By: Sylv Chiang, 2024

A gently affirming story of the connection between siblings. Evelyn is worried about Tessa. Tessa doesn’t want to play the same games they used to play together, but Evelyn is determined to find new ways to connect with her older sibling. And she is also learning to see Tessa as non-binary and using new pronouns for them. Evelyn learns quickly that it isn't hard. and helps others see that too. Through the course of this heartfelt story, Evelyn reaffirms her connection to her sibling and shows those around them how to make the effort to support Tessa ― with love. Back matter includes information on gender and ways to be a kind and effective ally.

By: Gia Parr, in partnership with The GenderCool Project, 2021

People often ask, what does it mean to be transgender? The truth is there isn't one answer. Gender is uniquely beautiful, and each person's experience is individual to them. But at its core, it's all about knowing who you are and having the courage, freedom, and support to live life being your truest self.

By: Kyle Lukoff, 2019

When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life. Then Mom and Dad announce that they're going to have another baby, and Aidan wants to do everything he can to make things right for his new sibling from the beginning. This book will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience.

By: Cassandra Jules Corrigan  2022

This fun, engaging, and empowering children's book is the perfect introduction to pronouns in relation to gender diversity and identity for children aged 5+. Through illustrated scenarios and explanations, it gently encourages children to learn pronoun etiquette and educates them on they/them pronouns and non-binary identities, misgendering and....

By: Elise Gavel with Mykaell Blais 2022

What does it even mean to be a boy or a girl? Loaded with kid-friendly questions, this book opens the door to conversations surrounding gender and sexuality, and everyone's right to be who they are.

By: Jessica Love,  2018

Winner of a 2019 Stonewall Book Award. In an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world. Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.

By: Vivek Shraya, 2016

In this story a five-year-old boy becomes fascinated with his mother's bindi, the red dot commonly worn by South Asian women to indicate the point at which creation begins, and wishes to have one of his own. Rather than chastise her son, she agrees to it, and teaches him about its cultural significance, allowing the boy to discover the magic of the bindi, which in turn gives him permission to be more fully himself.

Teacher Guide

By: Koja & Angel Adeyoha

Peyton loves to dance, and especially at pow wow, but her Auntie notices that she's been dancing less and less. When Peyton shares that she just can't be comfortable wearing a dress anymore, Auntie Eyota asks some friends for help to get Peyton what she needs.

By: Belle DeMont, 2017

Charlie loves his bright red purse, so why does everyone else have a problem with it? Charlie loves the bright red purse that his grandmother let him have. One day, he decides to take it to school. First his father, then his friends, and even the crossing guard question him about his “strange” choice. After all, boys don’t carry purses. But Charlie isn’t deterred. Thanks to Charlie, everyone around him realizes that it isn’t necessary to conform to societal norms. It’s more important to be true to yourself.  

By: Michelle Corneau, 2017

The story of 10-year old Anna whose school friend Jill announces she prefers girls when the two talk about boys at their school. Anna is troubled and her parents notice Anna is unusually quiet at home. Her mother gently asks what is troubling Anna. Anna explains her confusion about her friend's statement that she likes girls and to Anna that is something she terms as gross. Mother explains proper terminology for female and male identity and introduces the term, two-spirit. Anna may find this new concept difficult but her mother reminds Anna of her eagle necklace and the teachings of courage, honesty and wisdom. Anna still has issues at school when some boys call her names because of skin colour. Jill supports Anna and is happy she remained her friend despite this change.  

By: Heather Gale, 2019

An empowering celebration of identity, acceptance and Hawaiian culture based on the true story of a young girl in Hawaiʻi who dreams of leading the boys-only hula troupe at her school. Ho'onani feels in-between. She doesn't see herself as wahine (girl) OR kane (boy). She's happy to be in the middle. But not everyone sees it that way. When Ho'onani finds out that there will be a school performance of a traditional kane hula chant, she wants to be part of it. But can a girl really lead the all-male troupe? Ho'onani has to try.

Educator Guide

By: Mike Jesse Unaapik & Kerry McCluskey, 2017

Talittuq is excited to start his first day of grade two. He is looking forward to the new school year, but as he meets his friends again for the first time after summer vacation, he notices that a lot of his friends’ families are very different from his own. Some have one mom and one dad, and some have only a mom. Some kids live with their grandparents. Some live with two dads or two moms. As Talittuq hears about all the fun his friends have had with their families, he learns that families come in many different shapes and sizes, and what holds them all together is love!  The illustrations demonstrate a contemporary school and families in Iqaliut and they portray today's Inuit people to readers in the southern regions of Canada. The authors have introduced Inuit names and terms for the reader into the story and a glossary is provided. 

By: Seamus Kirst, 2020

Riley is Papa’s princess and Daddy’s dragon. She loves her two fathers! When Riley’s classmate asks her which dad is her real one, Riley is confused. She doesn’t want to have to pick one or the other. Families are made of love in this heartwarming story that shows there are lots of ways to be part of one.

By: Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings, 2014

From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers.

YouTube Read Aloud (Read by Jazz Jennings!)

Teaching Guide

By: Erica Silverman,  2018

A big sister realizes that her little sister, Jackie, doesn't like dresses or fairies-she likes ties and bugs! Will she and her family be able to accept that Jackie identifies more as "Jack"?  Readers will love this sweet story about change and acceptance. This book is published in partnership with GLAAD to accelerate LGBTQ inclusivity and acceptance. 

By: Bao Phi, 2019

Every child feels different in some way, but Thuy feels "double different." She is Vietnamese American and she has two moms. Thuy walks home one winter afternoon, angry and lonely after a bully's taunts. Then a bird catches her attention and sets Thuy on an imaginary exploration. Mimicking the footprints creatures in the snow, she makes her way home to the arms of her moms. Together, the three of them imagine beautiful and powerful creatures who always have courage - just like Thuy.

By: Karamo Brown, 2019

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other. With tenderness and wit, this story captures the magic of building strong childhood memories. The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair. The bright, cartoon illustrations enrich the tale with a meaningful message of kindness and inclusion.

Additional Activities

By: Ellie Royce, 2020

Told from the perspective of their adoring nephew, Auntie Uncle: Drag Queen Hero is the story of a courageous drag queen who saves the day, and brings two communities together.  A sweet, uplifting story about fearlessly letting your true self shine.

Author Story Website

By: Sarah S Brannan, 2020

Chloe's favourite uncle is getting married, and she's not happy about it. But after a magical day with Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend, Jamie, Chloe realizes she's not losing an uncle, but gaining one. Produced in coordination with GLAAD, this adorable picture book is a positive example of same-sex marriage and a celebration of family.

By: Lil Miss Hot Mess, 2020

The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish encourages readers to boldly be exactly who they are. Written by a founding member of the nationally recognized Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH), this playful picture book offers a quirky twist on a classic nursery rhyme by illustrating all of the ways to "work it". The story plays off "The Wheels on the Bus" as it follows a drag queen who performs her routine in front of an audience. A fun frenzy of fierceness, this book will appeal to readers of all ages.

By: Michael Hall, 2015

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red, his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate, and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This funny, heartwarming, colourful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

Teaching Guide

By: Heather Smith , 2019

Lou spends every Saturday with Grandad and Pops. Everything changes one Saturday. Pops has a fall. That night there is terrible news: Pops will need to use a wheelchair, not just for now, but for always. Unable to cope with his new circumstances, he becomes withdrawn and shuts himself in his room. Hearing Grandad trying to cheer up Pops inspires Lou to make a plan. Using skills learned from Grandad, and with a little help from their neighbours, Lou comes up with a plan for Pops.

By: Daniel Haack & Isabel Galupo, 2019

In this modern fairy tale, a strong, brave maiden is invited to attend the prince's royal ball, but at the dance, she ends up finding true love in a most surprising place. This book is published in partnership with GLAAD to accelerate LGBTQ inclusivity and acceptance.

By: Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, Anne/Andy Passchier 2022

A beginner’s exploration of love, relationships, and families – the latest in the FIRST CONVERSATIONS board book series, which offers adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way. Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood and activism against injustice, this topic-driven board book offers clear, concrete language and beautiful imagery that young children can grasp and adults can leverage for further discussion. 

By: Daniel Haack, 2018

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far from here, there was a prince in line to take the throne, so his parents set out to find him a kind and worthy bride. The three of them traveled the land far and wide, but the prince didn't quite find what he was looking for in the princesses they met. This book is published in partnership with GLAAD to accelerate LGBTQ inclusivity and acceptance.

Sample Lesson Plan

By : Lesléa Newman, 2017

Casey loves to play with his blocks, puzzles, and dump truck, but he also loves things that sparkle, shimmer, and glitter. When his sister, Jessie, shows off her new shimmery skirt, Casey wants a shimmery skirt too. When Jessie comes home with glittery nails, Casey wants glittery nails too. And when Abuelita visits wearing an armful of sparkly bracelets, Casey gets one to wear, just like Jessie. Here is a sweet, heartwarming story about acceptance, respect, and the freedom to be yourself in a world where any gender expression should be celebrated. 

By: Sarah and Ian Hoffman, 2014

Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by children who don’t identify with traditional gender roles.

By: Robb Pearlman, 2018

An empowering and educational picture book that proves colours are for everyone, regardless of gender. Pink is for boys . . . and girls . . . and everyone! This timely and beautiful picture book rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary and empowers kids-and their grown-ups-to express themselves in every colour of the rainbow. Parents and kids will delight in a sweet, simple script, as well as its powerful message: life is not colour-coded.

Review and Discussion Questions

By: Jessica Walton, 2016

Introducing Teddy introduces readers to understanding gender identity and transition in an accessible story about being true to yourself and being a good friend. Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas is sad and Errol can't figure out why, until Thomas finally tells Errol what the teddy has been afraid to say: "In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly, not Thomas." 

By: Kyo Maclear & Isabelle Arsenault, 2010

Spork sticks out in the regimented world of the cutlery drawer. The spoons think he's too pointy, while the forks find him too round. He never gets chosen to be at the table at mealtimes until one day a very messy ... thing arrives in the kitchen who has never heard of cutlery customs. Will Spork finally find his place at the table?

This "multi-cutlery" tale is a humorous and lively commentary on individuality and tolerance. Its high-spirited illustrations capture the experience and emotions of anyone who has ever wondered about their place in the world.

By: Linda de Haan & Stern Nijland, 2000

Once there lived a lovelorn prince whose mother decreed that he must marry by the end of the summer. So began the search to find the prince's perfect match and lo and behold... his name was Lee. You are cordially invited to join the merriest, most unexpected wedding of the year. King & King is a contemporary tale about finding true love and living happily ever after, sure to woo readers of any age. 

By: Linda de Haan & Stern Nijland, 2004

Join newlyweds King Lee and King Bertie on their journey into the noisy jungle. The kings are greeted by wild animal families, but the royal travelers suspect that something more significant awaits them in the trees. King & King soon discover that there'¬?s no adventure more wonderful than starting a family of their own. Jubilant sequel to Lambda Literary Award nominee KING & KING.  Subtle clues on each page lead readers to a surprise ending. 

By: Cheryl Kilodavis, 2009

My Princess Boy is a nonfiction picture book about acceptance. With words and illustrations even the youngest of children can understand, My Princess Boy tells the tale of 4-year-old boy who happily expresses his authentic self by happily dressing up in dresses, and enjoying traditional girl things such as jewelry and anything pink or sparkly. 

By: Christine Baldacchino, 2014

Morris is a little boy who loves using his imagination. He dreams about having space adventures, paints beautiful pictures and sings the loudest during circle time. But most of all, Morris loves his classroom’s dress-up center — he loves wearing the tangerine dress. But the children in Morris’s class don’t understand. Dresses, they say, are for girls. This is a sweetly told story about the courage and creativity it takes to be different.

Lesson Plan

By: Sara O'Leary, 2016

When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways — but the same in the one way that matters most of all. As her classmates describe who they live with and who loves them — family of every shape, size and every kind of relation — the child realizes that as long as her family is full of caring people, it is special. A warm and whimsical look at many types of families.

PBS Kids Lesson Plan

By: Sara O'Leary 2021

In this companion to the enormously popular A Family Is a Family Is a Family, a group of kids share the silly questions they always hear, as well as the questions they would rather be asked about themselves.

Being the new kid is hard, a child in the school playground tells us. I can think of better things to ask than if I’m a boy or a girl. Another child comes along and says she gets asked why she always has her nose in a book. Someone else gets asked where they come from.

One after another, children share the questions they’re tired of being asked again and again — as opposed to what they believe are the most important or interesting things about themselves. As they move around the playground, picking up new friends along the way, there is a feeling of understanding and acceptance among them. And in the end, the new kid comes up with the question they would definitely all like to hear: “Hey kid, want to play?”

By: Robin Stevenson, 2020

This book celebrates the LGBTQ+ community's diversity and the incredible victories of the past 50 years—but it also has a larger focus on activism, the need to keep fighting for equality and freedom around the world and the important role that young people are playing. The new edition has been updated and expanded to include many new Proud Moments and Queer Facts as well as a profile of LGBTQ+ refugees from Indonesia, a story about a Pride celebration in a refugee camp in Kenya and profiles of young activists, including teens from a Gender and Sexuality Alliance organizing Pride in Inuvik and a trans girl from Vancouver fighting for inclusion and support in schools. There is also a section on being an ally, a profile of a family with two gay dads (one of them trans) and much, much more!

By: Alok Vaid-Menon, 2020

Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists. In this installment, Beyond the Gender Binary, Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination.

By: Lee Airton, PHD, 2019

From the differences among gender identity, gender expression, and sex, to the use of gender-neutral pronouns like singular they/them, to thinking about your own participation in gender, Gender: Your Guide serves as “a warm, inviting guide to a complicated area” (The Globe and Mail, Toronto). Professor and gender diversity advocate Lee Airton, PhD, explains how gender works in everyday life; how to use accurate terminology to refer to transgender, non-binary, and/or gender non-conforming individuals; and how to ask when you aren’t sure what to do or say. It provides the information you need to talk confidently and compassionately about gender diversity, whether simply having a conversation or going to bat as an advocate.

Edited By: Susan W. Woolley & Lee Airton 2020

Teaching about Gender Diversity is an edited collection of teacher-tested interdisciplinary lesson plans that provides K–12 teachers with the tools to implement gender-inclusive practices into their curriculum and talk to their students about gender and sex. Divided into three sections dedicated to the elementary, middle, and secondary grade levels, this practical resource provides lessons for a variety of subject areas, including English language arts, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and health and physical education. The lessons range from reading aloud early literacy picture books that use gender-neutral language and highlight the gendered experiences of characters to engaging mathematics in the study of targeting gender terminology, stereotypes, and the social construction of binary gender.

By: Rachel E. Simon, 2020

This vibrant and beautifully illustrated book teaches children sex, gender and relationships education in a way that is inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Covering puberty, hormones, pregnancy, consent, sex, babies, relationships and families, it uses gender-neutral language throughout and celebrates diversity in all its forms, including race, ethnicity, faith, bodies, gender and sexuality. For use with children aged 8-12, it will help answer their questions and spark open discussion with parents, carers and teachers.

By: Billy-Ray Belcourt 2020    Suggested for Grade 9+

The youngest ever winner of the Griffin Prize mines his own personal history to reconcile the world he was born into with the world that could be.

Billy-Ray Belcourt's debut memoir opens with a tender letter to his kokum and memories of his early life in the hamlet of Joussard, Alberta, and on the Driftpile First Nation. From there, it expands to encompass the big and broken world around him, in all its complexity and contradictions: a legacy of colonial violence and the joy that flourishes in spite of it, first loves and first loves lost, sexual exploration and intimacy, and the act of writing as a survival instinct and a way to grieve. What emerges is not only a profound meditation on memory, gender, anger, shame, and ecstasy, but also the outline of a way forward. With startling honesty, and in a voice distinctly and assuredly his own, Belcourt situates his life experiences within a constellation of seminal queer texts, among which this book is sure to earn its place. Eye-opening, intensely emotional, and excessively quotable, A History of My Brief Body demonstrates over and over again the power of words to both devastate and console us.

By: Susan Kuklin, 2015

Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves.

By Dale Mueller 2021 

“What gender means to you may be different than what it means to someone else. That's OK! That's part of what makes it so special.”

Gender can be difficult to define, but it’s something that's a part of all of us and who we are. This book isn’t meant to answer all the questions or tell you how you identify. It’s meant to help kids and grownups understand gender and create an open and safe environment for kids to question, experiment, and discover their authentic selves.

By: Theresa Thorn, 2019

A picture book that introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest reader. Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between. This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.

Book Review and Discussion

By: Rae Congdon, 2018

A cheeky, progressive adult alphabet book that celebrates and illuminates LGBTQ terminology.

What would happen if someone picked up a classic ABC book, crossed out the words, and replaced them with LGBTQ terms?

The result would be GAYBCs ―a playful, subversive alphabet book that aims to spread awareness and demystify queer terminology for everyone. Instead of apple, ball, and chick, this book’s ABCs are ally, bisexual, and cisgender.

By: Jake Basford, 2019

A cleverly designed book playing on the 'periodic table' to celebrate all aspects of LGBTQ+ culture. Celebrate the richness of modern queer culture and its vast history with this fascinating introduction to all the essential elements that helped sculpt the LGBTQ+ community up to the present day, including: the fascinating stories of queer pioneers like Marsha P. Johnson, celebrities, game-changers and unsung heroes alike; the essential LGBTQ+ timeline of queer history; the biggest queer culture festivals and events in the world; and classic works of queer art, literature, music, TV and film.

By: Arabelle Sicardi, 2019

This beautiful, bold book celebrates the achievements of LGBTQ+ people through history and from around the world—featuring dynamic full-color portraits of a diverse selection of 53 inspirational role models accompanied by short biographies that focus on their incredible successes. Discover the inspiring stories of artists, writers, innovators, athletes, and activists who have made great contributions to culture, from ancient times to present day. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to learn more about a collection of inspiring figures in LGBTQ+ history:

By: Brook Pessin-Whedbee, 2016 

This brightly illustrated children’s book provides an introduction to gender for anyone aged four and up. It presents clear and direct language for understanding and talking about how we experience gender: our bodies, our expression, and our identity. An interactive three-layered wheel included in the book is a simple, yet powerful, tool to clearly demonstrate the difference between our body, how we express ourselves through our clothes and hobbies, and our gender identity. Ideal for use in the classroom or at home, a short page-by-page guide for adults at the back of the book further explains the key concepts and identifies useful discussion points. 

By: Rob Sanders, 2018

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Pride Flag with the very first picture book to tell its remarkable and inspiring history! In this deeply moving and empowering true story, young readers will trace the life of the Gay Pride Flag, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today's world. Award-winning author Rob Sanders's stirring text, and acclaimed illustrator Steven Salerno's evocative images, combine to tell this remarkable - and undertold - story. 

Resources for Pride from Author

By: Rob Sanders, 2018

Protesting. Standing up for what’s right. Uniting around the common good—kids have questions about all of these things they see and hear about each day. Through sparse and lyrical writing, Rob Sanders introduces abstract concepts like “fighting for what you believe in” and turns them into something actionable. Jared Schorr’s bold, bright illustrations brings the resistance to life making it clear that one person can make a difference. And together, we can accomplish anything.

Educator's Guide

By: Gayle E Pitman,  2014

In a wildly whimsical, validating, and exuberant reflection of the LGBT community, This Day In June welcomes readers to experience a pride celebration and share in a day when we are all united. Also included is a Reading Guide chock-full of facts about LGBT history and culture. This Day In June is an excellent tool for teaching respect, acceptance, and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

By: Kacen Callender, 2019

Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and 12-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She's hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won't stop following her, and -- worst of all -- Caroline's mother left home one day and never came back. But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline's first and only friend -- and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush.

By: David Barclay Moore,  2017

A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity.  Twelve-year-old Lolly and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier. Then Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything: two enormous bags filled with Legos. Lolly’s always loved Legos, and he prides himself on following the kit instructions exactly. Now, faced with a pile of building blocks and no instructions, Lolly must find his own way forward.

By: Lisa Bunker, 2019

This is a heartfelt story about a trans girl solving a cyber mystery and coming into her own.  Zenobia July is starting a new life. She used to live in Arizona with her father; now she's in Maine with her aunts. She used to spend most of her time behind a computer screen, improving her impressive coding and hacking skills; now she's coming out of her shell and discovering a community of friends at Monarch Middle School. People used to tell her she was a boy; now she's able to live openly as the girl she always knew she was.

By: Aida Salazar, 2019

Celi Rivera's life swirls with questions. About her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friend's exploration of what it means to be genderfluid. But most of all, her mother's insistence she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It's an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and her community have reclaimed, but Celi promises she will NOT be participating. Can she find the power within herself to take a stand for who she wants to be?

By: Alex Gino, 2017

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.

Scholastic Press Discussion Guide

By: Alex Gino, 2020

Rick's never questioned much. He's gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff's acted like a bully and a jerk. He's let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn't given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out.But now Rick's gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school's Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that . . . understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.

By: Alex Gino 2023

From the bestselling author of MELISSA, a new book putting a non-binary kid named Green at center stage. Middle-grade superstar author Alex Gino returns to the world they began with MELISSA and RICK with GREEN, the story of a non-binary middle-schooler named Green who comes into their own in no small part by fighting for gender-free casting in their school’s production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is just a regular boy. He loves pitching for his baseball team, working on his graphic novel, and hanging out with his best friend. But Shane is keeping something private, something that might make a difference to his friends and teammates. And when a classmate threatens to reveal his secret, Shane’s whole world comes crashing down. It will take a lot of courage for Shane to ignore the hate and show the world that he’s still the same boy he was before. And in the end, those who stand beside him may surprise everyone, including Shane.

Discussion Guide

By: Greg Howard, 2020

Twelve-year-old Mikey Pruitt--president, founder, and CEO of Anything, Inc.--has always been an entrepreneur at heart and is still looking for his million-dollar idea. Unfortunately, most of his ideas so far have failed.  It isn't until kid drag queen Coco Caliente, Mistress of Madness and Mayhem (aka eighth grader Julian Vasquez) walks into his office (aka his family's storage/laundry room) looking for an agent that Mikey thinks he's finally found his million-dollar idea, and the Anything Talent and Pizzazz Agency is born!

By: Ami Polonsky, 2016

Grayson has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: "he" is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free. Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit? This novel is about identity, self-esteem, and friendship and it shines with the strength of a young person's spirit and the enduring power of acceptance.

By: Fleurian Maxton,  2025

Crying is so naturally human. Wanting to feel safe is too. But what if you knew that who you are meant to be in this world is not always welcomed or accepted? Or that, until you have shared this important piece of yourself, you would not feel seen in your own skin? This is the reality for Gordi Mech, a 13-year old boy on the verge of coming out. Waking up on the day of his grade 8 graduation, he feels this call inside him, begging for him to finally live on the outside how he has felt on the inside, for years. But for this to happen, he must revisit all of the events and circumstances and numerous internal narratives he has about himself, waging these memories against his will to finally tell those he loves that he's gay. And determining whether or not it's enough.

By: Donna Gephart,  2018

Lily Jo McGrother is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you were born a boy. Especially when you’re in the eighth grade. Dunkin Dorfman, birth name Norbert Dorfman, is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved from the New Jersey town he’s called home for the past thirteen years. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse.  One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change.  

By: Ashley Herring Blake. 2019

When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing. Mysteriously, Ivy's drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to open up about her identity. Ivy thinks--and hopes--that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop a crush. Will Ivy find the strength and courage to follow her true feelings?

By: Tim Federle,  2018

Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show.  But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

By: Lisa Jenn Bigelow,  2019

Melly only joined the school band because her best friend, Olivia, begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It’s the only time she doesn’t feel like a mouse. Now she and Olivia are about to spend the next two weeks at Camp Rockaway. But this summer brings a lot of big changes for Melly: her parents split up, her best friend ditches her, and Melly finds herself unexpectedly falling for another girl at camp. To top it all off, Melly’s not sure she has what it takes to be a real drummer. Will she be able to make music from all the noise in her heart?

By: Barbara Dee,  2018

Twelve-year-old Mattie is thrilled when she learns the eighth grade play will be Romeo and Juliet. In particular, she can’t wait to share the stage with Gemma Braithwaite, who has been cast as Juliet. Gemma is brilliant, pretty—and British!—and Mattie starts to see her as more than just a friend. But Mattie has also had an on/off crush on her classmate Elijah since, well, forever. Is it possible to have a crush on both boys AND girls? In this funny, sweet, and clever look at the complicated nature of middle school romance, Mattie learns how to become a lead player in her own life.

By: Greg Howard, 2020

Eleven-year-old Riley believes in the Whispers, magical creatures that will grant you wishes if you leave them tributes. Riley has a lot of wishes. He wishes bullies at school would stop picking on him. He wishes Dylan, his 8th grade crush, liked him, and Riley wishes he would stop wetting the bed. But most of all, Riley wishes for his mom to come back home.  So he goes on a camping trip with his friend Gary to look for the Whispers and ask them to bring his mom back home. Riley doesn't realize the trip will shake the foundation of everything that he believes in forever.

By: Tee Franklin, Jenn St.Onge & Joy San, 2018     Suggested for Grades 8+

When Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met at church bingo in 1963, it was love at first sight. Forced apart by their families and society, Hazel and Mari both married young men and had families. Decades later, now in their mid-'60s, Hazel and Mari reunite again at a church bingo hall. Realizing their love for each other is still alive, what these grandmothers do next takes absolute strength and courage.

By: Tasha Spillett, 2018     Suggested for Grades 9+

The story of two teen girls attending an urban high school in Winnipeg. Miikwan is Anishinaabe and Dez is Inninew and the reality for urban Indigenous young women is brought to life as one teen deals with the intervention of child welfare and the other copes with the anxiety surrounding her mother’s disappearance. After overhearing a social worker, Dez runs away and spends her time wandering the city searching for answers. Her closest friend, Miikwan, fears for the worst when she cannot locate her friend via text. This only brings the memory of her mother’s disappearance into sharp focus. Seeking guidance from the school elder, Miikwan attends a rally for missing and murdered indigenous women, and Dez is guided to a culture centre where she can receive assistance. The friends reunite and their story raises awareness to a critical reality facing Indigenous women and girls.

By:  Ari North, 2020     Suggested for Grades 8+

This wholesome plot focuses on building understanding, offering mutual support, and budding self-acceptance, as well as the importance of asking rather than making assumptions; avoiding othering; and regarding all those in one's orbit with compassion. This beautifully illustrated slice-of-life tale that shows two young women of colour getting to know each other and creating a relationship is so warm and charming that readers will hardly notice how much they are learning about how to better interact with those who are different from themselves and the importance of not making assumptions

By: Kevin Panetta, 2019     Suggested for Grades 7+

Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band—if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

By: Maggie Thrash,  2017     Suggested for Grades 9+

Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She’s from Atlanta, she’s never kissed a guy, and her long summer days are full of a pleasant nothing . . . until one confounding moment. A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser, and most surprising of all female counselor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl, and Maggie’s savant-like proficiency at the camp’s rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin maybe feels the same way about Maggie, it’s too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand.

By: Shannon Hitchcock, 2019     Suggested for Grades 4-8

Welcome to Daniel Boone Middle School in the 1970s, where teachers and coaches must hide who they are, and girls who like girls are forced to question their own choices. Presented in the voice of a premier storyteller, One True Way sheds exquisite light on what it means to be different, while at the same time being wholly true to oneself. Through the lives and influences of two girls, readers come to see that love is love is love. Set against the backdrop of history and politics that surrounded gay rights in the 1970s South, this novel is a thoughtful, eye-opening look at tolerance, acceptance, and change, and will widen the hearts of all readers.

By: Katie O'Neill, 2017     Suggested for Grades 4-8

The story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own. This comic contains all sorts of gender presentations, queer characters, disabled characters, and a diverse cast. Along with the magic, magical creatures, and a dash of romance, this book beautifully and sweetly drawn and written. 

Charlie Lamonte is thirteen years old, queer, black, and questioning what was once a firm belief in God. So naturally, she's spending a week of her summer vacation stuck at an all-white Christian youth backpacking camp. As the journey wears on and the rhetoric wears thin, she can't help but poke holes in the pious obliviousness of this storied sanctuary with little regard for people like herself . . . or her fellow camper, Sydney.

By: Cathy G. Johnson, 2019     Suggested for Grades 4-8

Quiet, sensitive Faith starts middle school already worrying about how she will fit in. To her surprise, Amanda, a popular eighth grader, convinces her to join the school soccer team, the Bloodhounds. Having never played soccer in her life, Faith ends up on the C team, a ragtag group that’s way better at drama than at teamwork. Although they are awful at soccer, Faith and her teammates soon form a bond both on and off the soccer field that challenges their notions of loyalty, identity, friendship, and unity.

By: Hope Larson, 2016     Suggested for Grades 4-8

Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. Her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live mermaid at a club downtown. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream to one day become the hotel’s in-house detective. When Charles, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery. 

Told in a series of stories about a diverse group of kids, this book shows what unites kids: the love of magic and pretend. These children create elaborate maps, identities, costumes, stories, and a whole universe within their neighbourhood. When the cardboard comes out, each child becomes their “true self,” whether it be an impossibly strong monster, an anti-social robot, a beautiful and terrible sorcerer, or a glorious warrior. One child uses her costume persona to explore her trans identity, one child uses it to explore same-sex feelings, and others use their strengths to break out of gender, sexuality, ability, and racial stereotypes.

By: Katie O'Neill, 2016     Suggested for Grades 4-8

When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all. Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what “happily ever after” really means—and how they can find it with each other.

By: Adam Garnet Jones, 2018      Suggested for Grade 9+

Shane is still reeling from the suicide of his kid sister, Destiny.  How could he have missed the fact that she was so sad? He tries to share his grief with his girlfriend, Tara, but she’s too concerned with her own needs to offer him much comfort.  What he really wants is to be able to turn to the one person on the rez whom he loves—his friend, David.   Things go from bad to worse as Shane’s dream of going to university is shattered and his grieving mother withdraws from the world. Worst of all, he and David have to hide their relationship from everyone.  Shane feels that his only chance of a better life is moving to Toronto, but David refuses to join him. When yet another tragedy strikes, the two boys have to make difficult choices about their future together. 

By: Dean Atta,  2020      Suggested for Grade 9+

Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he’s navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican—but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough.

As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs—and the Black Flamingo is born.

By: Kacen Callender, 2020       Suggested for Grade 9+

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle....

By: Sabina Khan, 2020      Suggested for Grade 9+

Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali has always been fascinated by the universe around her and the laws of physics that keep everything in order. But her life at home isn't so absolute. Unable to come out to her conservative Muslim parents, she keeps that part of her identity hidden. And that means keeping her girlfriend, Ariana, a secret from them too.  But when Rukhsana's mom catches her and Ariana together, her future begins to collapse around her. Devastated and confused, Rukhsana's parents whisk her off to stay with their extended family in Bangladesh where, along with the loving arms of her grandmother and cousins, she is met with a world of arranged marriages, religious tradition, and intolerance. Fortunately, Rukhsana finds allies along the way and, through reading her grandmother's old diary, finds the courage to take control of her future and fight for her love. 

The story ultimately features a supportive conservative Muslim family as they grow in their understanding of their daughter's sexuality. 

By: Samira Ahmed, 2018      Suggested for Grade 9+

Seventeen-year-old Maya Aziz is torn between worlds. There’s the proper one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter: attending a college close to their suburban Chicago home and being paired off with an older Muslim boy her mom deems “suitable.” And then there is the world of her dreams: going to film school and living in New York City—and pursuing a boy she’s known from afar since grade school.

But in the aftermath of a horrific crime perpetrated hundreds of miles away, her life is turned upside down. The community she’s known since birth becomes unrecognizable; neighbors and classmates are consumed with fear, bigotry, and hatred. Ultimately, Maya must find the strength within to determine where she truly belongs. 

By: Kim Fu,  2015    Suggested for Grade 9+

At birth, Peter Huang is given the Chinese name juan chaun, meaning powerful king. He is the exalted only son in a family of daughters; the one who will finally fulfill his father's dreams of western masculinity. But Peter has different dreams: he knows that he is a girl. Peter and his sisters-the elegant Adele, the shrewd Helen, and Bonnie, the bon vivant-grow up in a house of many secrets, then escape the confines of small-town Ontario and spread from Montreal to California to Berlin. Peter's own journey is obstructed by playground bullies, masochistic lovers, Christian ex-gays and the ever-present shadow of his father.

By: Mark Oshiro, 2019      Suggested for Grade 9+

Moss Jeffries is many things—considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd. But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else—someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night. And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck. Moss can’t even escape at school—he and his friends are subject to the lack of funds and crumbling infrastructure at West Oakland High, as well as constant intimidation by the resource officer stationed in their halls. That was even before the new regulations—it seems sometimes that the students are treated more like criminals.

By: Gabby Rivera, 2019      Suggested for Grade 9+

Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she's not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer--what's sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet's coming out crashes and burns, she's not sure her mom will ever speak to her again.

But Juliet has a plan--sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women's bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole "Puerto Rican lesbian" thing. Except Harlowe's white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn't have all the answers . . . 

By: Ramabai Espinet, 2004     Suggested for Grade 9+

The Swinging Bridge is a moving story of race and displacement that carries the reader effortlessly from 19th-century India to the cane fields of Trinidad, and the contemporary urban centres of North America. Mona, a young Indo-Caribbean woman who grew up in Trinidad, must finally confront not only her own turbulent past, but the secrets of a winding family history begun on the Indian continent almost two centuries ago. A richly layered novel that is steeped in the lyrical rhythms of Caribbean life, The Swinging Bridge explores the immigrant experience with compassion and humour, giving voice to a heroine whose universal search for self is revealed in worlds marked by violence and shame, but also by love and respect. 

By: Cherie Dimaline, 2017    Suggested for Grade 9+

Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden - but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.

By: Melanie Florence,  2016   Suggested for Grade 9+

This northern Ontario teen knows he is different and his religious family offers no answers or comfort. Joe Littlechief is seventeen and questioning his true identity and sexuality.  His confusion turns tragic when his teen friends realize Joe is gay. Finding no options or friends Joe flees to Toronto. There his illusions are crushed when he realizes survival on the streets is dangerous. Finding a friend with a transgender girl named Sid, Joe learns to accept his true identity and begins understanding the older generation and the devastation of residential schools on their lives. A quick fairy-tale like conclusion when the residential school settlement allows for a happy ending for Joe and Sid, this gritty novel presents a unique approach for Indigenous teen fiction. 

The Clothesline Swing is a journey through the troublesome aftermath of the Arab Spring. A former Syrian refugee himself, Ramadan unveils an enthralling tale of courage that weaves through the mountains of Syria, the valleys of Lebanon, the encircling seas of Turkey, the heat of Egypt and finally, the hope of a new home in Canada.  It tells the epic story of two lovers anchored to the memory of a dying Syria. One is a Hakawati, a storyteller, keeping life in forward motion by relaying remembered fables to his dying partner. Each night he weaves stories of his childhood in Damascus, of the cruelty he has endured for his sexuality, of leaving home, of war, and of his fated meeting with his lover. 

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love--Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed. So they carry on in secret until Nasrin’s parents suddenly announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution: homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. Sahar will never be able to love Nasrin in the body she wants to be loved in without risking their lives, but is saving their love worth sacrificing her true self?

By: K. Ancrum,  2020    Suggested for Grade 9+

Ryann Bird dreams of traveling across the stars. But a career in space isn’t an option for a girl who lives in a trailer park on the “wrong” side of town. So Ryann becomes her circumstances and settles for acting out and skipping school to hang out with her delinquent friends. One day she meets Alexandria: a furious loner who spurns Ryann’s offer of friendship. After a horrific accident leaves Alexandria with a broken arm, the girls are brought together despite themselves—and Ryann learns her secret: Alexandria’s mother is an astronaut who volunteered for a one-way trip to the edge of the solar system. Every night without fail, Alexandria waits to catch radio signals from her mother. And now it’s up to Ryann to lift her onto the roof day after day until the silence between them grows into friendship, and eventually something more.

A novel about a transgender boy who falls in love for the first time—and how first love changes us all. The path forward isn’t easy. Chris has come out as transgender, but he’s still processing a frightening assault he survived the year before. Maia is grieving the loss of her older sister and trying to find her place in the world without her. Falling in love was the last thing on either of their minds.

By: Shani Mootoo, 2015     Suggested for Grade 9+

Jonathan was nine when his parents, who were raising him in a comfortable house on a tree-lined street in downtown Toronto, separated, and his mother Sid vanished entirely from his life. It is not until he is a grown man--a writer with two books to his name, a supportive girlfriend, and a promising career--that Jonathan finally reconnects with his beloved lost parent, only to find, to his shock and dismay, that the woman he knew as "Sid" has become an elegant man named Sydney living quietly in a well-appointed house in his native Trinidad. In the nine years since then, Jonathan has travelled from Canada to pay regular visits to Sydney on his island retreat, trying with quiet desperation to rediscover the parent he adored inside this familiar stranger. And for nine years, as his own life and career stall, he struggles to overcome his confusion and repressed anger at the choices Sydney has made. 

By: Ellen Wittlinger, 2017     Suggested for Grade 9+

The groundbreaking novel from critically acclaimed author Ellen Wittlinger that tells the story of a transgender teen’s search for identity and acceptance has now been updated to include current terminology and an updated list of resources. Angela Katz-McNair never felt quite right as a girl. So she cuts her hair short, purchases some men’s clothes and chose a new name: Grady. While coming out as transgender feels right to Grady, he isn’t prepared for the reactions of his friends and family. Why can’t they accept that Grady is just being himself?

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she's isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (as well as her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support. But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse.

By: Deborah Ellis

The day she meets Sadira, Farrin’s life changes forever. Sadira is funny, wise, and outgoing; the two girls become inseparable. But as their friendship deepens into romance, the relationship takes a dangerous turn. It is against the law to be gay in Iran; the punishment is death. Despite their efforts to keep their love secret, the girls are discovered and arrested. Separated from Sadira, Farrin can only pray as she awaits execution. Will her family find a way to save them both?

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. But Riley isn't exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in über-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley's life. This is a powerful and uplifting portrait of a modern teen struggling with high school, relationships, and what it means to be a person.

By: Meredith Russo, 2018      Suggested for Grade 9+

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she’s determined not to get too close to anyone. But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can’t help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself, including her past. But Amanda’s terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it. Because the secret that Amanda’s been keeping? It's that at her old school, she used to be Andrew. Will the truth cost Amanda her new life, and her new love?

All Pen wants is to be the kind of girl she’s always been. So why does everyone have a problem with it? They think the way she looks and acts means she’s trying to be a boy—that she should quit trying to be something she’s not. If she dresses like a girl, and does what her folks want, it will show respect. If she takes orders and does what her friend Colby wants, it will show loyalty. But respect and loyalty, Pen discovers, are empty words. Old-world parents, disintegrating friendships and strong feelings for other girls drive Pen to see the truth—that in order to be who she truly wants to be, she’ll have to man up.

By: David Levithan, 2015     Suggested for Grade 9+

Based on true events—and narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS—Two Boys Kissing follows Harry and Craig, two seventeen-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record. While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teens dealing with universal questions of love, identity, and belonging.

By: David Levithan, 2012     Suggested for Grade 9+

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Written by George M. Johnson    Suggested for Grade 9+

'In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys. Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.

Edited By: Aditi Angiras & Akhil Katyal, 2020     Suggested for Grade 9+

'A bold and necessary correction to the subcontinent's poetry canon.' - Jeet Thayil.

This first-of-its-kind anthology brings together the best of contemporary queer poetry from South Asia, both from the subcontinent and its many diasporas. The anthology features well-known voices like Hoshang Merchant, Ruth Vanita, Suniti Namjoshi, Kazim Ali, Rajiv Mohabir as well as a host of new poets. The themes range from desire and loneliness, sexual intimacy and struggles, caste and language, activism both on the streets and in the homes, the role of family both given and chosen, and heartbreaks and heartjoins. Writing from Bangalore, Baroda, Benares, Boston, Chennai, Colombo, Dhaka, Delhi, Dublin, Karachi, Kathmandu, Lahore, London, New York City, and writing in languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Urdu, Manipuri, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and, of course, English, the result is an urgent, imaginative and beautiful testament to the diversity, politics, aesthetics and ethics of queer life in South Asia today. 

In Andrea Gibson's latest collection, they continue their artful and nuanced looks at gender, romance, loss, and family. Each emotion here is deft and delicate, resting inside of imagery heavy enough to sink the heart, while giving the body wings to soar.

By: Audre Lorde, 2007   Suggested for Grade 9+

In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope. 

These landmark writings are, in Lorde's own words, a call to “never close our eyes to the terror, to the chaos which is Black which is creative which is female which is dark which is rejected which is messy which is . . . ”