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Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle
by Nina LaCour; illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
What it's about: When her Mommy has to go away on a work trip, a little girl feels sad and uncertain. Where does she belong, if not in her usual place between Mama and Mommy?
Read it for: Colorful illustrations full of lived-in details, a child-centric take on missing a loved one, and a reassuring conclusion.
Book buzz: This is the picture book debut of award-winning young adult author Nina LaCour.
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This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us
by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby (editors)
Introducing: The first anthology of queer stories for kids, featuring work from A.J. Sass, Claribel Ortega, Molly Knox Ostertag, and others.
Art alert: Three of the stories go beyond typical storytelling — one is in verse, and two are comics.
Featuring: Witches, pirates, and marine biologists, all struggling with changing relationships, all embedded in stories that celebrate LGBTQ+ kids.
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Different Kinds of Fruit
by Kyle Lukoff
What it's about: A new student at sixth grader Annabelle's tiny school is a big deal, especially a new kid as cool as nonbinary Bailey. Being friends with Bailey opens up Annabelle's world — but her parents' reactions are the real surprise.
For fans of: Alex Gino, A.J. Sass, Kacen Callender, and other authors of honest, heartfelt stories about the friendships and families of LGBTQ+ kids.
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Alice Austen Lived Here
by Alex Gino
What it's about: When their hometown of Staten Island announces a contest to design a new statue of a historical figure, nonbinary besties Sam and TJ make a case for choosing lesbian photographer Alice Austen. If they win, it'll prove that history is more than just DSCWM ("Dead Straight Cisgender White Men").
You might also like: Elle McNicoll's A Kind of Spark, another own voices story about an authentic character standing up for who they are through local history.
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Drum Roll, Please
by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
Starring: 13-year-old Melly, who sheds her shyness when playing the drums.
What happens: A trip to rock-and-roll camp turns into an emotional rollercoaster after Melly's parents announce their upcoming divorce, her friend Olivia ditches her, and she starts crushing on guitarist Adeline.
Try this next: For another inspiring read about a middle school girl who finds confidence amid confusion and change, try Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl or Barbara Dee's Star-Crossed.
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The Insiders
by Mark Oshiro
The setup: At his old middle school, it wasn't a big deal for Héctor to be gay. But at his new school, kids treat him like an outsider — and bullies see him as a target.
What happens: While looking for a hiding place, Héctor finds an impossible room where he meets Juliana and Sal, two kids from faraway places who share Héctor's need for a safe space.
Why you might like it: This relatable friendship story offers just a touch of fantasy.
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Tiger Honor
by Yoon Ha Lee
Starring: Juhwang Sebin, a shapeshifting, nonbinary, 13-year-old tiger spirit who longs to captain a battle cruiser in the Space Forces.
What happens: Just as Sebin finally joins the Space Forces, their Uncle Hwan is exposed as a traitor, forcing the new cadet to prove their clan's honor.
Series alert: Similar to Dragon Pearl, this thrilling second book in the Thousand Worlds series offers a standalone story within a unique blend of Korean mythology and science fiction.
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Ready When You Are
by Gary Lonesborough
Starring: Jackson, enjoying his free time during summer on the Mish, an area in Australia where Aboriginal people were once forced to live. So why isn't his relationship with his girlfriend flourishing?
Enter: Mysterious Tomas, out of juvie and staying with Jackson's family. A mutual attraction blossoms, but a desire for secrecy complicates matters.
What sets it apart: This sweet, romantic coming-out story set in the fictional rural Koori community is informed by author Gary Lonesborough's own life.
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Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American
by Laura Gao
Meet Yuyang: The carefree 3-year-old living in Wuhan, China, who listens to folktales told by her grandmother and plays outside with her cousins.
Meet Laura: That's Yuyang's new name, given by her mother upon arrival in small-town Texas. Her journey to adulthood blends learning to embrace her roots with discovering her queer identity.
Is it for you? This moving graphic memoir paints a nuanced, emotional portrait of one Asian American experience, including facing racism fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Kiss & Tell
by Adib Khorram
Hunter's fantasy: To be out and proud as megafamous boy band Kiss & Tell's only queer member — leaving him free to pursue a relationship with the drummer of the band they're currently touring with.
Hunter's reality: Under scrutiny from both his label and society after a painful breakup, Hunter feels compelled to play the perfect queer role model.
How it's told: Hunter's angsty, thought-provoking story is interspersed with interviews, gossip, emails, and texts from outside perspectives.
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The Summer of Bitter and Sweet
by Jen Ferguson
What it is: A journey of self-discovery for 18-year-old Métis girl Louisa "Lou" Norquay over a summer working at her uncles' ice cream shop on the Canadian prairie.
What happens: Lou grapples with threats against the family business from her father, newly released from prison. Meanwhile, a friend back in town introduces her to the concepts of asexuality and demisexuality.
Author alert: This sweet, nuanced novel about connection and community is the debut from Métis author Jen Ferguson.
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Cold
by Mariko Tamaki
The question: What led to the death of Todd, a bullied gay teen found frozen in the park with a head wound? Police suspect Todd's teacher was involved.
The quest: Todd's classmate Georgia, also queer, wonders if something she witnessed is related to Todd's death. She vows to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Todd observes his own murder investigation as a ghost.
For fans of: Atmospheric and introspective mysteries like Malinda Lo's A Line in the Dark.
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I Kissed Shara Wheeler
by Casey McQuiston
The search for Shara Wheeler begins shortly before graduation, after she kisses Chloe Green and vanishes. Chloe needs her rival for valedictorian back so she can win fair and square.
The search party: Chloe plus two other students Shara kissed, who collect cryptic notes and untangle the mystery of Shara's disappearance and Shara herself.
Author alert: I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the YA debut from author Casey McQuiston, whose adult romcom Red, White & Royal Blue found a wide audience.
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One for All
by Lillie Lainoff
What it is: A reimagining of The Three Musketeers, starring a girl with a chronic illness determined to avenge her father's murder.
What happens: Tania de Batz attends a school that secretly trains young women to defend France with their wits and their swords. There she meets Aria, Portia, and Théa, who become Tania's sisters in arms.
Read it for: The compelling mystery, the chosen family story, a dash of romance, and an affirming portrayal of chronic illness.
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The Coldest Touch
by Isabel Sterling
Starring: Elise, cursed to live life as the Death Oracle, predicting the future death of anyone she touches. Vampire Claire Montgomery is sent from the Veil to help Elise accept and use her powers.
The dilemma: With a mysterious killer on the prowl and a slow-burn romance with Claire brewing, Elise needs to figure out who to trust, and fast.
For fans of: Kate Williams' The Babysitters Coven and Lily Anderson's Undead Girl Gang.
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The Stonewall Reader
by Jason Baumann, editor
What it's about: June 28, 2019 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which is considered the most significant event in the gay liberation movement, and the catalyst for the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States.
What's inside: This anthology chronicles the tumultuous fight for LGBTQ rights in the 1960s and the activists who spearheaded it, with a foreword by Edmund White.
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The LGBTQ+ History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
by Jon Astbury
What it's about: Showcasing the breadth of the LGBTQ+ experience, this diverse, global account explores the most important moments, movements and phenomena, celebrating the victories and untold triumphs of LGBTQ+ people throughout history as well as commemorating moments of tragedy and persecution.
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Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993
by Sarah Schulman
What it is: A deeply personal account of the New York City chapter of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power and the most comprehensive political history ever assembled of ACT UP and American AIDS activism, based on more than two hundred interviews with ACT UP members and rich with lessons for today’s activists.
Reviewers say: "A masterpiece of historical research" (Alexander Chee).
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Pageboy: A Memoir
by Elliot Page
What it's about: The Oscar-nominated star who, after the success of Juno, became one of the world's most beloved actors, reveals how his career turned into a nightmare as he navigated criticism and abuse in Hollywood until he had enough and stepped into who he truly is with defiance, strength and joy.
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Horse Barbie: A Memoir
by Geena Rocero
What it is: The memoir of a trans pageant queen from the Philippines who went back into the closet to model in New York City and later found self-acceptance by embracing her true self.
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Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives
by Amelia Possanza
What's inside: Sharing her journey to recover the personal histories of lesbians in the 20th century: who they were, how they loved, why their stories were destroyed and where their memories echo and live on, the author, along the way, discovers her own love and adds her record to the archive.
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Troublemaker: A Dave Brandstetter Novel
by Joseph Hansen
What it is: Published over fifty years ago, a time when being gay was illegal in 49 out of 50 states, Joseph Hansen’s Dave Brandstetter novels shattered stereotypes and redefined the hardboiled private eye novel as we know it. All twelve of the Brandstetter novels were reissued by Soho Press in 2022.
What it's about: When the much loved owner of a surfing-themed gay bar on the boardwalk is found dead with a local hustler standing over him, the police believe it to be an open-and-shut case, but death claims investigator Dave Brandstetter knows better in this hardboiled and entertaining portrait of ‘70s gay culture.
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Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion
by Bushra Rehman
What it's about: While attending Stuyvesant, a prestigious high school in Manhattan, Razia Mirza, from a tight-knit Muslim-American community, falls in love with Angela, a fellow student, and must choose between her family and her own future when their relationship is discovered.
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The Fiancée Farce
by Alexandria Bellefleur
What it's about: Running her family's bookstore while fending off questions about her love life, Tansy Adams invents a girlfriend, Gemma, inspired by the cover model on a bestselling book, but when the real-life Gemma--who needs to marry in order to inherit her family's publishing company--discovers Tansy's charade, she takes things one step further and announces their engagement
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In Memoriam
by Alice Winn
What it's about: Henry Gaunt, a student at an idyllic boarding school in the English countryside, is relieved to escape his feelings for Sidney Ellwood when he enlists to fight in World War I but is horrified when all his classmates join him.
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Behind the Scenes
by Karelia Stetz-Waters
What it's about: A business consultant with a series of popular and sexy mindfulness videos meets a rebounding director looking to finance her film, in the new novel by the author of the Out in Portland series.
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The New Life
by Tom Crewe
What it's about: In the summer of 1894, two men collaborating on a book in defense of homosexuality, then a crime, must decide whether to continue with their project, risking social ostracism and imprisonment, when Oscar Wilde is arrested shortly before their book is to be published.
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Swan Song
What it's about: A former hair dresser living in Sandusky, Ohio makes a journey across town to style a deceased former client's hair for her funeral.
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Ammonite
What it's about: Set in 1840s England, paleontologist Mary Anning sells fossils to make a meager living until a wealthy tourist pays her to help his wife, Charlotte, convalesce, beginning an intense relationship between the two women.
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I Carry You with Me
What it's about: Based on a true story, this decades-spanning romance between an aspiring chef and a teacher follows their treacherous journey from Mexico to New York with dreams, hopes, and memories in tow.
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Carol
What it's about: In 1950s New York, a department store worker falls for an older, married woman.
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God's Own Country
What it's about: When a hard-working English farmer meets a Romanian migrant worker, they form a relationship that tests their own boundaries.
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Spoiler Alert
What it's about: Tells the story of Michael Ausiello, a TV columnist and founder and editor-in-chief of TVLine.com, and his relationship with his partner, Kit Cowan, as Kit battles a rare form of cancer, displaying the resilience and strength of true love rather than the sadness of loss.
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How to Survive a Plague
What it's about: Documents the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power organization, which made a successful push for more aggressive drug trials during the height of the AIDS epidemic.
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The Celluloid Closet
What it's about: A hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians in motion pictures, with excerpts from 120 different films, and comments by contemporary actors who have portrayed gay characters.
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Paris Is Burning
What it's about: Reveals New York City's community of minority drag queens, where competitive "balls" and fashion are the source of pride and self-affirmation.
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Do I Sound Gay?
What it's about: A journalist embarks on a journey to find acceptance after years of worrying about "sounding gay."
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Flee
What it's about: On the verge of marriage to his longtime boyfriend, a successful academic in Denmark is confronted with a secret from his past.
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Fresno County Public Library 2420 Mariposa St. Fresno, California 93721 559-600-READ (7323)www.fresnolibrary.org |
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