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Essential Reading for Queer Teens
June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month! We're celebrating here by highlighting good books on queer lives and experiences for readers of all ages.
From nonficition on LGBTQIA+ role models and the history of gay rights to YA novels about coming out and living and loving proudly, these Guide-recommended books are essential reading for today's queer teens.
And for more recommended books for Pride, check out this Notes from the Horn Book booklist.
(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
(2)
YA
After a suicide attempt, Kayla, a fourteen-year-old brown-skinned girl from Trinidad, is packed off to Canada by her strict single mother to recover in the loving care of Kayla's free-spirited aunt. Throughout the summer, she receives treatment for anxiety and depression, adjusts to the twin novelties of suburban Edmonton and Aunty Jillian's lesbian relationship (which is interracial), and contemplates the differences between life in Canada and life back in Trinidad. Her first romance and the troubled mother-daughter relationship drive the plot as she realizes what "home" really means and in which country her future lies. Kayla's first-person narrative, which includes interspersed diary entries as well as reflections on serious issues such as homophobia and teenage pregnancy, is by turns moving, insightful, and wry, providing an authentic window into the perceptions of a teen suffering from depression. Her self-absorption, while reasonable, is glossed over; thus, the book misses an opportunity to explore an oft-misunderstood aspect of mental illness as well as the strain it can have on relationships. The author's attempts to broaden perspectives on LGBTQIA+ people and mentally ill people give the novel more depth than some of Kayla's references to Trinidadians ("real Trinis"; "Trinidadians made jokes about everything. We laughed at life"). This and the sporadic intrusion of an adult-sounding voice are minor flaws in an otherwise thoughtful and well-paced story filled with realistic and complex family dynamics.
Reviewer: Summer Edward
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2020
(2)
YA
Ever since fifth grade, Martha "Marty" Sullivan has been happy with just one friend: flamboyantly gay Jimmy. But now she's attending an all-girls' Catholic high school, which expands her social horizons both among girls (rebellious new friend Xiang) and guys. This mostly light comedy of errors is an honest portrayal of the cluelessness inherent in early high schoolers.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2015
(2)
YA
Winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, this British verse novel by a poet and drag performer offers a welcome exploration of the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. In first-person narration, Michael chronicles his journey through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Michael is born to a Jamaican father and Greek-Cypriot mother; though his father is distant, he has support from his mother and uncle, as he figures out where he stands in terms of both ethnic identity and sexuality. His penchant for Barbies manifests itself by age six, and crushes on boys follow, but it's a few years before he comes out to his best friend. And it's not until university that he experiences his first sexual relationships and also develops his drag persona. ("When it's time to go onstage, / know that you're not ready but / this is not about being ready, / it's not even about being fierce / or fearless, it's about being free.") The verse can be pedestrian, largely serving to advance the plot, but the development of the Black Flamingo, as a symbol of Michael's queer identity ("I often feel / like a bad egg that was not meant to be...somehow / living and thriving"), is aptly woven throughout this memorable YA debut.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2020
(2)
YA
Translated by Shelley Tanaka.
Fifteen-year-old Miriam is bored to death in her small German town. Then she starts hanging out with Laura, sorting through a (mutual) attraction, and wondering what it means to love another girl. Very European in its spare style and nonchalant depictions of drinking and drug use, Bach's nuanced portrait of small-town ennui is a fresh, detail-driven approach to a journey of self-awakening.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2008
(2)
YA
David begins a furtive sexual relationship with his teammate Sean. But Sean's denials of his homosexuality begin to weigh on David, who questions whether their relationship will ever evolve. Bantle's writing is crisp and spare, with no sentimentality or long-winded introspection. A refreshing contribution to the "coming out" genre and a powerful example of an honest teen voice.
Reviewer: Michael Santangelo
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2009
(2)
YA
Unscrupulous merchant Jan Van Eck not only refuses to pay Kaz Brekker (Six of Crows) for his just-completed heist but also holds his crewmate hostage to force him to hand over the object of the heist, scientist Kuwei. This sequel opens up the motivations of the six-person band of thieves. Bardugo has a clear, slightly sardonic voice and a knack for hooking readers.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2016
(2)
YA
When Ann's aunt Jackie asks her to be a bridesmaid in her (lesbian) wedding, Ann resolves to lose forty-five pounds in two months. Her journey is funny and relatable--if also difficult and depressing. Barson writes with a light touch but unflinchingly confronts stereotypes about overweight people. Ann finally understands that she isn't defined by her weight--an inspiring realization for all readers.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2013
(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
Ben, whose football hero father has left him and his mom for "some guy named Keith," struggles to balance his own conflicted feelings about his dad with the messages he gets from the testosterone-infused world of male high school athletes. In this look at the emotional life of a suburban jock, Bechard gives readers a likable protagonist with a lot going on under the surface.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 1999
(2)
YA
In a recasting of that old cliché of gay teen novels, a car crash near the end of this story serves to heal, not wreck, the relationship between two girls. Willa and Louie hate having to sneak around and lie, and they eventually fight and split up. But their story also has moments of bliss (descriptions of their attraction and love are authentically rendered), and--best of all--a happy ending in a convincing, affecting novel from New Zealand.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 1999
(2)
YA
Before Sasha Masha, there was Alex; a soon-to-be-junior struggling to make sense of who he is and where he belongs. The only person who seems to understand him is his best friend, Mabel. She was there the day Alex put on the green velvet dress and became Sasha Masha, the elegant and unafraid. When Mabel moves away, Alex worries he'll return to school more misunderstood than ever. But this year holds many surprises for Alex, some of which he accepts reluctantly (such as his first girlfriend) and others he leans into with an excitement and openness he never expected. It doesn't take long for Alex to realize something doesn't feel right in his new relationship, and soon his confusion brings him to a queer teen group where he meets the gender-bending, ever-confident Andre. Andre introduces Alex to the world he's been looking for: a world full of drag, dancing, and the freedom to be yourself. Borinsky walks the reader slowly and thoughtfully through Alex's transformation without rushing past the uncomfortable and often painful parts of his journey. The tone of the book shifts alongside Alex, moving from quiet and morose with his discomfort to one of excitement and hopefulness as Sasha Masha is further revealed. The book's conclusion is satisfying in its open-endedness, leaving both protagonist and reader with a great curiosity and optimism for what comes next.
Reviewer: Hill Saxton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021
(2)
YA
Prisoners of Peace series.
Pan Polar Confederacy princess Greta and the world's other royal children are held hostage: if a leader goes to war, his or her child is killed; if that child survives to eighteen, he or she is released. There's a welcome spin on the damsel-in-distress-falls-for-rebellious-boy trope--Greta's love interest is Da-Xia, Daughter of Heaven, rather than insurrectionary hostage Elián. A smart, compelling Hunger Games read-alike.
Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2015
(2)
YA
Tossed out by a narrow-minded father, sensitive narrator Kid finds an alternate family with the street kids of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Kid falls hard for entrancing Felix, a junkie living in an abandoned warehouse. When fire destroys the building, Kid becomes an arson suspect. A moving, personal story of friendship, loss, and love, Brezenoff's novel is also a tender tribute to all LGBTQ youth.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2011
(2)
YA
Two teenagers go missing from Pete's small English town. One is a local celebrity, the other is Pete's best friend. With hallucinogenic imagery and inexorable pacing, Brooks's intricately constructed mystery is dense but navigable. The two-pronged conclusion unfolds with aching realism and biting social commentary: one mystery brought to brutal but satisfying completion, the other haunting in its open-ended ambiguity.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2008
(1)
YA
In this Manitoba-set story, secrets stalk three generations of women: teenage Odella, her mother Sally, and Odella's great-aunt, Gloria. Brooks separates her novel into three parts: bleak "Winter," thawing "Spring," and smoldering "Summer." The book expands its exceedingly well-told tale of teenage romance with equally absorbing stories of adults who've played the tricky game of love.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2007
(2)
YA
"I hate people," declares fifteen-year-old Phoebe, and perhaps with good reason: her mother abruptly left her (again) to care for sick people in Syria ("Mum's a doctor first and a mum second"); her dad is dead; and her best friend, Polly, has ditched her for a guy. While Mum is away, Phoebe is living at her godmother Kate's house in London, studying for her GCSEs, and working at Kate's thrift store. The store's customers reinforce her belief in the stupidity of humanity, but Phoebe finds that she enjoys the company of the employees, particularly blue-eyed, sixteen-year-old Emma. By book's end, misanthropic Phoebe is horrified to realize that she's fallen for Emma--something readers will have recognized much earlier. The novel is told in daily diary entries, from New Year's Day to Phoebe's birthday in July; the entries reveal an endearing vulnerability under a (very funny) layer of snark. On falling in love, for example: "What a stupid expression...Like you fall into a ditch or something. Maybe people need to look where they're going." Also included: Phoebe's thoughts on the sex lives of both Polly and the "designer cats" Kate owns; her halfhearted research (with sometimes inaccurate findings) into her father's Jewish and Israeli heritage; and the relatable way she dissects everything Emma says, texts, or posts on social media. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable story of self-discovery and first love.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2021
(2)
YA
At seventeen, Felix Love feels marginalized as a Black teen, an aspiring artist, and a trans male. His mom left the family when he was ten, and although his dad tries hard to be supportive, he still calls Felix by his deadname and struggles to "understand" his child. Felix is attending his prestigious prep school's summer program to better his chances of winning a coveted art scholarship to Brown University, but he has difficulty focusing on his all-important portfolio. When someone hacks archived pre-transition images of him from Instagram and mounts them in the school's gallery, Felix's already fragile self-image is shaken to the core. His initial thirst for revenge leads him to dig deep, open himself to others, and learn to accept and affirm who he really is as a person (a demiboy) and an artist. Meanwhile, his safe friendship with classmate Ezra Patel becomes a source of conflict--and then a new relationship altogether. The writing is smart and engaging, and #OwnVoices author Callender includes sound information and responsible psychological guidance without bogging down the storytelling. Felix does ultimately find love in this sweet and tender trans romance, but his hardest-won victory is in the fight to validate his self-worth.
Reviewer: Luann Toth
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2020
(1)
YA
Eighteen-year-old gay teen James wants to use his college money to buy a house in the Midwest. The heart of the matter is a desire to stay safe; 9/11 happened outside his classroom window. Cameron, a respected author of adult fiction, has written a spare, spacious, quietly dazzling book. It's Catcher in the Rye in a different voice--witty, reflective, terse.
Reviewer: Barbara Bader
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2008
(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
(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
(1)
YA
Aiden is not looking forward to starting public high school in the fall; his Catholic schooling heretofore has had its challenges--"jerks"--but at least it had become familiar. A summer at Boy Scout camp provides a break from his squabbling parents and a chance to breathe ("Everything is so quiet" in the woods) before school starts. Not so fast: camp also has bullies, whose taunts referencing Aiden's presumed sexual orientation are only exacerbated by Aiden's growing love for another camper, the athletic and sweet-natured Elias. Grownup LGBTs will know exactly what Aiden is going through, but this book speaks so well to those kids currently undergoing the ordeal. The graphic novel takes its time to fully pull readers into Aiden's psyche and his setting, which provides the pleasures of summer and friendship and nature along with the rewards of Scout activities. (Orienteering!) The drawing is expertly cartooned, and the palette is black and white with occasional, and then increasing, daubs and splashes of red whenever passions--of many kinds--ride high. The variation of small, storytelling panels and full-page and double-page spreads for big moments is wonderfully effective, and the climax--Aiden in a literal dark night of the soul in the outdoor chapel--is high drama indeed, emotionally powerful, proudly and extravagantly spiritual (and as Catholic as any Graham Greene epiphany). He comes through it to have one perfect day at camp to sustain him going forward. If you will forgive the editorial intrusion, I wish I had had this book fifty years ago.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2020
(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
(2)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Maggie is overweight, but she's no "shrinking violet fat girl." When her gay best friend Nash invites Tom into their inner circle, Maggie hopes Tom might be the guy for Nash. Tom instead turns his attention toward Maggie; their maybe-romance threatens Maggie and Nash's friendship. Maggie's likable voice and authentic struggle to accept herself lend this fresh romantic comedy considerable appeal.
Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2015
(1)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Katie didn't know she had a grandmother until the hospital called, asking her mum to pick up Mary, who's suffering from dementia. As Katie helps care for Mary, she uncovers a web of family secrets and struggles with her own: Katie is pretty certain she's gay. A limited third-person perspective follows Katie's and Mary's stories, constructing and contrasting two fully rounded characters.
Reviewer: Amy Pattee
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2016
(2)
YA
In 1988 Iran, wealthy fifteen-year-old Farrin's burgeoning romance with new girl Sadira leads her to become more involved in the world around her, and eventually leads to the couple's discovery and persecution. Ellis skillfully introduces readers to the social and political backdrop, showing in troubling detail how fear, suspicion, and historical animosities fragment Farrin's world and limit her freedom.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2014
(2)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend Nasrin for years. But the girls live in Iran, where their love is illegal. Farizan imbues characters and relationships with depth and complexity. First love is the heart of the matter here; even as readers learn about an unfamiliar culture, they will recognize the universal dynamics of a struggling relationship.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2013
(2)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Iranian American Leila finds herself in a secret relationship with new girl Saskia--who reveals herself to be a master manipulator. Leila turns to an old friend, Lisa; when their friendship turns romantic, Saskia threatens them as well as their friends, who rally in support of the couple. Leila's clever first-person narrative lightens what, in less capable hands, could be an angsty story.
Reviewer: Amy Pattee
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
(2)
YA
After his sister's fatal car crash and his father's subsequent departure, sixteen-year-old Quinn's screenwriting ambitions are on hold and his social life has evaporated. When best friend Geoff drags him to a party, Quinn meets college-guy Amir and reemerges from his shell as they develop a mutual attraction. The entire cast is well rounded in Federle's humorous, heartbreaking, and heartwarming YA debut.
Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2016
(2)
YA
Haitian American middle-schooler Karina takes refuge from her violent home by volunteering at a community center. When a same-sex friendship becomes more than platonic, Karina begins to question the lies she told to keep her abusive stepfather out of jail. Karina's biting voice narrates this stomach-churning account of domestic violence. Remarkably nuanced characters give humanity to this emotionally challenging read.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2007
(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
(1)
YA
Ellen has been in love with her brother Link's best friend, James, for years. The author sets up a riveting love triangle around her brother's sexual ambiguity and Ellen's love for both James and Link; the situation is intensified by their father's strong but unspoken desire to have a straight son and by a family dynamic steeped in avoidance. Ellen's voice is fresh and vital; the book's tone is more sophisticated than the usual YA fare.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2002
(2)
YA
In this verse-novel retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, seventh-grade girls Olivia and Eden fall in "like-like" at first sight. Soon, they're meeting up to kiss almost daily and professing their love. But their (secret) happiness doesn't last long. Eden falls in with a reckless crowd, and Olivia reacts with strong, hurtful words. The two are driven further and further apart, but Olivia sets out to reunite them on a quest involving poetry. The source material lends itself to the seriousness with which the protagonists take their situation--and beyond their romance and conflict, there are weighty elements at play, including Olivia's mother's depression and Eden's fear of her homophobic father. It all leads up to an ending that isn't perfectly happy, but one that gives hope to readers rooting for the two girls' connection. Poet Olivia's more deliberate voice ("I scramble to scribble / but my mind says wrong / to every word I write") is distinct from more impulsive music-lover Eden's ("This girl is / a power ballad: / bold, clever, all confidence / joy at full volume"); both are accessible and often impassioned. Hand to middle-school readers ready to be swept up in emotion.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2023
(2)
YA
Out lesbian Jesse is so head-over-heels in love with closeted bisexual Emily, student council vice president, that she agrees to keep their relationship a secret. But Esther, a teenage political activist, awakens a true political spirit in Jesse. The narrative alternates among all three girls' points of view. The characters' political lives make this contribution to GLBTQ teen literature memorable.
Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2012
(2)
YA
Pen (short for Penelope) is a girl whose gender expression doesn't fit into conventional categories. Her struggle for self-definition plays out in three braided plot lines: tensions rise between her and her traditional Portuguese-immigrant parents; a longtime male friend turns cruel; she starts dating a female classmate. Girard offers an impressively nuanced drama about the desire to be recognized for who you are.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2016
(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
(2)
YA
The premise of this entertaining collaboration is simple: there are two Will Graysons. One is risk-averse and straight; the other is gay, lonely, and depressed. An online romance involving the first Will's best friend leads to an encounter between the nominal doppelgangers. The quirky premise and epic spin on interpersonal drama more than compensate for some narrative unevenness.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2010
(2)
YA
When Russel finds out he's not the only gay kid at school, he joins with his cohorts to start an after-school support group, code-named the Geography Club. What gives this book distinction is Russel's pointed narration, pitch-perfect as the slightly superior, world-weary, and ironic gay boy. This is the most artful and authentic depiction of a gay teen since M. E. Kerr's I'll Love You When You're More Like Me.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2003
(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
(2)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Cass is devastated by her best friend Julia's death. Cass takes off on a cross-country bike trip; later, back home, she struggles to mend fences with her nemesis (and love interest) Heather, star of a play Julia had been writing. Cass is both unique and very relatable. Horner manages to treat the grieving process with respect while maintaining a positive tone.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2010
(2)
YA
Noa wakes up to find himself, inexplicably, in a spacesuit floating outside a spaceship, with no recollection of how he got there. Neither does DJ, another boy aboard the ship, who helps bring Noa in, nor Jenny, whom they find locked inside a bathroom. The teens' immediate concerns are survival and trying to figure out what resources are available, how the ship works, and how they might get back home. Once they settle in for the long haul--as they learn from a recurring hologram of an annoying erstwhile child star, it could be six to nine months before they are rescued--they turn their attention toward one another, becoming friends even as a romance blossoms between Noa and DJ. An already bizarre and complicated plot adds a recurring time loop, an alien monster attack, and a visit to a mysterious high school in space before things start to make sense. In the meantime, the development of the quirky, unusual characters and their growing relationships should keep readers engaged. Hutchinson (The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza, rev. 3/18; The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried, rev. 3/19) writes with witty humor and a great ear for dialogue, and he addresses some big existential questions about love, loss, and identity.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2021
(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
(1)
YA
During the summer of 1975 in small-town New Hampshire, love, sex, religion, and family shape a charged and confusing environment in which to come of age. Jocelyn's boyfriend is pulling away from her, and her lifelong friend and neighbor suddenly goes missing. Jacobson deftly builds suspense and traces complex issues (homosexuality, sexual abuse by a priest) with appropriate subtlety.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2005
(2)
YA
Nishat is a Bengali Muslim teen attending a conservative Catholic school in Dublin. When she comes out as lesbian to her parents, she is met with near-silence. Meanwhile, Nishat creates a henna business for a school competition, and her longtime crush Flávia (an Afro-Brazilian Irish classmate) complicates things by creating a rival business. As the competition heats up, so do the young women's feelings for each other. Their will-they-or-won't-they? romance will keep readers engrossed. Jaigirdar's debut novel features realistically complex queer girls of color at its center and honestly addresses the conflicts they face as such--micro- and macro-agressions, hitting up against family traditions while trying to pursue one's own desires and wants--though always standing in Nishat's corner is her supportive sister Priti, who offers the approval the protagonist longs for from her family. All major conflicts are tied up, and probably most touching of all is the hopeful understanding that Nishat and her family reach.
Reviewer: Sara Danver
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2020
(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
Senior Liz Lighty has successfully stayed out of the spotlight and off of Campbell County High School's new social networking app, Campbell Confidential. Being poor and Black in affluent Campbell has made her feel like an outsider. But when she is denied a seat in Pennington College's orchestra and a music scholarship at the institution, she decides to run for prom queen for the scholarship money that comes with winning. With the help of her best friend, she plans to become prom queen material. What Liz doesn't expect is to fall in love with another contender for the crown and to reconnect with her former best guy friend. Teen readers will relate to Liz's journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Despite themes of poverty, racism, and homophobia, the book remains lighthearted. Liz's snarky first-person narration adds to the humor, and references to popular culture help create an authentic teen voice. Screenshots from a cellphone introduce each week of competition and underscore the power of social media in the lives of teens today.
Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2020
(2)
YA
Juby explores the unlikely friendship between closeted Alex and spoiled-rich-girl Cleo. The two meet at the stable of Fergus and Ivan, top-notch dressage trainers, and the details of dressage play a major role in the book. Juby divides her attention between the riding and the social lives of the characters, who get her sometimes dark, always oddball treatment.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2008
(2)
YA
Budding horror-filmmaker Sam is tight with his posse of fellow Aussie misfits: gay best friend Mike; highly excitable Adrian; and consummate nerd-girl Allison. Then beautiful, worldly Camilla arrives. She hangs with Sam and his friends, and manages to coax them out of their comfort zone. Snappy banter and fish-out-of-water situations combine with touching moments to create an entertaining and diverting read.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2013
(2)
YA
Childhood best friends until they were caught experimenting sexually and were traumatically separated, Dawn and Jessie reconnect just as they begin to experience parallel dissociative episodes: Dawn in animalistic fugue states, ballet dancer Jessie taken over by an experimental, visceral choreography. Assured, immediate prose relates the freedom the girls discover in dissociation and the profound belonging they find in one another; ultimately, they're led to another wrenching parting.
Reviewer: Katie Bircher
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2017
(2)
YA
Since we last saw "Fractional Persian" Darius in 2019 Boston Globe–Horn Book honor book Darius the Great Is Not Okay (rev. 9/18), he's come out as gay, and has a boyfriend. Now back in Portland, Oregon, after his family trip to Iran, he's also started an internship at his favorite tea shop, made the varsity soccer team, and found friendship with his teammates. If only boyfriend Landon wasn't pressuring him for sex; he wasn't experiencing feelings for a teammate; and his dream job was living up to expectations. Add in his ongoing battle with clinical depression, his family's financial troubles and other worries, and not knowing why best friend Sohrab in Iran isn't answering his calls, and it's clear Darius deserves better. Khorram's emotional second book addresses many serious issues but is grounded in everyday life. Through Darius's intimate, conversational narration, Khorram provides moments of levity (mortification after an interrupted make-out session; a "catastrophic hull breach," a.k.a. an unfortunate kneeing during practice) as well as insight into Darius's insecurities (he's self-conscious about his appearance, new to dating, and prone to crying while on his medication). Darius's honest exploration of his sexual identity builds upon the growth he experienced with his cultural identity in the first book, and leaves readers curious and hopeful about where his journey will take him next.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2020
(1)
YA
Astrid would be the quintessential Q-for-Questioning girl in her high school's LGBTQ support group if her small-town school had such a thing--and the gay question is only one of many weighing her down. She sends her questions to the passengers in planes she sees overhead; each time, readers get a glimpse of a passenger's own struggle with Astrid's question. A furiously smart and funny coming-out-and-of-age novel.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2013
(2)
YA
For an eleventh-grade writing assignment, T.C., Augie, and Alé recount their freshman year shenanigans, friendships, and heartaches. Kluger has a fine touch with characterization (a subplot involving a deaf six-year-old's obsession with Mary Poppins is poignant and believable), and his teenagers have strong, distinct voices. He also has a good ear for dialogue and establishes a definite sense of place.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2008
(1)
YA
Closeted gay high-school senior Kit cultivates his innate acting ability when he lands the leading male role in the (fictional) controversial play Talk. His first-person narrative alternates with that of confident queen bee Lindsay, who plays opposite the quiet Kit. The novel flows in a poetic stream-of-consciousness style; mounting tension within the script parallels the tension in Kit's and Lindsay's lives.
Reviewer: Marika Hoe
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2005
(2)
YA
Bex does not consider herself a survivalist. She's "about the prep, not the politics or racist bullshit"; a "realist who plans to survive" whatever disaster occurs. But when closeted lesbian Bex meets Lucy and they start a relationship, Bex's world becomes infinitely more complicated. Readers are sure to be drawn in by Bex's unusual perspective and her heart-wrenching, timely story.
Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2016
(2)
YA
After his best friend Rafe comes out (Openly Straight), Ben grapples with his own identity as "gay-for-Rafe"--straight, but still head-over-heels for his friend. Through this lens, the challenges of being openly yourself when you can't yet put a label on who you are come to light. Set at Ben's prestigious Massachusetts boarding school, the multidimensional coming-of-age tale celebrates individuality and interconnection.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2017
(2)
YA
Rafe is sick of being the poster child for all things gay at his uber-liberal Colorado high school, so when he gets into a Massachusetts boarding school for his junior year, he decides to reboot himself as "openly straight." Konigsberg slyly demonstrates how thoroughly assumptions of straightness are embedded in everyday interactions. For a thought-provoking take on the coming-out story, look no further.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2013
(2)
YA
Aaron Boroff and Tillie Stanley are both suffering from depression, but different life experiences lead them to the George Washington Bridge at the same moment for their respective suicide attempts. Sequentially, four distinct possibilities play out: Tillie jumps, Aaron doesn't; Aaron jumps, Tillie doesn't; they both jump; neither jumps. Aaron is an introspective loner, a skinny gay kid who's interested in writing and performing music. He's plagued by self-doubt, however, exacerbated by severe depression. Tillie, adopted from Korea, struggles to earn the love of her emotionally unavailable father and feels like her family's "plan B," supplanted by the biological daughter they had years later. The intriguing narrative structure allows Konigsberg to develop Aaron and Tillie with nuance and depth, showing how their absence from this world would affect their families and peers immediately and far into the future. In the last alternative narrative strand, Aaron and Tillie become friends and support each other in a way that their parents, friends, and therapists could not. Mental health and suicide ideation are difficult topics, and Konigsberg handles them with great skill, care, and sensitivity. An author's note addresses depression and suicide, particularly among LGBTQIA+ youth, and provides resources.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2020
(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
It's San Francisco Pride Week, and high school seniors (and co-narrators) Mark and Kate each have much to figure out about themselves, including how out-and-proud they want to be. When they meet at a gay club, they quickly become close and nudge each other toward bravery, romantic and otherwise. This novel features funny and introspective teens with big decisions to make.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2016
(2)
YA
Eighteen-year-old Monty, spoiled heir to a wealthy estate in eighteenth-century Britain, is determined to retrieve an alchemical panacea and cure his lifelong best friend Percy (with whom Monty is hopelessly in love) of his epilepsy. Mayhem, adventure, and a swoon-worthy emotional roller coaster of a romance ensue. A genre tribute, satire, and exemplar in one: trope-filled in the most gleeful way.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2017
(2)
YA
In Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Tiny Cooper--friend to one Will, love interest of the other--directs a musical about his life. Now, that musical is its own book, written as theater dialogue with stage directions from the self-aware protagonist. Perhaps of most interest to Will Grayson fans, this story of coming out, love, and friendship also stands on its own.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2015
(2)
YA
In alternating chapters, the novel's three main characters describe living in New York City after the attack on the World Trade Center. The teens, at first loosely acquainted, become closer as they learn to cope together. Levithan eschews stock characters and self-help clichés to portray distinct individuals who deal with grief and uncertainty in different ways. A powerful story about emotional rescue.
Reviewer: Michael Santangelo
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2009
(2)
YA
High school junior Adrian's a self-loathing closeted teen stuck in small-town Texas. His only reprieve from the world of football and beer is drawing his anonymously published webcomic about an openly gay superhero, Graphite. (Episodes of the comic, illustrated by Linn, are interspersed throughout.) Despite Adrian's bitter and sardonic narration, this is a story of love triumphing over hate and art defeating bigotry.
Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2016
(2)
YA
When her best friend Angie falls for Margot, Jess's unrequited longing becomes jealousy. Angie hopes that the three of them, plus Margot's hostile best friend Ryan, can become close. Then, after a party, one of the four girls dies from a gunshot. Who killed her? Lo's taut storytelling expertly doles out clues and draws characters as complicit in unexpected ways for an addictive psychological mystery.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2017
(2)
YA
Ash lives in a pseudo-historical Celtic society in which magic is just starting to be regarded as superstition. She first meets Sidhean, a handsome, seductive fairy, then forms an unlikely friendship--and falls in love--with the king's huntress, Kaisa. The juxtaposition of Kaisa and Sidhean as Ash's suitors invites readers to consider the nature of fictional and folkloric constructs of romantic ideals.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2009
(2)
YA
In this several-hundred-years-earlier prequel to Ash, Taisin and Kaede travel with the prince to the Fairy Queen's palace. Feelings grow between the young women, even as they face supernatural dangers that pick off members of their party. The author's "Tam-Lam"-meets-I Ching–inspired setting is delicate and unusual, and the episodes are varied and emotional enough to retain readers' interest.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2011
(1)
YA
High school senior Lily Hu lives in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1954 with her medical professional parents; she behaves obediently and dreams of working at the Jet Propulsion Lab like her aunt Judy. But she hides a secret yearning. After seeing an ad featuring "Tommy Andrews Male Impersonator," she sneaks out to the performance at the lesbian Telegraph Club with Kath, a white classmate who shares Lily's longing. Soon the two are club regulars, even though Lily's parents have warned her they are being watched (after her father's citizenship papers were confiscated by the FBI) and could be deported. When an incident at the Telegraph threatens to uncover Lily's lesbian identity to her family, she is forced to make a difficult choice. This standout work of historical fiction combines meticulous research with tender romance to create a riveting bildungsroman. San Francisco, "with its steep stairways and sudden glimpses of the bay between tall, narrow buildings," is almost a character itself. Interspersed flashbacks that detail the personal histories of Lily's parents and Aunt Judy and timelines of world events further put the 1950s Chinese American experience into context for readers. Lo's (Ash, rev. 11/09; A Line in the Dark, rev. 11/17) comprehensive author's note includes an absorbing section on "Lesbians, Gender, and Community" and a select bibliography of print and film resources.
Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2021
(2)
YA
Bug has always believed his family's old Vermont farmhouse is haunted--partly because of shadows and creaks, and partly because he often "catch[es] a glimpse of something in the mirror that isn't me." Since Uncle Roderick's death, that haunting has seemed more directed specifically at Bug: "Some presence is trying to send me a message." Lukoff (When Aidan Became a Brother, rev. 7/19) lets readers decide for themselves whether the haunting is real or whether it stems from Bug's believably portrayed grief and process of growing up (Bug is about to enter middle school). Either way, Bug figures out a great deal via some exploring about Uncle Roderick, who was openly gay and had worked as a drag queen, and finally realizes his own transgender identity. (Bug, eventually known as Tommy, uses she/her pronouns at first and transitions to he/him pronouns.) Bug's first-person, present-tense narration gives readers a close look at his sense that things don't quite fit, both in interactions with peers and on his own, and his gradual understanding of why that is: "I've never recognized myself before, but now I do."
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2021
(2)
YA
Six months have passed since the events of The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl. Kyra, released from a mental hospital, resents Fanboy's lack of communication while she was away. She also must come to terms with her mother's death and her sexual identity. Lyga's voice is so believable and his characters so distinctive that readers will be captivated.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2010
(2)
YA
Living in a secretive southern family in the 1950s, Sonny, thirteen, is still trying to make sense of an incident that occurred when he was six (his mother heaved a plate at his father, who left the next morning). His attempts to grapple with the issues of race and sexuality bring about major repercussions. This lively novel crackles with wit as it sensitively explores Sonny's world.
Reviewer: Barbara Scotto
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2004
(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
Ellis's adored father has been in a coma for two years; Mom wants to turn off the machines keeping her husband alive, and Ellis, who visits her father at the nursing home often, disagrees. Her high school friendships are complicated, too. There is much to this slim book--coming of age, death, hope, love--and Ellis is a character to care about and cheer on for a long, long time.
Reviewer: Robin L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2012
(2)
YA
In this story that blends realism and fairy tale, McLemore (Blanca & Roja, rev. 11/18) introduces readers to a sweet, warm young woman making her way through trauma. Ciela is La Bruja de los Pasteles, the pastry witch, who through her "don," the gift inherited from her great-grandmother, "knows what kind of pan dulce you want before you do." After she is sexually assaulted at a party, a shard of mirrored glass enters her eye, and Ciela loses her don. She also becomes inextricably tied to a new boy in town, Lock, another survivor of the same night. Only through friendship, honesty, and courage does Ciela begin to uncover the truth of what really happened. Themes of violation and consent are present throughout; Ciela's trauma is conveyed through cutting imagery, with comforting (if sometimes repetitive) descriptions of confections providing narrative reprieve. This story, which centers Mexican and Mexican American traditions and lore, includes a diverse array of gender identities, expressions, and relationships. The author's note tells more about "The Snow Queen /La Reina de las Nieves" (the novel's source) and reveals the personal nature of Ciela's journey, with insight into the often-overlooked experiences of women of color, boys, and queer and trans survivors of sexual assault.
Reviewer: Gabi K. Huesca
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2021
(2)
YA
When the novel opens, thirteen-year-old Brie's mother almost stumbles upon Brie looking at a soap opera star's Playboy photos online. Brie distracts her mom by claiming (falsely) that she's been chosen to perform an important role at the May Crowning mass, an honor for an eighth grader in her Catholic school. Brie must then attempt to earn that honor (by winning an essay contest) and hopes that by doing so, she'll come closer to the image Mom wants for her. But Brie's own personality and interests diverge from what her family expects, from her impulsivity to her less-than-strong attachment to religion to her aspiration to attend a performing arts school next year; this last also brings up financial issues in a family where her father works as the school janitor. Her parents' first hint that Brie is questioning her sexuality--more online searching, this time for "LGBTQ soap opera scenes"--comes in the novel's first half, which leaves space for varied and evolving reactions and for acknowledgment that acceptance can take time, but shouldn't take forever. Chapter openings describing events from soap operas--the one strong interest she shares with her mom--underscore how dramatic the events feel to Brie, as well as the fact that, though she's realized something new about herself, she's still the same person.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2020
(2)
YA
This return to the dystopian world of We Set the Dark on Fire (rev. 7/19)--whose protagonist was Dani, one of two wives to rising politico Mateo--focuses on Carmen. Dani's co-wife and secret romantic partner, Carmen was revealed in the first installment to be a member of the resistance group La Voz. Now she has left Mateo's home for the group's compound. La Voz demands absolute devotion and any sacrifice necessary for its fight against an unjust government (as in the first installment, this society includes references to our own, particularly a walled border). Carmen is torn between the group and her desire to protect Dani, who's still at Mateo's side and whose complete loyalty to La Voz hasn't yet been proven. Her resulting decisions set off a fast-paced journey, complete with daring escapes, assassinations, and a few steamy (though not graphic) encounters, allowing its heroines to display impressive survival and fighting skills as well as deep emotions. Fans who've grown attached to Carmen and Dani will appreciate this duology-concluder's more extensive look into their lives and the inventive world in which they live.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2020
(2)
YA
More than he dreads coming out to his father, Thom fears revealing his superhuman healing powers. As Thom trains for hero duty he uncovers family secrets. Readers will appreciate the satire that provides moments of relief in an often dark narrative. Filled with inexorable villains and disillusioned heroes, the book spans isolation and romance for a larger-than-life coming of age.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2007
(2)
YA
Waylon Brewer does not fit in at Clover City High School. He's fat; he's gay; and he loves drag, particularly a drag-competition TV show called Fiercest of Them All. But no one, not even his twin sister, Clementine, knows that he wants to actually perform in drag: that is, until his audition video for the show, starring "Miss Pumpkin Patch," is accidentally posted publicly on Facebook. It goes viral, naturally, earning Waylon immediate mockery at school and a nomination to prom court--as queen. Along with Clementine's girlfriend, a similarly gender-bending candidate for king, Waylon embraces the joke and campaigns to win the crown; it doesn't hurt that his cute classmate Tucker is a fellow nominee (for king). This third story set in Clover City, Texas, features a genuine and unbreakable sibling bond; a strong romantic connection; and a cast of well-developed supporting characters, including guest appearances from Willowdean (Dumplin', rev. 11/15) and Callie and Millie (Puddin', rev. 5/18). Like those protagonists, Waylon learns to love who he is and refuses to settle for anyone who doesn't. Or as he tells Tucker: "I'm done being with people who are embarrassed by me...I'm too good to keep secret." It's easy to cheer for Waylon--who eventually triumphs both as himself and as Pumpkin--in this celebration of individuality and self-expression.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2021
(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
(2)
YA
Jude (a girl) and Noah are fraternal twins; once very close, they now hardly speak to each other. The reasons for their estrangement gradually come to light over the course of the novel through the twins' alternating voices from different points in time (Noah at thirteen, bullied for being gay; and sixteen-year-old artist Jude). A compelling meditation on love, grief, sexuality, family, and fate.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
(2)
YA
Illustrated by
Tea Bendix.
Ness's postmodern short story (a version of which was previously published in an anthology), intermittently illustrated with Bendix's striking pencil drawings and digital collage, candidly depicts the relationships among several teenage boys in eastern Washington. Narrator Ant's frank, earnest musings on masculinity, companionship, and the degree of his own virginity are tempered by his self-censorship, with literal black bars concealing nearly all instances of cursing and sexual activity (though homophobic slurs aren't censored--a decision meta-commented on by the characters themselves). A key flashback reveals the clandestine sexual relationship between Ant and his friend Charlie, who publicly projects a homophobic persona and denies Ant the intimacy of a kiss. Conflict erupts after a joke from Jack, the subject of Charlie's homophobic bullying, inadvertently uncovers Ant and Charlie's secret, which leads to a violent outburst from an emotionally broken Charlie (illustrated across a double-page spread in monstrous detail). The lean narrative moves briskly with a focus on dialogue, dry humor, and Ant's wonderings--feeling much like a stage play composed of only a handful of scenes. Ant's conclusion is uncertain and hopeful, neither storybook nor tragic. An honest, profound kiss from Jack ends up meaning more to Ant than anything he ever did with Charlie, leading Ant to accept that his virginity is not defined by others' rules and expectations, but rather "I think I'm the one who says."
Reviewer: Patrick Gall
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2023
(2)
YA
Ness follows seventeen-year-old Adam through one eventful day preceding a goodbye party for his ex-boyfriend Enzo. In interspersed passages, the ghost of recently murdered classmate Katherine wanders the town. Release references Mrs. Dalloway (but with a more grounded voice) and, like Judy Blume's Forever, is frank about teen sexuality. Though it functions as an accessible, standalone coming-of-age story, awareness of its influences makes for a layered reading experience.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2017
(2)
YA
Gay student Matthew Shepard's murder stunned the University of Wyoming community in October 1998; Gay Awareness Week was about to begin, with Newman the keynote speaker. Sixty-eight poems in varied forms present a range of voices--the fence, the doctor, stars--in this "historical novel in verse." Newman's language serves the voices well, the poems always simple, accessible, and moving. Reading list, websites.
Reviewer: Dean Schneider
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2012
(1)
YA
In this imaginative graphic novel, thirteen-year-old Vietnamese American boy Tin and his Vietnamese-refugee seamstress mother, Hin, have always loved stories, with the two often reading library books aloud while enjoying time together. Nguyen (a comic artist also known as Trungles) delves into the world of Vietnamese fairy tales, including "Cinderella" and "The Little Mermaid" variants. Themes from these works--parent-child struggles, unrequited love, and the timeless quest to attain one's innermost desires, for example--are reflected in the versions of the illustrated retellings Tin reads and in his day-to-day life at home and school, including his secret crush on a male classmate. Nguyen's artistry radiates elegance on every page. Pastel shades of red, brown, and purple alternate to signify present, past, and imaginative plot segments. While some panels feature characters in pensive curiosity or profound melancholy, others burst with vibrancy, their exquisite portraits spanning an entire page or across multiple panels. Infused with emotional depth and integrity, this coming-of-age story broadens the range of Vietnamese American creative voices in books for young people.
Reviewer: Jerry Dear
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021
(2)
YA
These ten short stories give voice to expressions of lesbian and transgender teen experience. Peters skillfully varies the subject matter and tone from piece to piece, with several of the amicable first-person narrators given a hard row to hoe. Whether readers are looking for reflections of the other or reflections of themselves, this book presents plenty of opportunities to find both.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2007
(2)
YA
Alix's grieving process is cut short when she discovers that her recently deceased girlfriend, Swanee, had another girlfriend, Liana. Alix slowly makes peace with the idea that while she loved Swanee, Swanee may not have loved her back; a budding romance between Alix and Liana is sweet and healing. A fresh and interesting take on grief, unhealthy relationships, and self-discovery.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2014
(2)
YA
After she starts dating tough-girl Reeve, Johanna's dream-come-true turns into a nightmare of abuse. Peters approaches the subject matter with nuance and insight. Her charismatic but flawed protagonists carry the story, allowing it to develop naturally and believably. By letting Johanna's and Reeve's personalities be a wealth of contradictions and complexity, Peters creates a deeply human story of abuse and redemption.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2009
(2)
YA
Daniel "Sprout" Bradford's class assignment, "Quit Whining! or, Holden Caulfield Could Learn a Few Things from Huck Finn," catches the eye of a state essay-contest coach. Working with no-nonsense Mrs. Miller forces Sprout to explore his secrets--like being gay. Structurally effective, caustically entertaining, unpreachy, and thought-provoking, the story is a satisfying look at the truths one young man unearths about himself.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2009
(2)
YA
A decade after M. E. Kerr's Deliver Us from Evie, Peters sets another strong-willed butch in a small midwestern farming town. Mike falls hard for gorgeous city girl Xanadu, though Mike's still dealing with her father's suicide two years earlier and the family's tanked finances. The parade of human drama is excessive, but Mike's dynamic personality and emotions carry the book.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2005
(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
(2)
YA
Traveling to visit his brother who's dying of cancer, fourteen-year-old Jamie writes letters. These are interspersed with earlier missives written to Jamie, and gradually his troubled history emerges: time on the streets, punctuated by drugs, sex, and crime. With his quirky idiomatic expressions, striking word choices, and stream-of-consciousness prose, nobody writes about disposable, marginalized youth quite like Adam Rapp.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2009
(2)
YA
Translated by Larissa Helena.
In this translated novel from Brazilian debut author Rocha, three young gay men (two protagonists are eighteen, one is twenty-one) living in contemporary Rio de Janeiro strive to define romance and relationships for themselves in the modern era. Henrique is HIV-positive, and when he reveals his status to Victor after several dates, Victor breaks off the relationship. Victor and Ian meet in a clinic, where they are both waiting to hear the results of their HIV tests. When Victor tests negative but Ian tests positive, Victor puts Ian in contact with the only other person he knows who is living with HIV: Henrique. In alternating narration, this trio navigates awkward conversations, tense doctor's visits, and turbulent family drama while looking for love and connection. This heartfelt novel full of earnest dialogue about everything from coming out to the side effects of HIV drugs is a result of the author's time spent working at a Brazilian foundation that sponsors free HIV medication. While it can often read like a primer on how to live safely with HIV, it will provide welcome insight to readers curious about the subject or experiencing it for the first time. Back matter includes an author's note and an afterword with resources.
Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2020
(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
At the end of The Midnight Lie (rev. 5/20), Sid sailed brokenhearted back to her own kingdom to her ailing mother the queen, while her lover Nirrim ascended the throne after trading her own heart for knowledge. Now without compassion, once-timid Nirrim ruthlessly applies power, executing one in ten of the High Kith who kept the Half Kith subjugated and using her terrified former friends and those she once considered family as puppets to sway the mob. Meanwhile, Sid learns that her mother was poisoned and tries to discover the perpetrator, at the same time uncovering for herself the ways her own same-sex attraction and her familial love and duty tangle and clash. Of course Sid and Nirrim eventually reunite, though the means by which Rutkoski manages it are too deliciously sweet to give away here. The inventive fantasy framework and whip-smart dialogue should keep readers riveted; a journey by Sid to the gods' realm has echoes of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and gives the story a satisfying roundness; and the exploration of truths that LGBTQ+ youth know and live, growing up in a world whose responses to their differences can still wound them, will resonate in any compassionate heart.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2021
(2)
YA
As a member of the Half Kith (the lowest, most oppressed caste in society), Nirrim is focused on avoiding the notice of the militia, who extract tithes of blood, hair, and teeth from Half Kith they claim have broken laws. When a magical bird flies into the Ward, Nirrim is arrested trying to return it to the militia. She ends up in jail with a charismatic scofflaw named Sid, whom she mistakes for male. Sid gets her out of jail (at which point Nirrim realizes her mistake). Now no longer content with her unadventurous, risk-averse life, she forges herself a passport, goes along with Sid, and together they make a compact to discover the source of the magic the High Kith get to use. Soon, Nirrim falls for Sid. The mysterious connection between magic and the tithes is spun out with excellent suspense, which, along with the assured writing and wealth of fantasy invention, will keep readers avidly turning pages, while the romance (including Nirrim's internalized homophobia) has enough twists to be both sensational and satisfying. Nirrim's foster mother's "love" will ring alarm bells for anyone who's known an abusive relationship; meanwhile, Nirrim's progression from timid victim to dogged activist unfolds powerfully. Don't expect a happily-ever-after from Rutkoski (the Winner's trilogy, set in this same world), but do grasp at the remaining loose ends in hope of a sequel.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2020
(2)
YA
Two boys, Ari and Dante, strike up a friendship that will change their lives in ways both subtle and profound. When Ari saves Dante's life but breaks his own legs in the process, it cements the bond between the two Mexican American families. Ari's first-person narrative--poetic, philosophical, honest--skillfully develops the relationship between the two boys from friendship to romance.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2012
(2)
YA
As this sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (rev. 3/12) opens, the title characters take a memorable, romantic camping trip together in the desert before beginning their respective senior years at different high schools. After returning from the trip, narrator Ari comes out to people in his life, including his nemesis, whose brother has died of AIDS (like the first book, this is set in the 1980s), and in that moment a new friendship is born. The story explores many of Ari's relationships--with his parents, particularly his father, until tragedy strikes; with his brother in prison, with whom a visit proves disappointing. But it's his relationship with Dante that dominates his thoughts, often expressed in letters written down in his journal. Sáenz once again applies wisdom and humor to familiar themes such as forgiveness and redemption, the value of teachers and mentors, and the definitions of valor and manhood. The award-winning first book broke ground as a novel about LGBTQ+ people of color (Aristotle and Dante are both Mexican American). It's a mark of progress that nine years later, its sequel is not such a rare bird. Nevertheless, devoted fans of the previous installment will relish the experience of this one.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2021
(2)
YA
Mexican American seventeen-year-old Salvador gets into two fistfights at the start of senior year. Things get more complicated after Sal's grandmother's cancer returns, best friend Samantha loses her mother, and his gay, adoptive dad begins dating again. Sáenz's distinctive prose is lyrical and philosophical; as self-effacing Sal narrates, readers feel the profound importance of family and friends and the transcendent power of love.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2017
(2)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Griffin has lost Theo twice: first when the young men broke up, and again, as the book opens, when Theo drowns. Dual timelines carry readers through the characters' finely drawn romance (and its dissolution) and Griffin's heartbreaking journey through the grieving process; both narratives are informed by Griffin's struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Silvera's prose is raw but lyrical, a good fit for Griffin's intensity.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2017
(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
(2)
YA
Thirteen-year-old “Stick” was born with only one ear and secretly sadistic parents; for the slightest infraction, Stick’s father will beat him and his older brother Bosten. After Dad finds out Bosten is gay, both boys, separately, run away. The violence of the story is intense, but so is the deep loyalty between the brothers.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2012
(2)
YA
Translated by Alisa Jaffa.
Phil relates events of his seventeenth year, including his first relationship with a boy and solutions to family mysteries: the reason for his twin sister's increasing emotional distance and the identity of their father. These outrageous, sometimes tragic stories bring to mind the early works of John Irving. Teens with literary leanings will find much of themselves in this German import.
Reviewer: Timothy Capehart
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2005
(2)
YA
Until senior year, seventeen-year-old Dean had identified as a "tomboy lesbian" but now increasingly identifies as a guy. When a forward-looking theater teacher casts him as Romeo in a production of Romeo and Juliet, Dean, who finally feels like himself in the role, comes out as transgender. Each new step--changing his pronouns, getting a chest binder--makes him feel more comfortable in his body, as does acceptance by his best friend and the new friends he makes in a support group. But his relationship with his girlfriend deteriorates (she's a lesbian who, understandably, struggles with Dean's transition: "I don't want to be some guy's girlfriend"), and he worries about how his parents will react. Dean authentically and accessibly describes his experience as a trans man; his body, for example, "literally doesn't fit me. Like it's a piece of clothing that shrank in the dryer. It's not terrible most of the time, but it's weird." Dean's story demonstrates the courage that it takes to come out: he faces loneliness, a breakup, and bullying, and knows that it could be even worse (the film Boys Don't Cry helped Dean understand that he was trans). But by year's end, he sees freedom and possibility in life after high school: "I'm closer to being myself than I ever have been...I wouldn't trade who I am for anything."
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2021
(3)
YA
Stone expands on the 2013 documentary Girl Rising, which profiled young women struggling for an education in developing countries. Using the strong photographic portraits of girls, interviews from the film, and her own research, Stone's book offers moving personal narratives dealing with many issues facing young women internationally: child marriage, sex trafficking, lack of education, and gender inequality. Websites. Bib., ind.
Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt
(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
(1)
YA
Illustrated by
Jillian Tamaki.
This stunningly emotional graphic novel charts a season of change in the life of brooding misfit Kim. The story's threads connect and diverge in equal measure, coexisting in an artfully true-to-life jumble told through dialogue, internal narration, and diary entries. Delicate-lined art achieves layers of meaning; dark space and perspective are also used to great effect, grafting emotion onto every scene.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2008
(2)
YA
Montgomery feels like an outsider in her conservative California town, where she lives with her two moms and her sister Tesla. The one place she belongs is the three-member Jefferson High Mystery Club, which explores the mysteries of the universe. As Tamaki explores the tensions between belief and identity, perception and reality, Montgomery's introspective navigation of a world that feels hostile rings true.
Reviewer: Kazia Berkley-Cramer
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2016
(1)
YA
David and Theo are schoolmates whose mutual attraction is in turn denied, acknowledged, and deferred in this romantic gay love story. There's some macho swagger in the dialogue that wrestles authentically with more vulnerable exchanges, and the physical and emotional tension is electric. Boys brave enough to do so will see themselves here in all their awkward longing.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 1999
(2)
YA
Unlike the rest of his family, Yadriel is kept from having a quinces, the traditional coming-of-age ceremony to become a brujo. Yadriel is trans and gay, i.e., "Head Black Sheep among the brujx." Despite his family's reluctance to even try and find out if gender identity will affect his abilities to guide spirits into the afterlife, Yadriel holds his own ceremony with the help of a fellow black sheep of the family (for her vegan principles, which preclude her using her healing magic), his cousin, Maritza. When another cousin meets an untimely death, Yadriel and Maritza seek answers of their own, teaming up with a mysterious spirit, Julian, who is also queer and has an unconventional found family. Packed with eerie adventure, tingly romance, and family drama, the novel lays bare the tension between upholding tradition and reaching full self-acceptance. Cheeky, relatable characters bring humor and lightness into Thomas's debut, which also takes on themes of death, loss, abandonment, and rejection. The natural integration of phrases in Spanish, Día de los Muertos traditions, and varied community structures showcases the broad range of experiences that make up Latinidad.
Reviewer: Gabi K. Huesca
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021
(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
(2)
YA
The first chapter introduces eighteen-year-old YA author Darcy Patel. Chapter two takes place at an airport--where a startlingly violent terrorist attack unfolds before the eyes of narrator Lizzie. Readers will soon realize that Lizzie is the protagonist of Darcy's novel, but Westerfeld has done the trick of putting us disconcertingly off balance. The six-hundred-page novel moves at a brisk pace.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
(2)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Solomon hasn't left his house in three years. Aspiring psychologist Lisa thinks he's the perfect subject for her college entrance essay, "My Personal Experience with Mental Illness." As Lisa gets to know Sol, and then Lisa's boyfriend Clark befriends him, too, the three become genuinely close. The assured third-person narrative alternates between Sol and Lisa, with pithy, humorous dialogue and fully realized characters.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2016
(2)
YA
In this book for middle schoolers, ninth-grader Sylvie's best friend, Carl, seems to be growing away from her. Can they still be friends? Can they become more than friends? The author's acceptance of Carl's homosexuality is forthright and even breezy, allowing Sylvie to face the end of her romantic dreams while growing even closer to her best friend.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2010
(2)
YA
James longs to leave Tuscaloosa; his brother Alex also feels discontented. The catalyst is James's friend Nathen, who sees Alex's potential as a runner. Alex and Nathen become friends, then boyfriends, in a tender exploration of first love. Concepts surrounding the brothers' social suffocation develop at an unhurried pace as they move toward adulthood.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2008
(1)
YA
Thirteen-year-old Gwen comes to trust her new friend Clara enough to divulge her family's deep secret--that her mom left five years ago because Gwen's dad fell in love with another man. Filled with both humor and poignancy, the novel subtly introduces the gay-dad story line, and ultimately it's the girls' supportive and honest friendship that takes center stage in this well-crafted story.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2002
(2)
YA
John and Marisol have a lot in common: both have issues with trust and truth-telling, both have problem parents, and both like girls. It's zine writing, though, that brings them together. All goes well with their friendship until John professes his love for Marisol, who's made it clear she's a lesbian. Readers won't mind the teen flick cast and will be pulled along by the story and by the pages of zine excerpts, handwritten poems, and letters.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 1999
(2)
YA
Great-aunt Adelaide died and left Dan's family a house; his dad announced he was bankrupt, gay, and leaving them. Stunned and angry, Dan still relates his story with humor: "Guys, please, one life-changing shock at a time." How all (including a new school, a bully, and the nice-but-unattainable girl-next-door) turns out swell is well earned by this decent, funny protagonist. Prequel to Wood's Wildlife.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2015
(2)
YA
Twelve-year-old Feni, already dealing with her beloved grandmother's death and her parents' divorce, learns that a pregnant teenager--the daughter of her mother's college friend--is coming to live with them until her baby is born. Woodson's strikingly original story, with its richly developed characters, makes this a welcome reissue.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1991
(1)
YA
Fourteen-year-old Staggerlee's growing feelings for her cousin confirm her own suspicions that she might be gay. Resisting the less subtle exploration of girl meets girl and falls in love and lives happily ever after, Woodson crafts a more complex examination of gayness in the emerging adolescent in this welcome reissue of a reflective, lyrical story.
Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 1997
(2)
YA
In a twist on girl-abandons-friend-for-cute-guy, fourteen-year-old Emi-Lou Kaya feels angry and left out when her best friend Yvonne discovers . . . girls. Emi-Lou doesn't know which is worse--losing her closest friend, or learning she's a "butchie." In her first YA novel, adult author Yamanaka pays lively homage to Hawaii Creole English, the language of her own girlhood.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 1999
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