Over the last several years, the number of available books featuring LGBTQ experiences has grown, especially in fiction for young adult readers. As the collection specialist for Young Adult materials since 2011, it has been very gratifying and exciting to watch this evolution. It wasn’t that long ago the most well-known LGBTQ books for youth could be counted off on one hand: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman for young children; Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky for YA. Today, a wide breadth of experiences, orientations, and identities can be found in all sorts of different books. Of course, there are still many gaps in representation, but we are moving in the right direction.
If you are interested in finding some mirrors or windows in books featuring LGBTQ experiences, a great place to start is by checking out award winners and nominees like the Rainbow Book List of recommended books with “significant gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning content” for youth from birth to 18: http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/. Another resource is the Stonewall Book Awards, presented to adult and young adult books on the basis of “exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience”: http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award/stonewall/. The Stonewall Awards cover adult and youth picks. Finally, there are the Lambda Literary Awards, which “identify and celebrate the best lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender books of the year and affirm that LGBTQ stories are part of the literature of the world”: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/
For more personalized suggestions, visit the Browse section of our website for reading lists tailored to the materials available at TBPL. For young readers, try Worm Loves Worm by J J Austrian, a sweetly funny picture book about gender identity. Worm loves worm and they want to get married – but their friends have lots of questions. Which worm is the bride? Which is the groom? And does it matter? What makes a family is explored in Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Schiffer, a picture book about a child with two dads navigating the Mother’s Day holiday.
Tim Federle’s Nate Series for ages 9-12 foregrounds a young boy who is passionate about Broadway, musicals, and making his acting dreams come true. He is also gay. This middle grade chapter book is one of the very few titles for this age featuring a gay, lesbian, or bisexual protagonist. George by Alex Gino is one of several middle grade novels foregrounding transgender characters, and is the winner of a Stonewall Award. Graphic novel fans will enjoy Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill, an adorable romp that subverts the typical princess conventions and ends with the girls finding their happily ever after together.
Readers can find more representation in Rick Riordan’s two new series for youth. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard has a gender-fluid transgender character appear in book two, and has won a Stonewall Book Award. His other series, The Trials of Apollo, features the god Apollo as a present-day bisexual teenager. There are too many great Young Adult books to suggest here, so please visit our website’s Browse section to peruse the complete book lists!
Finally, our collection of non-fiction is also growing. We have resources like Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy With Families in Transition by Elijah Nealy and Queers Were Here: Heroes and Icons of Gay Canada, edited by Robin Ganev and RJ Gilmour. This June, why not celebrate Pride Month by picking up one of the many recommended reads and expanding your perspective by reading through some windows.
Laura Prinselaar
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