Essential Reading for Queer Teens

(3) YA Leah, Simon's friend from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, stars in a story of their friend group's last few months of high school. Leah, who hasn't told others she's bisexual, slowly falls for her once-estranged friend Abby but worries about a variety of repercussions. Frequently funny, this novel is also socially aware, addressing issues of race, class, and body image in addition to sexuality.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) YA Ben and Arthur meet-cute without exchanging contact information. When they finally relocate each other, a series of creative attempts at first and "do-over" dates ensues before the relationship turns more serious. Underlying issues propel their conflicts, but mostly, the novel is a happy and laugh-out-loud-funny rom-com, full of pop-culture references and banter. Alternating point-of-view chapters make each protagonist's concerns believable and sympathetic, even as the plot hinges on unbelievable luck.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(1) YA Bausum begins with a detailed, nuanced exposition of the June 1969 Stonewall riots as a galvanizing moment for the gay rights movement, then traces the movement's evolution (in a somewhat more cursory way) for the second half of the book. Bausum's narrative integrity makes her conclusions about the persecution and resilience of the LGBTQ community all the more powerful. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2015

(1) YA Bausum writes compellingly, heartbreakingly, about the earliest days of panic in the gay community, the swiftness of AIDS's progression, disturbing federal government inaction, grassroots research and activism, and breakthrough scientific research. While the narrative is chock-full of information--names, dates, acronyms--Bausum never allows these details to obscure or overwhelm the humanity of the story. Captioned black-and-white photographs, too, underscore the emotional impact. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) YA High schooler Danny and her mom arrive in Tempest, California, under mysterious circumstances. There, Danny meets a group of queer girls called the Grays, who weave magic in "a braid of traditions." The Grays need help: their most powerful member has become distant and her magic unresponsive. Capetta organically alternates narrative perspectives and time periods in this atmospheric story that thought-provokingly explores the magic within young women and in women loving women.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) YA After her girlfriend moves to Texas, Angie begins sophomore year "alone. Truly. Deeply. Painfully alone.” A road trip in an RV across Ohio--inspired by her sister, who was killed in Iraq--gives Angie perspective, confidence, new friends, and a new love interest. Angie bravely confronts bullies, grief, and even stage fright in this bold, suitably rebellious follow-up to Fat Angie.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA In a serviceable overview of LGBTQ+ athletes in U.S. sports at the professional, collegiate, and high school levels, Cronn-Mills considers the prejudices, fears, and other cultural forces that shape these athletes' experiences. Although the history is scattered, the narrative offers engaging introductions to iconic and/or trailblazing individuals. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) YA This heartfelt biography traces Ballets Russes star/choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky's (1890–1950) trajectory from lonesome childhood through his 1909 Paris debut and ensuing mega-stardom to his diagnosis of schizophrenia and institutionalization. Curlee sensitively explores Nijinsky's contradictions, including as a magnetic performer with little social grace and as a sex symbol tormented by his own sexual desires. The beautifully designed volume includes Curlee's striking jewel-toned portraits and archival photographs. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) YA Eighth-grade theater girl Mattie finds herself playing Romeo opposite Gemma, her first girl-crush. Mattie struggles with her feelings: Does liking this one girl make her a lesbian? What happens if her classmates find out? The ending leaves Gemma's intentions toward Mattie fuzzy. It's refreshing to see a same-sex relationship featured in a light middle-school romp with clever (if not very deep) parallels to Romeo and Juliet.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA Lou Parker is a sarcastic, passionate teen with a summer job dressing as a hot dog at a rundown but beloved amusement park. Lou turns her enthusiasm into saving Magic Castle Playland from closing down, but relationship dramas among her park coworkers distract her. This is a pleasantly peppy rom-com populated with memorable characters and refreshingly nonchalant treatment of their varied evolving sexual identities.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) YA In one day, Deena comes out as gay to her sister Rachel, she's overheard by their intolerant father, and her beloved sister Mandy disappears off a cliffside. Has the infamous family curse come around? Deena is certain Mandy's alive and crisscrosses Ireland with three others on an exploration of her family's troubled past. This is a harrowing and ultimately empowering story of characters who reject the shame and stigma others try to impose on them.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) YA Artist Danny, on the verge of heading to his dream school, RISD, discovers documents that raise questions about his immigrant parents' history in China. Simultaneously, Danny wrestles with whether to admit romantic feelings for his best friend, Harry. Personal and academic promise intersect with a complicated family past in this perceptive novel.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) YA Amelia Westlake is not real; she's "born" when rule-following Harriet and outspoken Wilhelmina (Will) create a cartoon exposing their prestigious school's coach for sexual harassment. As "Amelia" orchestrates creative, funny pranks to uncover injustices, her creators acknowledge their growing mutual attraction. In alternating-narrative chapters, Harriet's voice is amusingly formal; Will's is sharp and sarcastic. By book's end, readers will applaud Amelia along with the students.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) YA Dylan, in "miracle" remission from cancer, takes an unplanned, anger-fueled road trip away from his negligent mother. On the way, he collects his longtime gaming friend Arden, a trans teen whose father won't accept her identity. Their "quest" is fierce and bittersweet, its resolution open-ended. The dynamics of a friendship moving from online to face-to-face are thoughtfully drawn, as is the almost-romance.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) YA Henstra uses the epistolary format with great success in this novel about the burgeoning romance between sophomore Jonathan Hopkirk ("Jo"), an openly gay poetry and music lover, and senior football star Adam Kurlansky ("Kurl"). Perhaps there's melodrama in this couple's beautiful love, and in how spectacularly it's challenged by devastating conflicts, but this is what makes the book such an epic, sweeping romance--and gay teens deserve more of those.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Lacey, who's never even been kissed, becomes an unlikely sex-education activist. Raised by a sexually open mom, Lacey is aghast that because of her school's abstinence-only sex-ed curriculum, her classmates don't have the same access to important information. Lacey's voice is fresh and funny, and the story offers a sex-positive message, including sensitive depictions of asexuality.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) YA As Dino started falling for his first boyfriend, Rafi (who is trans), he became ex–best friends with July. After July unexpectedly dies of a brain aneurysm, Dino gets a shock in his family's mortuary: July's corpse inexplicably comes back to life. Dino and July are complex characters; their easy banter is witty, philosophical, and engaging as Hutchinson's story blends speculative fiction, existential dread, morbid fascination with death, and surrealism.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) YA TV personality/activist Jennings writes openly and (very) honestly about her life as a transgender girl (and what that means). In an upbeat, conversational text, Jennings covers the challenges she faces, her family's unconditional support and advocacy work, and her hopes for the future. A black-and-white photo opens each chapter. The back matter includes an extensive list of resources and annotated lists of websites, books, movies, and TV shows.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) YA Jordan, helped by classmate Max, tries his hand at the food truck business to help his unstable mother make mortgage payments. Despite their differences, the two boys develop a friendship that quickly blossoms into a romance; they work together in the boiling summer heat of Mesa, Arizona, and date each other in the evenings. Konigsberg portrays gay teen relationships in a way that is consistently authentic, compassionate, hopeful, and empowering.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) YA In a relatable voice, cheerleader Jenna describes how things got "weird" with best friend Raejean junior year; her pain erupts in revenge during a team trip. Readers in it for mean girls and competitive cheerleading may be surprised when the plot incorporates queer romance (with transgender boy James) and Live-Action Role Playing. But MacCarthy pulls off this combination of topics with aplomb in an affirming story about having multiple conflicting selves.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) YA Ramona "Blue" Leroux stands out in Eulogy, Mississippi: blue hair, six foot three, and a lesbian. Then her childhood friend moves back to town, and Ramona discovers she's attracted to him. Her subsequent refusal to label herself as gay, straight, or bisexual is refreshing. Set against a post–Hurricane Katrina backdrop, the novel also explores issues of race, class, and family.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(3) YA It's love at first sight for Nate and Cameron--until Nate realizes that Cameron's father is the big-time music executive who drove his musician dad to suicide. Soon guitar-player Nate is hiding from the paparazzi and his own feelings despite the pull of Cameron and his music. Told in the teens' alternating points of view, this "Cinderfella" romance gains depth as Nate learns about his father's past.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) YA Hidden Heroes series. With the Stonewall riots as its focal point, this volume examines the history of LGBT activism and the evolution of attitudes toward homosexuality. Details of the events at the Stonewall Inn, profiles of individuals who played a significant role, and the impact of the Stonewall riots are relayed in engaging detail and illustrated with moving archival photos. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Illustrated by Zoë More O'Ferrall. This collection of mini-biographies of queer historical figures, from Roman emperor Elagabalus to contemporary American actor George Takei, is full of personality and written expressly for the digital generation. Introduced with background about queer history around the world, this volume will likely be welcomed by queer teens and anyone who delights in uncovering history not necessarily learned in school. Websites. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Sarah Hannah Gomez

(3) YA Jack, an out-and-proud queer seventeen-year-old, receives anonymous love notes from an obsessive admirer, who then blackmails Jack after he starts writing an online teen-sex-advice column. This sex-positive, unapologetic celebration of the gay community strikes a good balance between an intriguing mystery and inspiring, no-holds-barred social commentary about sex education, homophobia, consent, and integrity.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(2) YA This dual-point-of-view novel visits friends Morgan and Eric on their shared birthday each year from ages thirteen to eighteen. Morgan is transgender, secretly so (and male-presenting) for much of the book. Eric's father objects to the friendship, which eventually takes on romantic elements--and related strain. Russo doesn't shy away from heavy subjects, including abuse and suicide, but also shows how a difficult situation can reach a mostly happy ending.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) YA Eighteen-year-old transgender woman Amanda goes to live with her previously unsupportive father in Tennessee, where no one knows her from her pre-transition life. She finds unexpected friendships and a blossoming relationship with tender and respectful Grant, who has a complicated past of his own. Amanda's story is neither overly sentimental nor didactic. Russo, herself a trans woman, crafts a thoughtful, truthful coming-of-age tale.

Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(2) YA Maia is adrift following the sudden death of her sister. Chris, recently out as a transgender boy, is spending the summer in rural North Carolina, where Maia lives. The two are initially antagonistic--but quickly find themselves falling in love. With chapters alternating between the characters' points of view, this compelling love story delves into the challenges of trust and honesty and doesn't shy away from the consequences of revealing difficult truths.

Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(1) YA Illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell. In this relatable, heart-wrenching, and often funny graphic novel, it's immediately apparent that Frederica's self-absorbed girlfriend Laura Dean is an unsuitable partner for our tenderhearted protagonist. Freddy is so consumed with seeking answers as to why Laura Dean keeps breaking up with her that she completely overlooks her in-need best friend Doodle. Black-and-white panel illustrations with pink accents feature a cast diverse in race, gender expression, and body type.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) YA The product of a webcomic Kickstarter campaign, this sweet (and swear-filled) graphic novel introduces pie-baking former figure skater Eric Bittle and his bro-filled college hockey team, including handsome, tormented captain Jack. "Bitty" and Jack's tender romance unfolds alongside college shenanigans, vlog asides, and hockey triumphs, all charmingly illustrated in neat panels. Even as the book mines personal dramas, readers never question the characters' essential goodwill.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA Illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw. High-school junior Amanda finds her own realizations regarding her sexuality reflected and amplified in a troubling family secret she discovers involving her father’s transgender parent. This well-executed graphic novel plumbs the complexity of family relationships and changing friendship dynamics as its protagonist explores sexual and gender identity. The imperfect, complicated characters--all with their own motivations--are compellingly illustrated in grayscale panels.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA After being the latest tabloid fodder, seventeen-year-old rock-star drummer Emmy King picks herself up with the help of her friends only to face family drama, a controversial coming-out as bisexual, and more trouble in the spotlight. This unashamedly queer romance features a diverse set of characters, including a nonbinary person, and it expertly broaches important topics including gaslighting, addiction, mental health, and abuse.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) YA Eighteen-year-old Bex is elated to be a writer's room intern for her favorite TV show. She's annoyed, however, when showrunner Malcolm passes off her script as his own--and outraged when he straight-washes Lyla, Bex's proudly lesbian character. Bex and friends, including the pretty YouTube star cast as Lyla, take on Malcolm and the Hollywood patriarchy in this unapologetically fierce queer romance.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith