Every Must-Read LGBTQIA+ Books for Teens
Life isn’t always about rainbows and butterflies. Or is it? Things could be going your way; the next, it’s all falling apart. Then it will make you question yourself with matters about being a teenager and the puberty that comes with it. Are you are okay, or is it just puberty talking?
Puberty is a crucial part of growing up. It is also when kids are most anxious, confused, curious… and vulnerable. Specifically, it is the time when their bodies are undergoing multiple changes that everything tends to get crazy… confusing.
Knowing what you want and accepting that fact are two different things. Similarly, you can be sure of what you want and still be conflicted about it. And you can just let things be even when you don’t know or understand something. Teenage years are tough, but it is also an excellent time to discover and connect with yourself and find out who you want to become.
To sum up, from a graphic memoir of the author’s poor relationship with her late father to the story of two young Mexican-American teen boys trying to find their way in the world, they find each other. Here are 12 Queer-themed books for teens.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic – Alison Bechdel
Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic follows her journey to discovering her sexuality while being in an estranged relationship with her alleged ‘bisexual’ father all her life. In this gripping graphic memoir, Bechdel gives us a glimpse of her quest to solve the mysteries that shroud her father’s ‘secret life.’
My New Gender Workbook – Kate Bornstein
Using a literal workbook format, Kate Bornstein brings a unique, wise, entertaining but straightforward approach to smoothly explain how one can live their life to the fullest with or without confirming the two primary gender identities with My New Gender Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving World Peace Through Gender Anarchy and Sex Positivity. Quipped with exercises, puzzles, and quizzes, Bornstein has given us a fun way to explore ourselves in the guise of reading.
One Man Guy – Michael Barakiva
Funny and deeply moving, One Man Guy revolves around Alek, his Armenian-American family, and the cool guy Ethan. Michael Barakiva transports us into the life of a teenage boy with dual nationalities raised in a family where tradition beats modernity. Now, Alek has to brave through the struggle of self-acceptance and appreciating himself like he never did before.
Only Mostly Devastated – Sophie Gonzales
Only Mostly Devastated is not only a queer coming-of-age story but presents a new representation of life struggles, heartbreaks, love, family, friendship, and sacrifice. A love story set one summer, can Ollie and Will keep their affections even after the season?
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages – Saundra Mitchell
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages opens the door to different eras of queer teens’ lives, love, and legacies. Saundra Mitchell and 17 young adult queer writers have brought enough variety of historical fiction that teens will love.
More Happy Than Not – Adam Silvera
Adam Silvera’s debut novel More Happy Than Not is set in the near future, where people can have their memories suppressed by a process called the Leteo procedure. We’ll meet Aaron, who journeys through a life of heart-wrenching heartbreaks and grief and the quest to find the meaning of happiness in an easily fabricated life.
Symptoms of Being Human – Jeff Garvin
A young gender-fluid adolescent named Riley Cavanaugh lives day-to-day writing a blog about his identity and life experiences. The story follows how Riley has come to terms with their sexual identity and his decision to come out to the world. Garvin’s Symptom’s of Being a Human is an honest and raw debut novel where The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets Dear Evan Hansen.
Pantomime – Laura Lam
Laura Lam presents her debut work Pantomime for fans of magic-filled fantasy novels. The story revolves around two central figures– a circus boy named Micah Grey and a tomboy daughter of the noble family of Laurus, Iphigenia. Set in a world where hidden secrets are bound to destroy their fate, both Micah and ‘Gene’ must learn to come to terms with their sexuality and self-acceptance.
Felix Ever After – Kacen Callender
Stonewall and Lambda award-winning author Kacen Callender has brought us, Felix, Ever After, a personal and heartfelt story of self-acceptance and discovery. Now delve into the life of a black trans boy named Felix Love. Join him in his journey to exploring his identity and his relationships with the people around him. Will he be able to find love and learn to accept that he is worthy of it? After all, who wouldn’t want to be loved for who they are?
Some Girls Do – Jennifer Dugan
Track Star Athlete meets Closeted Beauty Queen, a not-so cliche story of a relatable life and love story in Some Girls Do. Jennifer Dugan explored the general experiences of queer life presented through Morgan and Ruby’s struggles. Treading two different paths in confronting themselves and their truth, will they meet halfway or go on their separate ways?
None of the Above – I. W. Gregorio
Kristin Lattimer, lately discovers that she is in fact an intersex, follow through how her diagnosis changed the majority of her young life when her secret’s been out.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A story where two teen boys that were unlikely to meet while they are out finding their place in the world only to find everything they are looking for in each other. Sáenz gave life to Aristotle and Dante, who became friends before gradually falling helplessly in love.
Self-discovery takes sweet, precious time. But do not give in to the pressure of wanting to figure everything out all at once. If this piques your interest, may these books help your quest to understand that you’re not different from everyone?
Hence, you’re as normal as your definition of normal. So don’t let people tell you otherwise.
