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LGBTQ

Books that have LGBTQ characters or that challenge traditional gender roles

Courage

I Am Not Starfire

There are a lot of reasons to love I Am Not Starfire, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani. The art is fantastic, the characters are sharp, and it is both

LGBTQ

Felix Ever After

Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead Felix Ever After, by Kacen Callender, tells the story of Felix, a seventeen year old student going to art school in New York. At the outset of the book,

LGBTQ

The Stone Rainbow

The Stone Rainbow, by Liane Shaw, tells the story of Jack Pedersen, a gay teenager who is living a small town. A few people know he is gay, but otherwise Jack is committed

Graphic Novel

The Magic Fish

The Magic Fish, written by Trung Le Nguyen, is a beautiful graphic novel about Tiến and his mother, a Vietnamese refugee. Tiến wants to come out to his parents as gay, but he

Courage

Pet

Pet, written by Akaeke Emezi, tells the story of a Black transgender girl who must uncover a monster who is endangering her friend. The main character Jam lives in a city that seems

Gender

The Cardboard Kingdom

The Cardboard Kingdom is a graphic novel by Chad Sell about the power of imagination and being yourself. The book is a collection of short stories that follows children of the cardboard kingdom,

Canadian

Surviving the City: From the Roots Up

Surviving the City Vol. 2: From the Roots Up, written by Tasha Spillett and illustrated by Natasha Donovan, is a graphic novel that explores the intersections of Indigenous culture and gender identity. It

LGBTQ

Rick

Rick, by Alex Gino, is the sequel to the award winning middle grade novel George. In Rick, characters from the first book have moved onto middle school, which brings new questions about identity,

LGBTQ

The Derby Daredevils

I love when I can read a middle grade book and learn something entirely new. This is particulary true when it involves female protagonists who rise to a challenge. The Derby Daredevils: Kenzie

Human Rights

Anger is a Gift

Anger is a Gift, by Mark Oshiro, tells the story of Moss Jefferies, a black Latinx teen, and his activism against police brutality at his high school. Traumatized by the murder of his

LGBTQ

Rainbow and Pride Picture Books

This blog has recommended a number of books that include LGBTQ characters, particularly books geared for middle years students. For students who are LGBTQ, who are questioning, or who have LGBTQ family members,

LGBTQ

Moon at Nine

Earlier this year I was asked to read Moon at Nine, written by Deborah Ellis. Our school inherited a number of copies and my principal thought they might be a good fit in

LGBTQ

Maiden & Princess

Last week, I was reading Daniel Haack's Prince & Knight to my three year old. When we reached the last page, where the two main male characters get married and live happily ever

LGBTQ

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

As a middle school teacher, I have tried to fill my classroom library with books that are representative of LGBTQ students' experiences. I have collected a variety of books relating to trans youth,

Gender

The Poet X

I am a sucker for narrative books in verse, and the newest addition to my collection, The Poet X, is a powerful one. Written by slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo, it tells the story

LGBTQ

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the coming of age story of two teenage boys as they embark on a friendship that gradually becomes a deeper relationship. With beautiful

LGBTQ

Two Boys Kissing

Two Boys Kissing, by David Leviathan, is a novel that explores what it is like being gay for today's teens. It follows several gay teens over the course of two days, showing a

LGBTQ

LGBTQ Books in Middle School

I recently got a request for recommendations of LGBTQ books for middle school. Below I have compiled a list of books in my classroom library that prominently feature LGBTQ characters or themes. Younger

LGBTQ

Marriage Equality in Picture Books

When selecting books for our students, it is important to include diverse families. Some students have families with same-sex parents and it is powerful for them to see their lives represented in the

LGBTQ

The 57 Bus: A Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives

Summer is an excellent time to catch up on reading, so stay tuned for book reviews of texts that belong in the classroom and beyond. Today's review is on The 57 Bus, by

LGBTQ

Pride in Middle School

Over the last two years, I have been one of the teacher advisors for my middle school's Gay Straight Alliance or GSA. Started last year by student request, the group decided to focus

LGBTQ

Lily and Dunkin

Recently, I started hunting for novels for an identity themed literature circle. Lily and Dunkin, by Donna Gephart, was a recurring suggestion. The book has been on my list for a while, so

LGBTQ

Lumberjanes: A Book for Hardcore Lady Types

When I was a kid, good comic books were just for boys. The only comics I ever managed to read were Archie comics, and even back then I was pretty skeptical about Betty

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