June kicks off the annually celebrated Pride month. If you are looking for fictional LGBT reads to pick up this month, young adult is a great genre to choose from. Young adult fiction often addresses teenagers discovering their identities, sexuality and mental health. Here are young adult fiction recommendations featuring lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender main characters.
Things We Couldn’t Say by Jay Coles
There’s always been a hole in Gio’s life – not because he’s bisexual, and not because his father has drinking issues, not even because his friends are always bringing him their drama. The void in his life is caused by his birth mother, who left Gio, his brother, and his father when he was only nine years old. For eight years, he didn’t hear a word from her . . . and now, just as he’s started to get his life together, she’s back.
It’s hard for Gio to know what to do. Complicating things further, Gio’s started to hang out with David, a new guy on the basketball team. Gio tries to navigate love in all its ambiguity – hoping he’ll come out on the other end able to figure out who he is and who he should be.
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Despite his last name, Felix Love has never been in love. There’s nothing more he wants to experience and he can’t help but worry if it’s his sexual identity stopping him – Black, queer, and transgender. When an anonymous student begins sending transphobic messages and personal information, Felix plans the perfect revenge. What he didn’t plan on was landing in a quasi-love triangle. Navigating his complicated feelings, Felix embarks on a journey of self-discovery and first love.
Cinderella is Dead by Kaylnn Bayron
It’s been 200 years since Cinderella found her prince. Now, teen girls are required to attend the Annual Ball where men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. Sixteen-year-old Sophia would rather marry her childhood BFF, Erin, than be paraded in front of suitors. On the night of the Annual Ball, Sophia flees in desperation and lands in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There she encounters Constance, the last known descendent of Cinderella and her stepsisters, and devises a plan to bring down the king once and for all.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen, but then at university, he finds his wings as a drag artist – The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge and stand up wearing a pink feather boa to show ourselves to the world in bold color.
