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All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra MitchellSeventeen YA authors across the LGBT+ spectrum contribute to this dazzling story collection. From a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set in war-torn 1870s Mexico featuring a trans soldier, to two girls falling in love while mourning the death of Kurt Cobain, All Out brings diverse stories to light. TEEN HISTORICAL ALL |
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Out Now: Queer We Go Again! by Saundra Mitchell This follow-up features seventeen new short stories from queer YA authors. With everything from vampires to romance to barbershops to skateboards, Out Now has a story for every reader and surprises with each turn of the page. TEEN REALISTIC OUT
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Teen Books Featuring Lesbian Characters
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Annie on My Mind by Nancy GardenFrom the moment Liza meets Annie at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she knows there is something special between them. Despite pressures from family and school that threaten their relationship, the girls promise to be true to each other and their feelings. TEEN ROMANCE GARDEN NANCY |
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Ash by Malinda LoIn this Cinderella retelling, Ash grows up believing in the fairy realm that others have sought to suppress—and eventually, she must choose between a handsome fairy cursed to love her, and the King’s Huntress whom she’s grown to love. TEEN FANTASY LO MALINDA |
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Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring BlakeWhen a tornado rips through twelve-year-old Ivy’s town, her house is destroyed—and what’s worse, her secret notebook filled with drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing. When notes begin appearing in her school locker, Ivy hopes the mysterious writer is her crush. TEEN REALISTIC BLAKE ASHLEY |
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The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring BlakeWhen Sunny receives a new heart, she begins a “New Life Plan,” hoping to do amazing things she could never do before, find a new best friend, and kiss a boy for the first time—but after meeting new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. TEEN REALISTIC BLAKE ASHLEY |
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One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock Allison finds a friend in school basketball star Samantha, something she needs badly since her brother died and her father left. When their friendship becomes something more, the girls face challenges from their 1970s southern town. TEEN HISTORICAL HITCHCOCK SHANNON
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P.S. I Miss You by Jen Petro-Roy Evie, crushing on a new friend and questioning her sexuality, is heartbroken when her strict Catholic parents send her pregnant sister, Cilla, away. When Cilla doesn’t answer Evie’s forbidden letters, Evie takes matters into her own hands. TEEN REALISTIC PETRO-ROY JEN
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Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough Harriet, a prefect elite at Rosemead Grammar, risks her perfect life to join forces with bad-girl Will in a hoax to expose school secrets--and they find love while they’re at it. TEEN ROMANCE GOUGH ERIN
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Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo Separated by distance and their Papi’s secrets, two
sisters are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead, they learn of each other, and their lives are forever changed. TEEN REALISTIC ACEVEDO ELIZABETH
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When Emi and her friend discover a mysterious letter at the estate sale of an old film star, they embark on an adventure to discover more about the star’s hidden life. The hunt ends up leading Emi to Ava, sparking the kind of romance fit for the Hollywood movies Emi loves so much. TEEN ROMANCE LACOUR NINA |
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The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth Cynical Saoirse isn’t looking for a relationship--until
mischievous Ruby invites her to share in a summer of cliché rom-com reenactments that will end with no hurt feelings upon the arrival of fall...unless the characters fall in love, for real. TEEN ROMANCE SMYTH CIARA
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Great by Sara BenincasaIn this modern gender-bending retelling of The Great Gatsby, Naomi expects to loathe her summer in the Hamptons visiting her mother, but finds herself enchanted by her beautiful neighbor Jacinta—who has some very big secrets. TEEN ROMANCE BENINCARA SARA |
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Heavy Vinyl by Carly UsdinWorking at Vinyl Mayhem is just as rad as Chris imagined, and she quickly starts crushing on super-cute coworker Maggie. When the staff’s favorite singer Rosie Riot mysteriously vanishes, Chris discovers her local indie record store is also a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club. YA GRAPHIC HEAVY 1 |
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When Nishat, an Irish girl of Bengali heritage, sees her old friend Flâavia again, she feels attracted; but their feelings are complicated as they enter a school contest as henna artists. TEEN ROMANCE JAIGIRDAR ADIBA |
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I Hope You're Listening by Tom Ryan Dee secretly hosts a popular true crime podcast, but when a missing child seems linked to the disappearance of her best friend ten years ago, she considers revealing her identity to uncover the truth. TEEN MYSTERY RYAN TOM
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Struggling with her mother’s sudden departure and a crush on a straight friend, Nima plunges into the world of drag, where she explores questions of identity, acceptance, self-expression, and love. TEEN REALISTIC BOTEJU TANYA |
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Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley In 1959 Virginia, Sarah, a black student in a newly integrated school, and Linda, a white integration opponent’s daughter, are forced to work together on a school project, confronting harsh truths about race, power, and their feelings about one another. TEEN HISTORICAL TALLEY ROBIN
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The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina KhanWhen seventeen-year-old Rukhsana’s conservative Muslim parents catch her kissing her girlfriend, Ariana, Rukhsana is whisked away to Bangladesh, where arranged marriage is commonplace, and she must courageously fight to choose her own path. TEEN REALISTIC KHAN SABINA |
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In politically-torn 1970s California, closeted Tammy forges a close friendship with penpal Sharon, bonding over punk music and shared secrets. As homophobic fervor sweeps the nation, they’re challenged to define themselves and what they really stand for. TEEN REALISTIC TALLEY ROBIN |
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Disguising herself as a male pirate to escape poverty, Flora’s strict survival code is challenged by her unexpected feelings for a noblewoman on her way to a dreaded arranged marriage. TEEN FANTASY TOKUDA-HALL |
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Not Your Sidekick by C.B. LeeResigned to a life without superpowers in a world full of them, Jess takes a paid internship...for the world’s most heinous supervillain. On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, who Jess thinks might have a secret of her own. TEEN FANTASY LEE C.B. |
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Ruinsong by Julia Ember In a world where magic is sung, Cadence, a powerful mage, has been forced by her ruthless queen to torture disgraced nobility. When she is reunited with a friend, an alluring noblewoman with ties to the underground rebellion, the two must work together to unite their country while wrestling with feelings for each other. TEEN FANTASY EMBER JULIA
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The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding Fashion-obsessed seventeen-year-old Abby Ives runs a plus-size style blog while pursuing an internship at a boutique where she falls for photographer Jordi Perez, a fellow intern—and Abby’s competition for a paid job at the internship’s conclusion. TEEN ROMANCE SPALDING AMY
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Forced to spend time together at a lake house while their best-friend mothers reconnect, four girls navigate crushes and secrets, including an escalating health problem, during a transformative summer. TEEN REALISTIC ALLEN RACHAEL |
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Summer of Salt by Katrina LenoFearing that the gift of magic possessed by all the women in her family will pass her by, Georgina embarks on a stormy last summer on the island of her youth, falling in love and learning the truth about magic through the mystery behind one rare three-hundred-year-old bird. TEEN REALISTIC LENO KATRINA |
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Cheerleader Sana has had a crush on Rachel for years--but when she tried to ask her out, it went very badly. Film buff Rachel, despite not being able to stand Sana, casts her in her senior project when she realizes that Sana is perfect for the role. TEEN ROMANCE SAFI AMINAH |
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The Weight of the Stars by Kayla AncrumRyann dreams of traveling across the stars, and Alexandria’s mother, an astronaut, volunteered for a one-way trip to the edge of the solar system. When an incident brings the misfits together, their initially reluctant friendship eventually turns into something more. TEEN SCI-FI ANCRUM KAYLA |
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You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson Liz has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed Midwestern town. When financial aid for a prestigious medical college falls through, Liz is forced to compete for her school’s prom-queen scholarship. TEEN ROMANCE JOHNSON LEAH
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Books Featuring Gay Characters
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Hoping to keep his older brother silent about his secret crush on another boy, Alan agrees to a ruthless sibling competition involving difficult tasks—from getting a first kiss to standing up to their demanding father. TEEN REALISTIC BELL ERIC |
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz With a brother in prison, Ari lives in a state of near constant anger. Dante is a know-it-all geek with a gentle soul. The boys have nothing in common, but develop a friendship that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. TEEN ROMANCE SAENZ BENJAMIN
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The Best Man by Richard PeckArcher finds his sixth grade year filled with change and revelations, including his role as best man for his beloved Uncle Paul’s wedding to his favorite student teacher, Mr. McLeod. TEEN REALISTIC PECK RICHARD |
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Better Nate Than Ever by Tim FederleNate, who dreams of performing in a Broadway musical, concocts a plan to run away to New York and audition for the role of Elliot in the musical version of E.T. TEEN REALISTIC FEDERLE TIM |
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Flamer by Mike Curato It’s the summer between middle and high school, and Aiden is away at camp. Everyone’s going through changes—but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can’t stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance. YA GRAPHIC CURATO MIKE
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Cal, an aspiring journalist, reluctantly moves from Brooklyn to Houston when his volatile father is picked to become an astronaut for NASA’s mission to Mars. When Cal looks for a story to report, he finds an ally (and crush) in Leon, the son of another astronaut. TEEN ROMANCE STAMPER PHIL |
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The Whispers by Greg HowardRiley believes in the whispers, magical fairies that grant wishes in exchange for tributes, and he has a lot of wishes: that bullies will stop picking on him; that Dylan, his crush, liked him; and most of all, that his missing mother will come home. TEEN FANTASY HOWARD GREG |
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With fiction, nonfiction, and a story in verse, there’s
something for every reader in this short story collection. Witty, romantic, and honest, Levithan celebrates all kinds of love, including a story set in the world of his book, Two Boys Kissing. TEEN ROMANCE LEVITHAN DAVID |
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The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta Michael, a mixed-race gay teen in London, has never felt quite Greek or Black enough. Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs and the Black Flamingo is born. TEEN REALISTIC ATTA DEAN
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Bloom by Kevin PanettaDreaming of leaving his family’s bakery to become a musician in the city, Ari unexpectedly falls for Hector, who has been hired to replace him. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom...that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything. YA GRAPHIC PANETTA |
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Boy Meets Boy by David LevithanIn this wonderfully accepting world, everyone is free to be their best self. When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for—until he blows it, and Paul must find a way to get him back and make everything right once more. TEEN ROMANCE LEVITHAN DAVID |
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Camp by Lev AC Rosen Randy loves taking to the stage in the big musical at Camp Outland for queer teens. It’s where he fell for Hudson--who’s only into straight-acting guys. Randy is determined to get Hudson to fall for him, even if it means giving up show tunes and unicorn bedsheets. As they grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? TEEN ROMANCE ROSEN L.C.
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Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow by Rainbow RowellSimon Snow is the chosen one who just so happens to be one of the worst wizards at Watford School of Magicks. Just ask his evil nemesis, Baz, who may not be so evil and who just might have some romantic feelings for Simon. TEEN ROMANCE ROWELL RAINBOW |
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Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockeyby Ngozi UkazuEric Bittle, a junior figure skating champion and dedicated vlogger, lands a spot in his co-ed college hockey team which challenges him to overcome his fear of getting hit—while desperately falling in love with his moody captain. YA GRAPHIC CHECK 1
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The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo SurmelisSeventeen-year-old Evan falls for his best friend, Henry, who makes him believe that he deserves more than his mother’s harsh words and terrifying abuse, and Evan must find his voice in a world where he has survived so long by being silent. TEEN REALISTIC SURMELIS ANGELO |
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Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin Van WhyeThe king of Fairvale Academy, Bryson, accepts a dare to date a new person every week when he is unexpectedly asked out by Kai, a boy...even though he’s straight. They agree to a secret five-day relationship that quickly becomes more real than anticipated. TEEN ROMANCE VANWHYE KEVIN |
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Fan Art by Sarah TregayIn this sweet, lighthearted read, Jamie is in love with his best friend, Mason, and unsuccessfully hides his affections from the giggling girls in his art class who work as matchmakers to bring the couple together. TEEN ROMANCE TREGAY SARAH |
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The Fell of Darkby Caleb Roehrig Trying to keep his head down in a supernatural community of mostly vampires, August is unexpectedly attracted to a mysterious vampire boy who arrives with a cryptic warning of ancient and terrible power--and Auggie seems to be the only one who can stop it. TEEN SUPERNATURAL ROEHRIG CALEB
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How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom by S. J. GosleeNolan Grant is very, very single, and plans to spend the rest of junior year with his art, working at the greenhouse, and avoiding school spirit—but his big sister has other plans, trying to set him up for prom. TEEN ROMANCE GOSLEE S.J. |
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How It All Blew Up by Arvin AhmadiFleeing to Rome in the wake of coming out to his Muslim family, a failed relationship, and blackmail, eighteen-year-old Amir Azadi embarks on a more authentic life with new friends and dates in the Sistine Chapel before an encounter with a U.S. Customs officer places his hard-won freedom at risk. TEEN REALISTIC ARVIN AHMADI |
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I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy NelsonA story of first love and family loss follows estranged twins, daredevil Jude and Noah, a loner, resulting from a mysterious event brought to light by a beautiful, broken boy and a new mentor. TEEN REALISTIC NELSON JANDY TEEN ROMANCE NESLON JANDY |
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Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian When Reza moves to NYC in 1989, he’s terrified of being outed; all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS. He begins dating aspiring fashion designer Judy, but struggles with feelings for Judy’s best friend, Art, an out and proud teen who documents the AIDS crisis through his photographs. TEEN HISTORICAL NAZEMIAN ABDI
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Real life isn’t a fairytale. But Tin still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tin, he doesn’t even have the right words. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through? Is there a way to tell them he’s gay? LA GRAPHIC LE NGUYEN |
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Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales Ollie never expected his summer fling with Will to survive after vacation, but when his aunt’s illness keeps him in North Carolina, he lets himself hope. At school, a bro-y jock (and closeted) version of Will breaks Ollie’s heart, and he would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again...right? TEEN ROMANCE GONZALES SOPHIE
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Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy GilbertDaniel, a Chinese-American teen, must grapple with his plans for the future, his feelings for his best friend Harry, and his discovery of a family secret that could shatter everything. TEEN REALISTIC GILBERT KELLY |
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky AlbertalliSixteen-year-old Simon has a not-so-average coming out story, navigating romance with an anonymous admirer and digital blackmail from a classmate. TEEN ROMANCE ALBERTALLI BECKY |
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We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra As penpals for an English assignment, poetry-loving sophomore Jonathan and popular, athletic senior Adam develop a friendship that eventually grows into love before bullying, homophobia and devastating family secrets challenge their bond. TEEN ROMANCE HENSTRA SARAH
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Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha In Brazil, Ian has just been diagnosed with HIV. Victor has tested negative. Henrique has been living with HIV for three years. When Victor meets Ian, he introduces him to Henrique, hoping he can help Ian navigate his new life. In the process, the three become intertwined in friendship, love, and self-acceptance. TEEN REALISTIC ROCHA LUCAS
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Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John GreenWhen two teens meet and discover that they share the same name, their lives become intertwined as one begins dating the other’s best friend, who produces a play revealing his relationship with them both. TEEN REALISTIC GREEN JOHN |
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Books Featuring Bisexual Characters
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Vanni feels stuck in her hometown after her father is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, distracting herself with boys and work as a water park mermaid. Her new friendship with Leigh dares Vanni to ask herself big questions and make new plans. TEEN ROMANCE PODOS REBECCCA |
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Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee In an eighth-grade production of Romeo and Juliet, star student Mattie is cast as Romeo and finds herself increasingly attracted to newcomer Gemma, who plays Juliet, causing Mattie to question whether she can be attracted to both boys and girls. TEEN REALISTIC DEE BARBARA
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The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska Lina sacrifices herself to her sinking island’s Witch Queen, Eva, to save her brother Finley and secret crush Tomas from capture, but when she and Eva fall in love, everyone is in danger. TEEN FANTASY JASINSKA ALICIA
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Deposing Nathan by Zack Smedley After meeting Cam, Nate questions his faith and begins to accept himself—but when the boys reach their breaking points, Nate is ordered to give a statement that could send his best friend to prison, even though the story isn’t as simple as everyone thinks. TEEN REALISTIC SMEDLEY ZACK
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Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake When Mara’s twin brother, Owen, is accused of rape by her friend Hannah, Mara is forced to confront her feelings about her family, her sense of right and wrong, a trauma from her past, and the future with her girlfriend, Charlie. TEEN REALISTIC BLAKE ASHLEY
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How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox Biz sees her father every day, though he died when she was seven. When he suddenly disappears, she must learn to navigate grief and inter-generational mental illness while also finding hope. TEEN REALISTIC FOX HELENA
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I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee Skye has heard it all: fat girls shouldn’t dance, wear bright colors, or call attention to themselves. To join the glittering world of K-Pop, she’ll shatter expectations in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-Pop star. TEEN ROMANCE LEE LYLA
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In Other Landsby Sarah Rees Brennan In a fantasy world that upends traditional gender roles, sarcastic thirteen-year-old Ellie begins magic school where he copes with the complexities of adolescence—his bisexuality, making friends, and establishing his identity—while fighting for world peace. TEEN FANTASY BRENNAN SARAH
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Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli In the midst of drama over prom and graduation, Leah struggles to come out as bisexual to her fracturing friend group—despite her best friend, Simon, being openly gay, and her mother’s acceptance of her identity. TEEN ROMANCE ALBERTALLI BECKY
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The Last 8 by Laura Pohl Bisexual pilot Clover Martinez, a survivor of an alien invasion that killed everyone she knows, learns that other teen survivors are hiding at the former Area 51, where the discovery of a hidden spaceship makes her question who she can trust. YA SCI-FI POHL LAURA
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Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert Returning home to Los Angeles from boarding school, Suzette considers staying home for good to be near her friends, her crush, and her recently diagnosed brother with bipolar disorder, a situation complicated by her growing feelings for the girl her brother loves. TEEN REALISTIC COLBERT BRANDY
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Odd One Out by Nic Stone The new girl in town, Rae Chin, finds a place with childhood friends Courtney Cooper and Jupiter Sanchez, and the trio navigates the complicated romantic desires that ensue, working to understand and declare their sexual identities. TEEN REALISTIC STONE NIC
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Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy Struggling with family problems and still living in a trailer years after Hurricane Katrina, Ramona finds solace in swimming and develops confusing feelings for her friend, Freddie, causing her to question her sexuality. TEEN REALISTIC MURPHY JULIE
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Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand Three unlikely friends—Marion, a lovesick newbie; Zoey, a grief-stricken pariah; and Val, a ruthless queen bee—join to destroy an insidious monster that has been preying upon the girls of Sawkill Rock for decades. TEEN SUPERNATURAL LEGRAND CLAIRE
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The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow After an alien invasion kills one-third of the world’s population, human emotional expression through books, music, and art, is grounds for execution. In NYC when an alien discovers Ellie’s secret library, he finds himself drawn to human music, and the two embark on a wild adventure to save humanity. TEEN SCI-FI DOW ALECHIA
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This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender Sixteen-year-old aspiring screenwriter, Nate, believes that happy endings only happen in films—but his conviction is tested when his childhood best friend and crush, Oliver, moves back to town. TEEN ROMANCE CALLENDER KACEN
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Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall Secretly dating a rival team captain, cross-country runner Corinne is not yet ready to come out and hides her heartbreak when her girlfriend dies suddenly. To make things even more complicated, the only person she can turn to is her girlfriend’s ex, Elissa, the only person who understands how she is feeling. TEEN REALISTIC TYNDALL NITA
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You Don't Live Here by Robyn Schneider Grieving her mother, photography-loving Sasha moves in with her estranged grandparents who would rather her be a lawyer, ten pounds skinnier, and dating a boy from a good family like Cole. While trying to make everything work, she takes interest in magnificently clever Lily and wants to follow her off the beaten path. TEEN REALISTIC SCHNEIDER ROBYN
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You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman Ariel’s life is dedicated to being the valedictorian, the perfect college applicant, and a future Harvard graduate. When a failed calculus test is only the beginning of a dangerously slipping grade, he resorts to getting a tutor, Amir—who is definitely crush-worthy. TEEN REALISTIC SILVERMAN LAURA
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Books Featuring Asexual Characters Grades 10-12 |
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Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp While Corey explores her asexuality, she examines her best friend, Kyra’s, suspicious death in a mysterious, snow-covered Alaskan town. Corey uncovers chilling secrets about the townspeople and their treatment of Kyra prior to her death. TEEN MYSTERY NIJKAMP MARIEKE
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Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Katie Ormsbee When a shout-out by a famed vlogger causes her web-series to go viral, Tash embarks on an ambitious project marked by her love of Tolstoy, adoring fans, high pressure, a cyber-flirtation with a fellow award nominee, and her secret asexual orientation. TEEN ROMANCE ORMSBEE KATIE
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Books Featuring Diverse Gender Identities
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When a political coup usurps their noble house, Hawke and Grayson flee for their lives and assume new identities before joining an order of magical women—before their quest for vengeance is compromised by Grayson’s longing to remain behind and finally live as a girl. YA GRAPHIC SMITH |
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The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan Book two of the Magnus Chase series introduces Alex Fierro, a trans genderfluid character who joins the hunt to retrieve Thor’s lost hammer from enemy hands before the Nine Worlds burn. Unfortunately, this means negotiating with the gods’ worst enemy, Loki—and the price he wants is very high. TEEN FANTASY RIORDAN RICK
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Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart Lily, born Timothy, is a girl—but being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy, especially in the eighth grade. Norbert, nicknamed Dunkin, has bipolar disorder and just moved to Lily’s school. Being the new kid is hard enough, but he holds a painful secret. When the two meet, their lives change forever. TEEN REALISTIC GEPHART DONNA
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The Other Boy by M. G. Hennessey Since Shane moved to a new town, he’s hidden his trans identity, occupying himself with baseball and working on a graphic novel. When he’s threatened to be outed by a classmate, he begins a painful journey toward acceptance and empathy. TEEN REALISTIC HENNESSEY M.G.
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Liv knows he’s truly a boy, but his new school’s dress code requires girls to wear only skirts. Cue Operation: Pants Project, as Liv fights to change not only the policy, but his life, finding the courage to tell his moms about his identity. TEEN REALISTIC CLARKE CAT |
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The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang While Prince Sebastian’s parents look for his future bride, he takes Paris by storm each night as fabulous fashion icon Lady Crystallia. His secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances, who dreams of greatness. YA GRAPHIC WANG
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Snapdragon by Kat Leyh Snap befriends the eccentric-but-savvy town witch who suggests that they help each other out. Jacks will teach Snap how to care for the baby possums that she rescued, and Snap will help Jacks with her work. Snap learns that Jacks may in fact have real magic—and a connection to her family past. YA GRAPHIC SNAPDRAGON 1
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The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag In Aster’s family, all the girls are raised to be witches and the boys shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross these lines is exiled. Aster still hasn’t shifted...and he’s fascinated by witchery, no matter how forbidden it might be. YA GRAPHIC OSTERTAG
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Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker In Zenobia’s new school, she lives openly as the girl she always knew she was. When someone anonymously posts hateful memes on her school’s website, Zenobia’s impressive coding and hacking skills solve the mystery. YA REALISTIC BUNKER LISA
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David, an outsider, prepares to come out as transgender. Leo has one goal: to be invisible at his new school, where nobody knows about his own transition. Together, they find support and the courage to decide for themselves what “normal”
really means. TEEN REALISTIC WILLIAMSON LISA |
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Beast by Brie Spangler Tall and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesn’t look like your average teenager—and to make matters worse, the hats he uses for camouflage have been banned at school. After being mandated to attend therapy, he meets and falls for Jamie, a funny, smart, and stunning girl in his group who happens to be trans. TEEN REALISTIC SPANGLER BRIE
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Born in the same hospital on the same day, Morgan and Eric grow up to become best friends before they drift apart, reunite, fall in love and ultimately discover what fate has in store for them. TEEN REALISTIC RUSSO MEREDITH |
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Yadriel, a trans boy, summons the angry spirit of his high school’s bad boy and agrees to help him learn how he died, thereby proving himself a brujo—not a bruja—to his conservative family. TEEN SUPERNATURAL THOMAS AIDEN |
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Dreadnought by April Daniels After inheriting the powers of the world’s greatest superhero, Dreadnought, Danny’s hidden trans identity is brought into the open when her body transforms into what it’s truly meant to be. While coping with issues from her father, best friend, and fellow superheroes, she must also stop Dreadnought’s killer before humanity faces extinction. TEEN ADVENTURE DANIEL APRIL
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Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender While Felix is proud of his Black, queer, and trans identity, he secretly fears that he may never get his own happily-ever-after. When Felix attempts revenge on an anonymous bully via catfishing, he lands in a quasi-love triangle with two unexpected people. TEEN REALISTIC CALLENDER KACEN
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I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver Thrown out of their parents’ home and moving in with their estranged sister after coming out as non-binary, Ben struggles to endure an anxiety disorder and the end of their senior year while bonding with a charismatic new friend. TEEN REALISTIC DEAVER MASON
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If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo Amanda, the new girl in her Tennessee high school, quickly makes friends, learns to fit in, and may even pursue sweet, easygoing grant. However, she yearns to stop guarding her heart, but fears that her conservative town will no longer accept her upon learning that she is trans. TEEN REALISTIC RUSSO MEREDITH
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Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller Genderfluid Sallot Leon leaves their life as a highway robber to join the fierce auditions for the Queen’s group of personal assassins, hoping to infiltrate the court and inflict revenge upon the nobles who destroyed their home. TEENS FANTASY MILLER LINSEY
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Out of Salem by Hal Schrieve Genderqueer Z Chilworth, who was previously a talented witch, must adjust to becoming a zombie after a car crash that killed their parents and sisters, finding support from an elderly witch, an unregistered werewolf, and a suspected fey. TEEN SUPERNATURAL SCHRIEVE HAL
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Some Girls Bind by Rory James Jamie knows that she isn’t like other girls—to feel more like herself, she binds her chest every day. Contemplating her identity and the idea of being genderqueer, Jamie wonders why she is afraid of telling her friends, who have their own secrets. TEEN REALISTIC JAMES RORY
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Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith After coming out as trans, Chris is still processing a frightening assault he survived the year before. Maia, grieving the loss of her older sister, is trying to find her place in the world. Falling in love was the last thing on either of their minds. TEEN ROMANCE SMITH AMBER
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Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith On the very first day at his new Texas high school, Toby, hoping to conceal his trans identity, locks eyes with Georgia, a cis cheerleader who’s sworn off dating until graduation. Immediately, their chemistry complicates their goals for senior year. TEEN ROMANCE MCSMITH TOBLY
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Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff GarvinStruggling with identity, Riley, a gender-fluid teenager, starts an anonymous blog after a therapist encourages it, but when the blog goes viral Riley must make a choice--to walk away or to risk everything and come out. TEEN REALISTIC GARVIN JEFF |
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