I do not get on the soapbox. There are no sex scenes in it, but there is the strong insinuation of what happens behind closed doors. This is a gritty fantasy set in the low income rural Midwest. Despite all that, it's funny. Troll Or Derby

Red wrote: "I dislike nominating my own books for inclusion in any must-buy list. It is true I did write it partially because I feel there should be more neutral representation of the fluidity of sexuality, t..."

Yeah, it's awkward. I think we all write LGBT YA partly to fill niches that we wish had more options for teen readers. I love the fact that the list is so long now (other than the part where I have to go alphabetize it sometime ;)

What school level were you writing for?

if it helps I would definitely second Troll or Derby. it's a great read.

Rachel wrote: "if it helps I would definitely second Troll or Derby. it's a great read."

Middle school? High school?

Target level high school. Case-by-case for readers under 14.

Rachel wrote: "if it helps I would definitely second Troll or Derby. it's a great read."

Bless you.

Robert wrote: "Hi,
I did a focus group with gay male youth to see what they wanted to see in a book and This High School Has Closets is the end result. So, I think every school and library should have this book b..."

Kaje wrote: "Robert wrote: "Hi,
I did a focus group with gay male youth to see what they wanted to see in a book and This High School Has Closets is the end result. So, I think every school and library should h..."

Yeah, I'm hoping this book will win an award this year. My publicist is confident it will. He really liked this book, too.

Today I just finished reading
I feel that this sweet tale of Cameron maybe a good way to start up the conversation about same-sex relationships.
I believe that its target age would be grade school, but even adults might enjoy this one.
The story is told in rhyming verses, and follows Cameron from his birth, to his school where he faces some bullying, and then to how he "finds" his true love whom he weds.
I feel that this story helps express the moral lessons of tolerance and love for all.
I found it on Amazon and it is available in paperback as well as kindle formatting.

Cute :) Nice to have something appropriate for that younger age group too.

Kaje wrote: "Cute :) Nice to have something appropriate for that younger age group too."

For me I would ask for these.


For the older kids (we call it secondary school)


Trust Me & Dream Boy would definitely be for the older kids. All the others I would be okay with for somewhat younger children. Suicide Watch would be one I could see debates about, but when I was in primary school I did read a book about Suicide so I don't see how it would be appropriate. :)

Thanks for the list :)

I consider Dream Boy to be an adult book, or at most 16+ - there are both scenes and themes that are a bit tough.

Kaje wrote: "Thanks for the list :)"

No problem :)

For middle school and up: The Gene Pull

It's a fun, clean story centering around a gay teen who refuses to give in to the bullies at school or the aliens who want to abduct him once he develops superpowers!

by Robert Joseph Greene would be one of my recommendations for inclusion in the school library.

Thanks for putting it on our list.

I would have loved to see Dream Boy and Boy Meets Boy in my high school, times have changed with gay ya fiction being so available now than 12 years ago :(

In a lot of places the LGBT books are much more available in school and public libraries now. Our Minneapolis library system has lots of the books I listed above available, including both of those. It's getting better.

That's good, I'm just starting to write my own gay stories, it gives me hope that some teen will read it and find a connection and it will help them feel less confused :)

I like this list but I think your categories are off. Middle grade is like fourth grade to eighth grade. Some of those books are totally inappropriate for a fourth grader!

Geography Club is definitely not middle grade. Neither is The Drowning of Stephan Jones, Another Kind Of Cowboy, or Sprout.

Here's what I would recommend for middle grade:



Lots more here.....

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Here middle grades could be sixth and seventh, so 12-14 year olds. Fourth grade would definitely be elementary. (Since we're YA, we weren't even thinking about kids under 12)

Maybe we just need to title it differently, because I don't want to get into books for children, although I appreciate the list you posted and I'll add that at the top.