LGBTQIA+ Books
Grades K-2
The Fairest in the Land by Leslea Newman: When Annabelle and Benjamin play dress-up they both want to be the bride, the ballerina, and the princess which causes a problem until the two friends realize they can both be whoever they want to be. (2023)
The Good Hair Day by Christian Trimmer: With the help from his loving and observant family, a little boy gets a birthday present that gives him the confidence to be himself and let his hair down. (2023)
Grandad's Pride by Harry Woodgate: After Milly discovers a pride flag in Grandad's attic, this adorable pair are motivated by the past to start a pride parade in their small town. Activism and celebration go hand in hand as the town gathers to help build a world where everyone is proud to be themselves . (2023, video)
Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu: Four individuals of dual male and female spirit bring their healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii, where they are beloved for their gentle ways and miraculous cures and where they imbue four giant boulders with their powers. An Indigenous legend about how four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit, or Mahu, brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. (2022, video)
Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild: Shy Violet attempts to show another girl how she feels on Valentine's Day. (2022, video)
Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Nina LaCour: When her mother goes on a business trip, a little girl, who loves to sit between Mama and Mommy at the table, misses her a lot and feels empty until Mommy finally comes home, filling the void with love. (2022, video)
The Mother of a Movement: Jeanne Manford, Ally, Activitist, and Co-founder of PFLAG by Rob Sanders: The Mother of a Movement tells the story of Jeanne Manford, the founder of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). When her son Morty was beaten by New York City officials for handing out pro-gay leaflets, Manford wrote a powerful letter to the New York Post to complain about how Morty was treated. In the letter she came out as the mother of a gay son. The letter was published. Morty invited his mother to march with him in the June 1972 Christopher Street Parade. While marching, she had the idea to form a group to help parents and families of LGBTQ+ people. That was the beginning of PFLAG. (2022, video)
My Rainbow by Trinity Neal: Warm morning sunlight and love fill the Neal home. And on one quiet day, playtime leads to an important realization:Trinity wants long hair like her dolls. She needs it to express who she truly is. So her family decides to take a trip to the beauty supply store, but none of the wigs is the perfect fit. Determined, Mom leaves with bundles of hair in hand, ready to craft a wig as colorful and vibrant as her daughter is. (2020, video)
The Rainbow Parade by Emily Neilson: A girl recounts her first time marching with her two moms at a Pride Parade. (2022, video)
Strong by Eric Rosswood: This fictional biography follows Rob Kearney as he grows from a strong teen to a professional strongman and finds the courage to wear rainbows to the North American championship. (2022, video)
Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen: Chloe is jealous and sad when her favorite uncle announces that he will be getting married, but as she gets to know Jamie better and becomes involved in planning the wedding, she discovers that she will always be special to Uncle Bobby, and to Uncle Jamie, too. (2020, video)
Grades 3-5
Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino: Middle school student Sam is comfortable with their nonbinary identity, and their family has accepted it too (as long as they do their homework and chores), so when their history teacher assigns as a project coming up with a proposal for the new statue honoring a historical Staten Islander (there is a contest involved) they and their friend TJ decide to focus on Alice Austen, a lesbian photographer, whose house on Staten Island is a museum--but they have to overcome the presumption on the part of their teacher that only straight males are eligible. (2022, video)
Answers in the Pages by David Levithan: When Donovan left his copy of The Adventurers on the kitchen counter, he didn't think his mom would read it, much less have a problem with it. It's just an adventure novel about two characters trying to stop an evil genius. But soon the entire town is talking about whether the book's main characters are gay, Donovan's mom is trying to get the book removed from the school curriculum, and Donovan is caught in the middle. (2022, audiobook)
The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy: Twelve-year-old Rahul Kapoor, an Indian-American boy growing up in small-town Indiana, struggles to come to terms with his identity, including that he may be gay. (2019, audiobook)
The Best Liars in Riverview by Lin Thompson: While searching the woods that used to be their personal sanctuary, twelve-year-old Aubrey recalls the events and incidents preceding their best friend's disappearance and quietly questions their own gender identity. (2022, video)
Drew LeClair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury: When a cyberbully posts embarrassing rumors about other students at school, Drew, to protect her own secret, puts her sleuthing skills to good use to find the culprit, who just might be one of her closest friends. (2022, video)
Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman: It's the summer of 1987, and all ten-year-old Bug wants to do is go to the beach with her older brother and hang out with the locals on the boardwalk. But Danny wants to be with his own friends, and Bug's mom is too busy, so Bug is stuck with their neighbor Philip's nephew, Frankie. Bug's not too excited about hanging out with a kid she's never met, but they soon find some common ground. And as the summer unfolds, they find themselves learning some important lessons about each other, and the world. Like what it means to be your true self and how to be a good ally for others. That family can be the people you're related to, but also the people you choose to have around you. And that even though life isn't always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just. (2021, audiobook)
Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela: Eleven-year-old Juniper Harvey is having trouble coping in her new Florida town, but when the girl from her recurring fantasy dream appears in her room they have to figure out how to save Galatea's world from a war of rival gods and deal with their mutual attraction. (2023)
Like a Hurricane by Jonathan Becotte: A young teen's secret is tearing him apart. He knows he is gay but is afraid to share this knowledge with his parents or his friends. What if they reject him? And what can he do with the feelings he has for his childhood friend when he knows his friend does not feel the same way? The turmoil continues to rise with the force of a hurricane and total destruction seems almost certain. A visually stunning exploration of what it means to be true to one's self. (2023)
Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy: Nikhil Shah, a thirteen-year-old, gay, Indian-American boy, who plays the lead voice of Raj Reddy on the hit animated series Raj Reddy in Outer Space, loves nothing more than being in the sound booth and disappearing into extraterrestrial worlds, where his character gets to save the galaxy. But real life isn’t so simple! When Nikhil and his mom move to Ohio to help take care of his sick grandfather, he discovers that sometimes you have to find the power in using your own voice to stand up for the things you know are right. (2022, video)
The Real Riley Mayes by Rachel Elliott: No one gets Riley Mayes. She's got a goofy sense of humor, is more "dude-ish'' than girly, would rather draw than do almost anything else, and she's a huge fan of comedian Joy Powers. When her mother challenges her to find someone who does understand her, Riley connects with Cate, a girl just as imaginative as she is, and Aaron, the new kid, who thinks her jokes are funny. This is a story about finding real friends, first crushes, and discovering gender identity. (2022)
You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro: After eleven-year-old David Bravo wishes for a do-over of a disastrous day of middle school, he and a shapeshifting spirit guide try to right a wrong in his past. (2022, audiobook)
Grades 6-8
Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff: In this funny and hugely heartfelt novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Too Bright to See, a sixth-grader's life is turned upside down when she learns her dad is trans Annabelle Blake fully expects this school year to be the same as every other- same teachers, same classmates, same, same, same. So she's elated to discover there's a new kid in town. (2022, video)
Gay and lesbian history for kids: The century-long struggle for LGBT rights, with 21 activities by Jerome Polhen: Who transformed George Washington's demoralized troops at Valley Forge into a fighting force that defeated an empire? Who cracked Germany's Enigma code and shortened World War II? Who successfully lobbied the US Congress to outlaw child labor? And who organized the 1963 March on Washington? Ls, Gs, Bs, and Ts, that's who. Given today's news, it would be easy to get the impression that the campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality is a recent development, but it is only the final act in a struggle that started more than a century ago. (2015)
George by Alex Gino: When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part ... because she's a boy. With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all. (2015, video)
Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender: Born on Water Island in the Virgin Islands during a hurricane, which is considered bad luck, twelve-year-old Caroline falls in love with another girl--and together they set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother. (2018, audiobook)
Moonflower by Kacen Callendar: Moon is convinced that she does not belong to this world: that most of the time she is invisible (unless she stays still too long), that she belongs to the stars, and wants to go back to them--she lives entirely in her imagination with an imaginary spirit guide who can appear in any shape and refuses to speak to anyone, lest her words tie her to a world she rejects. (2022)
The Science of Being Angry by Nicole Melleby: Eleven-year-old Joey navigates family, friendships, and her first crush, while looking for answers to why she feels so angry sometimes and by searching for the donor her moms chose. (2022)
Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon: Still coping with the death of their father, twelve-year-old Mars tries to figure out their place on and off the rink as they navigate being nonbinary in a traditionally gendered sport. (2023)
Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, Willie Walden: Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. (2023, audiobook)
Will on the Inside by Andrew Elipalos: Will loves playing center midfield on his middle school soccer team. This year, though, Will hasn't felt like himself; his stomach has been bothering him, and he has no energy at all. When his new doctor diagnoses him with Crohn's disease, Will hopes that means he'll start feeling better soon and he can get back to playing with his team before the season ends. But Will's new medicines come with all kinds of side effects. (2023, author website)