Happy Pride everyone!
June is Pride month, a time to reflect on queer history, to celebrate how far we’ve come, and acknowledge and renew our fighting spirit for the many challenges yet to be defeated.
The Stonewall riots of June 28th, 1969, are widely recognised to be the catalyst of the modern LGBTQ+ Pride movement, where queer people, notably Black trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, Latinx trans activist Sylvia Rivera, and Black lesbian Stormie DeLarverie, stood up to the police who decided to raid a queer bar. This riot was one of many at the time as the police made a habit of raiding queer spaces and policing queer bodies. The retaliation to these unjust police attacks were frequently led by queer trans people of colour, and it is essential that during (and after!) Pride month we reflect on how much we owe to the incredible queer people of colour who fought so hard for the world of greater equality and liberation that we have today. However, the fight is far from over and Black trans women are also amongst the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in the world today; it is essential that we do better to listen to, protect, and support them.
Books are a fantastic way to learn about yourself and the richness of the world around you, and whether you identify as LGBTQ+ or not queer reads can help expand your mind and discover stories across the range of human experiences – they are also just fantastic and exciting books! With all this in mind we bring you some of our top queer YA reads. The LGBTQ+ YA scene has picked up massively in the past few years and we’re thrilled that we are getting to the point that there is something for everyone, with books representing all gender identities and sexualities becoming available across all genres. This list is loosely organised by suggested age rating and we’ve done our best to summarise plots, queer characters and themes (disclaimer: we read a lot of fantasy). We’ve also included some content warnings at the bottom of the page for some of the books but they aren’t exhaustive so make sure you have a look at the books yourself before diving in!
Mooncakes (by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Non-binary, queer, bi
Genre: fantasy, romance (graphic novel)
Age Rating: all ages
Summary: Nova Huang, a teen witch, reunites with Tam Lang, a werewolf and her childhood crush. Together they must figure out a way to confront and overcome an evil ritualistic magic that seems to be after Tam, all the while figuring out their feelings for each other.
Nimona (by Noelle Stevenson)
LGBTQ+ Rep: gay
Genre: fantasy (graphic novel)
Age Rating: All ages
Summary: Nimona, a shapeshifter with a mysterious past and mischievous personality bursts into villain Lord Ballister Blackheart’s life and turns it upside down. Together the duo take on hero, and figure from Lord Blackheart’s past, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and uncover much more than they bargained for about the supposedly valiant organisation of the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics.
The Avant-Guards (by Carly Usdin)
LGBTQ+ Rep: bi, lesbian, nonbinary, trans
Genre: contemporary (graphic novel)
Age Rating: all ages
Summary: A heart-warming story following ex-athlete Charlie who moves to a new team determined to leave the sport behind her, only to be convinced to join the kind of awful basketball team and to find that actually this group of lovable friends might be just what she needs to find herself and her passion again.
Our Dreams at Dusk/Shimanami Tasogare (by Yuhki Kamatani)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Gay, Lesbian, Trans, asexual, Elderly Queer People, Questioning Gender
Genre: Slice of life, coming of age, high school (graphic novel)
Age Rating: All Ages
Summary: Tasuku is a high schooler in Japan who’s struggling with his sexuality when he is introduced to a group of people dealing with similar problems. The series takes you through each character and their struggles with gender and sexuality in Japanese society.
Heartstopper (by Alice Oseman)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Gay, Bi, Trans Girl, Lesbian
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, High School, contemporary (graphic novel)
Age Rating: All Ages
Summary: This graphic novel series tells the story of Charlie and Nick, two British teenagers, and their friends as they go through secondary school. Charlie is openly gay after having been outed at school the year before and Nick is a (seemingly) straight boy on the rugby team. They end up sitting next to each other in form and strike up a friendship which could become something more.
The One Hundred Nights of Hero (by Isabel Greenberg)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Lesbians
Genre: Fantasy (graphic novel)
Age Rating: All Ages
Summary: In a fantasy land, a girl named Cherry is married to a man called Jerome who makes a bet with a friend, Manfred, that if Manfred can seduce his wife in one hundred nights, he wins Jerome’s castle and Cherry. However, Cherry has been secretly in love with her maid Hero for years now and Hero uses her skill of story-telling in an attempt to distract Manfred and save Cherry.
Let’s Talk about Love (by Claire Kann)
LGBTQ+ Rep: asexual, biromantic
Genre: romance, contemporary
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: Alice was looking forward to the perfect summer, complete with tv show marathons, buffets and dates with her girlfriend. Except her girlfriend broke up with her before the summer even had a chance to get started - all because Alice is asexual. Just when her love life is starting to look boring, her new colleague at the library, a boy named Takumi, might be able to turn it all around.
The Falling in Love Montage (by Ciara Smyth)
LGBTQ+ Rep: lesbian
Genre: romance, contemporary
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: Saoirse and Ruby couldn’t be more different in their outlooks on life and love. Saoirse is jaded and not looking for a relationship but when playful Ruby comes into her life via an accidental cat-napping they both agree to see where things will go – and everyone knows how a falling love montage ends… right?
Carry On (by Rainbow Rowell)
LGBTQ+ Rep: gay, (implied) bi
Genre: fantasy, romance
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: Despite being the so-called “Chosen One,” Simon Snow really isn’t having a good start to his school year. His magic only works half the time, his girlfriend broke up with him, he can’t seem to get in contact with his teacher and the Big Bad Villain he has to defeat looks exactly like his eleven-year-old self. He’s lucky his roommate/nemesis (who might possibly be a vampire) hasn’t bothered to turn up to school so far because otherwise he’d never hear the end of it!
Cemetery Boys (by Aiden Thomas)
LGBTQ+ Rep: trans boy, gay
Genre: coming of age, urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: Yadriel wants to be a brujo more than anything but since his family are having a hard time accepting his trans identity he decides to take matters into his own hands. This leads to the accidental summoning of the ghost of Julian Diaz, a mischievous former classmate who now insists on sticking around to resolve some unfinished business. Though at first he is reticent, Yadriel soon grows used to spending time with Julian but time is running out in more ways than either of them realise…
Only Mostly Devastated (by Sophie Gonzales)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Gay, Bi
Genre: High School, Slice of Life, romance, contemporary
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: A queer retelling of Grease. Ollie and Will have a great summer romance together, both thinking it will be just that - a summer romance. But circumstances force Ollie to stay in the area and attend the same high school as Will, only there’s one problem: Will isn’t out to his family and friends. The book tackles the problems usually associated with being in the closet and coming out and also how this can affect a relationship.
Perfect on Paper (by Sophie Gonzales)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Bi, Lesbian, Ace, Non-Binary, Gay, Trans
Genre: High School, Slice of Life
Age Rating: 13+
Summary: Darcy Phillips has had a crush on her best friend Brooke Nguyen for a while now, but she has a secret that nobody else knows: she runs an anonymous dating advice service through the empty locker 89 at school. Things get more complicated when she’s discovered by Australian transfer student Alexander Brougham who wants help winning his ex-girlfriend back.
Werecockroach (by Polenth Blake)
LGBTQ+ Rep: aromantic, nonbinary, asexual, bi
Genre: paranormal, sci-fi (novella)
Age Rating: 14+
Summary: Aliens invade on the day that Rin moves into a new flat. What do they want? Why are they in London? Why do only Rin and their two flatmates survive when everyone else disappears? This is a brilliantly weird and funny novella that has fantastic casual queer rep and will probably make you look at cockroaches in a whole new light.
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens (by Tanya Boteju)
LGBTQ+ Rep: lesbian, bi, trans, queer
Genre: coming of age, contemporary
Age Rating: 14+
Summary: Nima is a painfully awkward small-town girl so when she has the chance to go to her first ever drag performance she feels like her entire life opens up before her. Through a wonderful cast of queer characters Nima learns what it means to let go of the past and to open herself to opportunity, love, and the future.
Felix ever after (by Kacen Callender)
LGBTQ+ Rep: queer, transmasc, bi, lesbian, gay, nonbinary
Genre: coming of age, contemporary
Age Rating: 14+
Summary: It’s the summer before college and Felix Love wants to so badly to experience love for himself. It seems so easy for everyone around him, including best friend Ezra, but when a fellow student starts to bully him, first by posting Felix’s deadname and pre-transition images, and then by cyberbullying him with vicious messages Felix feels even more uncertain that he is worthy of love. What starts as an attempt to fight back against the bully turns into something wholly unexpected and over the summer Felix begins to explore his own identity, his relationships, and maybe even love.
How it all Blew Up (Arvin Ahmadi)
LGBTQ+ Rep: gay
Genre: contemporary, coming of age
Age Rating: 15+
Summary: Amir Azadi is an 18 year old boy who ends up in Rome, Italy hoping to avoid the aftermath of his parents finding out about his sexuality. Given that his family is Muslim, he’s always been afraid of their reaction and thinks that the only solution is running away. He spends his days going on dates in the city and spends time at parties with new friends, until his parents come looking for him. Then before he knows what’s happening he’s explaining all of this to the US Customs Agent in order to solve a misunderstanding.
Spellhacker (by M.k. England)
LGBTQ+ Rep: nonbinary, queer, gay
Genre: coming of age, urban fantasy
Age Rating: 15+
Summary: Do you hate capitalism and love stories set in interesting, well-designed fantasy settings with a fantastic magic system and that feature a team of rag-tag teens doing heists? If so, this is the perfect book for you. Diz and her team have been siphoning off maz (the name for magic in this world) for years and during what’s meant to be their last job they discover a new strain that all of a sudden puts them at the centre of a conspiracy that they have to solve before it destroys them or, quite possibly, the world.
A Dark and Hollow Star (by Ashley Shuttleworth)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Gay, Bi, Lesbian, Non-Binary (+neopronouns)
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Supernatural
Age Rating: 15+
Summary: The Fae world has lived secretly alongside the human world for generations but a series of vicious murders threaten this secret existence. Each holding a piece of the truth behind the murders, four people come together to track down the killer.
Maurice (by E. M. Forster)
LGBTQ+ Rep: Gay
Genre: Romance, Classics, Coming of Age
Age Rating: 16+
Summary: A story about being gay in the early 20th century which ends on a more optimistic note than other novels of the time. Written by the author in 1913/14 but not published until 1971, after his death due to the fact that homosexuality a criminal offence until 1967, and even then it was only partially decriminalised. It is dedicated ‘to a happier year.’
If you want to find out more about Stonewall, Pride, or the history of queer YA have a look at these articles:
- When Remembering Stonewall, We Need To Listen to Those Who Were There - https://www.them.us/story/who-threw-the-first-brick-at-stonewall
- The Stonewall uprising: 50 years of LGBT history - https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/stonewall-uprising-50-years-lgbt-history
- A Brief History Of Queer Young Adult Literature - https://medium.com/the-establishment/the-critical-evolution-of-lgbtq-young-adult-literature-ce40cd4905c6
Some content warnings:
- Mooncakes - death, kidnapping, body horror, abuse (parental, mentioned), violence
- Nimona - death, child abuse (past, mentioned), murder
- The Avant-Guards - anxiety, panic attacks
- Our Dreams at Dusk/Shimanami Tasogare - homophobia/homophobic language, references to suicide (brief/non-graphic)
- Heartstopper - homophobia, eating disorders, mentions of self-harm (brief/non-graphic), bullying (past), non-consensual kiss
- The One Hundred Nights of Hero - non-consensual advances, sexism, misogyny, death
- Let’s Talk about Love - acephobia, anxiety, assault, racism, sexism, sexual harassment, bullying, microaggressions
- The Falling in Love Montage - dementia
- Carry On - death, bullying, racism, kidnapping, blood, violence
- Cemetery Boys - misgendering, death, blood, transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming, gender dysphoria, racism, murder
- Only Mostly Devastated - homophobia, cancer, death, fatphobia
- Perfect on Paper - biphobia, homophobia
- Werecockroach - cockroaches, kidnapping, violence
- Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens - misgendering, homophobia, bullying, transphobia, gender dysphoria
- Felix ever after - transphobia (very extreme and explicit), bullying, cyberbullying, homophobia, outing, racism, deadnaming
- How it all Blew Up - homophobia, racism, blackmail (threatened outing), islamophobia
- Spellhacker - panic attack, ableism, death, violence, blood
- A Dark and Hollow Star - blood, death (of a child), depression, human trafficking, psychopathy, stalking, suicide (past, off-page), suicidal ideation, toxic relationship, PTSD, racism, violence
- Maurice - homophobia, sex (not explicit), references to suicide, assault, sexism, misogyny
Curious about content warnings and why they are helpful? Want to check these books for more comprehensive content warnings? Check out these links:
- Great crowdsourced resource for content warnings for all forms of media, including books - https://www.doesthedogdie.com
By Lily Dobber and Heather Orpin (class of 2020)
Comments