-
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Title: The Upside of Unrequited Author: Becky Albertalli Original Publication Date: 2017 Original Publisher: Balzer + Bray Queer Representation: 1 lesbian sister, 1 lesbian and 1 bisexual mother, 1 pansexual girlfriend Page Length: 336 A story of love and family and what it means to grow up. Memorable Quote: “‘But you know, there’s an upside here. Because when you spend so much time just intensely wanting something, and then you actually get the thing? It’s magic.’ All of a sudden, I feel like crying. In a good way. In the best way. Because I know exactly what she means. It’s butterflies and haziness and heart eyes, but underneath all that, there’s this bass line of I…
-
Another Day by David Levithan
Title: Another Day Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: 2015 Original Publisher:Knopf Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: A (queer/genderfluild?) love interest, multiple lesbian, gay, bi, trans embodied characters, one gay friend Page Length: 336 pages The companion novel to Every Day, told from the perspective of Rhiannon. Memorable Quote: “Part of the problem is words. The fact that there are separate words for HE and SHE, HIM and HER. I’ve never thought about it before, how divisive this is. Like maybe if there was just one pronoun for all of us, we wouldn’t get so caught on that difference.” REVIEW: Rhiannon thought that she was content with her life. Sure she and her boyfriend…
-
Kaleidoscope Song by Fox Benwell
Title: Kaleidoscope Song Author: Fox Benwell Original Publication Date: September 19, 2017 Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: 1 lesbian protagonist, several lesbian gay and trans minor and supporting characters Page Length: 416 Likely the first and only young adult book to address queerness and the practice of corrective rape in South Africa Memorable Quote: “But everyone has a voice, and everyone sings. Oh, we all do it differently … But everybody has a song to sing, their own personal story leaked into the world. And mine is one of love. REVIEW: Neo has loved music as long as she can remember, but living in the poor South African township…
-
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger
Title: Parrotfish Author: Ellen Wittlinger Original Publication Date: 2007 Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: 1 Transmale protagonist Page Length: 287 One of the first QYA novels with a transgender protagonist. Memorable Quote: “People changed lots of other personal things all the time. They dyed their hair and dieted themselves to near death … Why was gender the one sacred thing we weren’t supposed to change? Who made that rule?” REVIEW: When Angela Katz-McNair came out as a lesbian, her parents and friends barely batted an eye. However when Angela comes out as transgender and asks to be called Grady from now on, everyone seems to have more trouble. Grady’s mother cannot…
-
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
Title: Annie on My Mind Author: Nancy Garden Original Publication Date: July 1982 Original Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Queer Representation: 2 teenage lesbian protagonists, 2 secondary lesbian adults Page Length: 234 One of the first QYA novels to offer up the revolutionary idea that you don’t have to make queer characters suffer to have a good novel. Memorable Quote: “Don’t punish yourselves for people’s ignorant reactions to what we all are. Don’t let ignorance win. Let love.” REVIEW: When Liza Winthrop first spots Annie Kenyon in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she is immediately drawn to the singing girl surrounded by quiet people. The two may have come from different backgrounds —…
-
Happy Endings Are All Alike by Sandra Scoppettone
Title: Happy Endings Are All Alike Author: Sandra Scoppettone Original Publication Date: 1978 Original Publisher: Page Length: 200 Queer Representation: 2 teenage lesbian protagonists An early queer young adult book that moves beyond the two romantic leads to show the supposed impact of being queer on an entire small town. Memorable Quote: “And so what if happy endings didn’t exist? Happy moments did.” REVIEW: The heart of this novel lies in the Scoppettone’s ability to make dynamic and interesting characters. Jaret and Peggy initially disliked each other, but when their mutual friend forced them into the same room, they quickly became inseparable. It was not long after that they realized they were…
