1. Outspoken: Books for LGBTQ Youth
Out of The Closet: Groundbreaking Fiction
Annie on My Mind - Nancy Garden
From the moment she meets Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Liza Winthrop knows
there’s something special between them. While the two girls come from completely different worlds,
their close friendship quickly deepens into love. But can their relationship survive the tensions of senior
year, familial demands, and discrimination?
This novel was first published in 1982 and is now considered a classic of young adult literature.
Weetzie Bat – Francesca Lia Block
In this post-modern fairy tale set in a dreamlike version of Los Angeles, quirky Weetzie and her best
friend Dirk search for true love. While life isn’t always magical, Weetzie and Dirk discover that living
happily is better than waiting for a perfect happily ever after.
This book is the first in the Dangerous Angels series that tells the stories of Weetzie, Dirk, and their created family.
Geography Club – Brett Hartinger
For Russel, the boys’ locker room is a minefield; he feels like a spy in enemy territory, absolutely sure
that at any moment his disguise of average straight guy will fail. Min and Terese have convinced
everyone they’re just really close friends. Popular jock Kevin would rather die than have his teammates
figure out he likes guys. Together, they decide to form a secret safe space: “Geography Club”—the only
club so boring that no one else would ever try to join.
After 10 years, this now famous novel is being adapted for the big screen.
Boy Meets Boy – David Levithan
Paul loves life in his town, where the straight scene and the gay scene got all mixed up a while back and the
high school quarterback is also homecoming queen. Then Paul meets Noah and the world changes. Even
in a town like no other, love isn’t easy.
Friends, Lovers, and Allies: Humorous & Heartfelt Realistic Fiction
Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List- Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Family feuds and boy drama may come and go, but absolutely nothing can get between best friends and
neighbors Naomi and Ely. Then Ely kisses Naomi’s boyfriend, breaking the long understood rules of their
No-Kiss List, and suddenly their friendship is on the verge of collapse. Now, Naomi and Ely must
navigate sudden opportunities for romance without each other.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson- John Green and David Levithan
In two separate Chicago suburbs, there are two high school boys who share both a certain sense of
dissatisfaction with their lives and a name. Will Grayson and will grayson are going about their separate
lives, unaware that each is spiraling towards an unexpected but somehow fated encounter with the other.
That one significant meeting in the famous Chicago adult bookstore Frenchy’s causes the boys’ lives to
intersect in exciting and disruptive ways.

2. My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park- Steven Kluger
Baseball fiend T.C. falls in love with Alejandra at first sight. But Ale’s preoccupied with her mission to
exchange her role as diplomat's daughter for a life on the stage. Meanwhile, T.C.'s best friend and aspiring
theatrical superstar Augie is falling in love with Andy Wexler (who, incidentally, is falling in love with Augie)
and everyone knows it—except Augie and Andy. So, T.C., Ale, and Augie rely on each other to survive a
year of romantic mishaps, sign language, Mary Poppins, baseball, and musical madness.
Transformative Texts: Transgender Teens
Luna – Julie Anne Peters
Regan has always known that her adored older brother Liam is special. The fact that Liam is really Luna—
that her sibling is girl stuck in a boy’s body—has never been a problem for Regan. But now Luna doesn’t
want to come out only at night—she wants to live her whole life as her true self and she wants Regan to help.
But Regan is terrified: is the world ready for Luna? Will Regan be able to keep protecting her?
Almost Perfect – Brian Katcher
Still recovering from his ugly break-up with his first and only girlfriend, Logan is not feeling positive about
love, romance, or life in general. Then Sage breezes into his small Missouri town. Logan can’t help feeling
drawn to Sage’s gorgeous red hair and unapologetic individuality. However, Sage has secrets—secrets that
might end their romance before it truly gets started.
I Am J –Cris Beam
Since elementary school, J has avoided wearing dresses and preferred playing with the boys at recess. Now,
as a teenager, J’s body is starting to betray him and when he tries to start living openly as the boy he really is,
his parents and best friend can’t understand. Starting classes at a high school for LGBT teens, J finally starts
to envision a real future for himself.
For more exciting and multifaceted fiction about transgender teens, check out these titles:
Beautiful Music For Ugly Children – Kristin Cronn-Mills Jumpstart The World- Catherine Ryan Hyde
Parrotfish – Ellen Wittlinger
Out of This World: Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Speculative Fiction
Ash by Malinda Lo
Orphaned and left at the mercy of her bitter stepmother, Ash dreams of fleeing her unhappy life. When she
encounters the strange and frightening fairy Sidhean, Ash thinks she might have finally found her escape
route. But then she meets the King's huntress Kaisa and their growing friendship reawakens her desire to
live—and love. Now, Ash must choose between fairy magic and the powerfully human magic of love and
connection.
Huntress by Malinda Lo
The natural world is deeply out of balance. Taisin, a young sage in training, has visions that both she and her
classmate Kaede must travel out of the human world to seek answers. Meanwhile, Kaede simply wants a
chance to avoid her parents' expectations and an unwanted marriage. Together, the two young women
embark on a dangerous journey, unsure what to expect from their quest--or from each other.

3. Adaptation- Malinda Lo
In the skies over North America, birds suddenly hurl themselves into planes, causing dozens of deadly
crashes and airport closures. Reese Holloway, her debate partner, and their teacher manage to escape
their airport and during their harrowing drive home, the car flips. When Reese wakes up in a strange
military hospital a month later, she finds her body mysteriously healed and her mind full of questions.
What exactly happened in that hospital? What is the government hiding about the thousands of dead
birds? Who—or what—has Reese become since the accident?
Hero – Perry Moore
Since his mother’s disappearance and his ex-superhero dad’s public disgrace, Thom Creed has been living
a double life, doing everything possible to keep his two biggest secrets hidden from his father. To protect
his dad, Thom tries to escape the reality that he is developing super abilities of his own—and that he is
definitely gay. But when superheroes of the world begin dying of a mysterious illness, Thom will have to
face his fears and embrace his own heroic destiny.
Beauty Queens- Libba Bray
When their plane crashes on an apparently deserted island, the surviving contestants in Miss. Teen Dream
pageant suddenly have much bigger things to worry about than their lipstick supply and talent routines.
But instead of resorting to violent conflict, the girls bond together and channel their wills to win into the
quest for survival. Free from the pressures of their society, each begins to shed her beauty queen mask
and explore her real interests and feelings.
Wide Awake – David Levithan
In the near future, the first gay Jewish president is elected and no one is happier that Duncan and his
boyfriend Jimmy. But suddenly the election is challenged and Duncan must decide how much he will risk
for his beliefs—and for the people he loves.
Girls Who Like Girls: Lesbian Coming of Age Stories
The Difference Between You and Me – Madeleine George
Jesse is a proud lesbian and a self-proclaimed weirdo. Emily is the popular vice president of student
council. The two girls don’t have anything in common—except their secret make-out sessions in the library
bathroom. But while neither girl is totally comfortable with their non-relationship, neither is willing to end
it. However, when they end up on opposite sides of a contentious issue in local politics, both Jesse and
Emily will have to face the hard fact that being true to yourself might mean giving up someone you love.
Sister Mischief – Laura Goode
Esme Rockett (alter ego MC Ferocious) is tired of trying to lie low at her Christian high school in Holyhill,
Minnesota. So Esme and her best friends Marcy, Tess, and Rowie, form Sister Michief, a band bringing their
own unique brand of activist, girl-powered hip-hop into suburbia. But between school resistance to their
hip-hop and queer culture discussion group and Esme’s clandestine new romance with Rowie, the group
might fall apart before they can finish their first big performance.

4. Ask The Passengers – A.S. King
In picture perfect Unity Valley, everyone knows everything about everyone. So high school senior Astrid
Jones has learned that it’s safer to keep her secrets locked up tight. Instead of confiding in her pushy
mother, her stoner father, or her equally secretive best friend Kristina, Astrid lies on the picnic table in her
backyard, watching planes pass overhead and sending her love up to the unknown passengers. But as her
covert relationship with her coworker Dee grows more serious and her friends start demanding answers, a
mistake pushes all of Astrid’s secrets into the blinding light of public opinion.
You might also like to check out these titles:
Deliver Us From Evie – M.E. Kerr The House You Pass On The Way - Jacqueline Woodson
Keeping You a Secret – Julie Anne Peters Down To The Bone –Mayra Lazara Dole
In The Middle: Bisexual Identity
The Bermudez Triangle – Maureen Johnson
Nina, Avery, and Melanie have been an inseparable trio for years. Now, the summer before their senior
year Nina is going off to Stanford for a ten-week summer program while Avery and Mel begin jobs
waitressing. Nina falls for a sweet eco-activist but must also face the fact that she likely won’t see him again
unless they hopefully both end up at Stanford. Meanwhile, Mel has finally had a real kiss—with Avery.
When the trio is reunited, it’s not clear if their friendship can survive the changes.
Pink – Lili Williamson
Both her current penchant for black clothes and her intellectual girlfriend Chloe thrill Ava’s uber-liberal
parents. But Ava's not so sure. She loves Chloe but sometimes she thinks about wearing pink and kissing
boys. So she transfers to an elite private school to try out a new version of herself. Now, Ava is trying to be
all things to all people and her multiple personas threaten to explode the delicate balance of her life.
Look out for these other titles featuring characters exploring bisexual identity:
Hello. I Lied– M.E. Kerr Empress of the World – Sarah Ryan
In Another Time: Historical Fiction
The Miseducation of Cameron Post- Emily M. Danforth
The moment twelve year old Cameron Post learns that her parents have been killed in a car accident, her
initial reaction is relief: relief that now they will never find out that only a few hours ago she was kissing
her best friend Irene. And while Cameron & Irene's friendship falls apart, Cameron can't forget how right
it felt to be kissing a girl. A few years later and Cam just starts to figure out the girl she's becoming when
the arrival of beautiful cowgirl Coley Taylor throws her tenuously balanced world off kilter.
Wildthorn- Jane Eagland
Louisa Cosgrove longs for a life beyond the limited world usually allowed women in 19th century
England. After her father’s sudden death, Louisa loses her only ally in her pursuit to become a doctor
and her older brother sends Louisa away to be a lady’s companion. But the carriage takes her to
Wildthorn Hall, an insane asylum where the doctors insist that she is Lucy Childs, their newest resident.
Amid the horrors of the asylum, Louisa finds hope and comfort in her developing relationship with the
kind attendant Eliza.

5. For more stories about LGBT young adults in an earlier time, try one of these titles:
Silhouette of a Sparrow – Molly Beth Griffin Fingersmith & Tipping The Velvet - Sarah Waters
A Rainbow of Possibilities: Short Stories Collections
Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence–edited by Marion Dane Bauer & Beck Underwood
This now classic selection of stories by a range of well-known and well-loved young adult and children’s
authors was one of the first anthologies collecting stories about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and
questioning youth.
How Beautiful The Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity edited by Michael Cart
This rich collection brings together a variety of unique fiction from some of today’s best writers. Using
range of genres, styles, and unusual formats, these stories explore the multifaceted and complex world of
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer young adults.
How They Met and Other Stories — David Levithan
Since high school, David Levithan has been writing “Valentine’s Day stories,” and giving them to his friends
as gifts. Many of the stories in this book started out this way and all of them are love stories. There are
many different kinds of love and many different kinds of love stories. This collection explores a whole range
of love stories, from unexpected meetings between soul mates to the heartbreak of romance gone sour.
grl2grl: Short Fictions – Julie Anne Peters
Beloved author of a range of LGBTQ books for children and young adults, Julie Anne Peters pulls together
a gorgeous collection of raw and emotional honest stories about a range of characters navigating the
complexities of sexual orientation and gender identity in modern America.
Queer Voices: Non Fiction Anthologies
The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other
Identities edited by David Levithan & Billy Merrell
This unique anthology is composed entirely of submissions to a website set up by well-known writers David
Levithan and Billy Merrell. All the submissions had to be nonfiction and all the authors had to be under
twenty-three years old. The result is a richly diverse collection of short essays, mini-autobiographies, poems,
and photographs exploring the experience of queer youth in the 21st century.
The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Notes To Their Younger Selves edited by Sarah Moon
This recent anthology contains exactly what the title describes: a collection of 64 award-winning queer
authors and illustrators’ letters to their younger selves.
It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living edited by Dan Savage & Terry Miller
Horrified and deeply saddened by a recent spike in tragic suicides by LGBT youth, columnist and author Dan
Savage made a Youtube video with his partner Terry Miller, offering hope and encouragement to LGBT
teens facing harassment and bullying. The single video exploded into a massive collaborative project and
worldwide phenomenon.

6. LGBTQ F.A.Q
These two awesome nonfiction titles are pretty self-explanatory. They are two of the most recent, up to date,
and comprehensive handbooks created for queer youth. Both cover a huge variety of topics including
terminology, physical, mental, and emotional health, friendships, dating, school life (high school & college),
safety, and advocacy.
Queer: The Ultimate LGBT Handbook for Teens – Kathy Beige, Marke Bieschke, & Christian Robinson
GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Teens – Kelly
Huegel
You could also check out these online resources for more information:
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): http://www.glsen.org
Lambda Legal: http://www.lambdalegal.org/
SMYAL (LGBTQ youth support organization and center serving DC Metro area): http://www.smyal.org/
check out these websites For more book recommendations,:
Rainbow Books List (GLBT Round Table of American Library Association)
http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/
Over The Rainbow Books List (GLBT Round Table of A.L.A.)
http://www.glbtrt.ala.org/overtherainbow/
Stonewall Book Awards (GLBT Round Table of A.L.A.)
http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award/honored
Lambda Literary Foundation
http://www.lambdaliterary.org
I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read? : LGBTQ Youth News & Book Review Blog
http://www.leewind.org
Queer YA: Fiction for LGBTQ Teens: LGBTQ YA Fiction Review Blog
http://daisyporter.org/queerya/
Titles selected & annotated by K. Dickinson based on a variety of professional reviews, March 2013