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What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Title: What If It’s Us Author: Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli Original Publication Date: October 9, 2018 Original Publisher: Harper Collins Queer Representation: 2 gay male protagonists, 1 gay male minor antagonist Page Length: 433 A Broadway musical-centric romantic comedy by two of the biggest names in the field of Queer Young Adult literature. Memorable Quote: “And by good, I mean great. I mean exquisitely perfect. I mean I’m living in a Broadway musical. THIS IS AN ACTUAL BROADWAY MUSICAL.” Review: When two of the biggest voices in queer young adult literature come together, the result is bound to be amazing. Becky Albertalli (author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and more)and Adam Silvera (author of They Both Die at…
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Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Title: Two Boys Kissing Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: 2013 Original Publisher: Ember Queer Representation: 7 gay male protagonists, 1 of whom is trans, and a chorus of gay men who died from AIDS Page Length: 200 A hauntingly beautiful tale of a community rallying behind two boys attempting to break the world record for the longest continuous kiss. Memorable Quote: “We always underestimate our own participation in magic. That is, we thought of magic as something that existed with or without us. But that’s not true. Things are not magical because they’ve been conjured for us by some outside force. They are magical because we create them, and then deem them so.” Review: After Craig…
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Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Title: Leah on the Offbeat Author: Becky Albertalli Original Publication Date: 2018 Original Publisher: Balzer + Bray Queer Representation: 1 bisexual protagonist Page Length: 339 A charming tale of self-acceptance, love, and the end of high school. Memorable Quote: “Imagine going about your day knowing someone’s carrying you in their mind. That has to be the best part of being in love—the feeling of having a home in someone else’s brain.” Review: In Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Leah played the role of the best friend and faithful sidekick, but now it is time for her to get her own story. Leah is sure of who she is — she was quick to embrace her bisexuality even…
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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…
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They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Title: They Both Die at the End Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2017 Original Publisher: Harper Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay and 1 bisexual protagonist Page Length: 384 How would you spend your last 24 hours? Memorable Quote: “Maybe it’s better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs.” Review: Nobody knows how Death-Cast gets its information, but they do know that it is always right. If Death-Cast calls you shortly after midnight, one thing is certain: some time in the next twenty-four hours you are going to die. The caller from Death-Cast does not tell you when or how, but you can be…
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History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Title: History is All You Left Me Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2017 Original Publisher: Soho Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay protagonist plus love interest Page Length: 292 A complex look at love and loss told from the perspective of a teenage boy grieving after the death of his first love. Memorable Quote: “People are complicated puzzles, always trying to piece together a complete picture, but sometimes we get it wrong and sometimes we’re left unfinished. Sometimes that’s for the best. Some pieces can’t be forced into a puzzle, or at least they shouldn’t be, because they won’t make sense.” Review: Griffin always thought that he and Theo were “endgame,” that no matter what happened they…
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More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Title: More Happy Than Not Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2015 Original Publisher: Soho Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay protagonist plus love interest Page Length: 300 A Science-fiction take on conversion therapy Memorable Quote:“Memories: some can be sucker punching, others carry you forward; some stay with you forever, others you forget on your own. You can’t really know which ones you’ll survive if you don’t stay on the battlefield, bad times shooting at you like bullets. But if you’re lucky, you’ll have plenty of good times to shield you.” Review: Aaron Soto lives in a small, one-bedroom apartment with his mother and brother and is trying to move on from his suicide attempt which came…
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Every Day by David Levithan
Title: Every Day Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: August 28, 2012 Original Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: A (queer/genderfluild?) protagonist, multiple lesbian, gay, bi, trans embodied characters Page Length: 352 pages A highly unique and experimental look and gender and sexual identity and embodiment that will leave you wanting more. Memorable Quote: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: We all want everything to be okay. We don’t even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding. We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time, okay is enough.” REVIEW: Every day of A’s life, A wakes up in a new body body. After 24 hours A…
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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…
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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…
