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LGBTQ Picture Book

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LGBTQ Picture Book

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June is Pride Month, an annual celebration commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which took place in New York City and launched the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer rights movement in the United States. Pride Month is also a time to honor the many contributions of LGBTQ individuals. Explore the rich tradition of LGBTQ poets and poetry through a showcase of audio, video, poetry, and prose.

Poems of Queer Liberation

Featured Essays
browse more LGBTQ essays and texts.

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June is Pride Month, an annual celebration commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which took place in New York City and launched the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer rights movement in the United States. Pride Month is also a time to honor the many contributions of LGBTQ individuals.

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from Seattle Public Library

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A staff selection of LGBTQ+ picture books for kids.

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from BookRiot featuring #ownvoices

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I still remember the first YA book about a transgender person I ever read as a teenager. Although the book in question is now a little dated, it helped me understand my gender identity as something that could be separate from my binary sex. I'll always be grateful for that, as well as for the many wonderful YA books about transgender experiences being published now.

These 8 YA books with transgender protagonists are all written by trans and nonbinary authors. With a mix of contemporary and speculative fiction, you're sure to find a book you'll fall in love with.

By signing up you agree to our terms of use

Looking for more LGBTQ books? Check out these lists for more book recs:

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8 Transgender YA Books Written by Trans and Nonbinary Authors

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I still remember the first YA book about a transgender person I ever read as a teenager. Although the book in question is now a little dated, it helped me understand my gender identity as something that could be separate from my binary sex.

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spectacular resource for many topics, including LGBTQ topics

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Reviewed by Conner Suddick Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is a lovable, creative, and athletic boy navigating the interplay of his gender identity, social life, and family dynamics. In The Other Boy, M. G. Hennessey depicts Shane's journey as he grapples with his identity as a transgender person.

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These lists provide a selection of resources; they are not comprehensive or exhaustive. Lists are updated by committee members as often as possible.

Toolkits

Open to All: Serving the GLBT Community in Your Library (9 April 2016) [pdf: 374 kb]

Awards

Bookstores

Libraries & Archives

News

GLBT News - Official news outlet for the GLBTRT

Reviews

GLBT Reviews - Media reviews and columns about GLBT materials

Bibliographies: Children & Teens

Bibliographies: General Reading

Bibliographies: Subject

Resources for Librarians

Assessment

Cataloging and classification

Collection development

Facilities

Legal resources

Public services

Student support
If you have any suggestions or comments regarding the resources on this page, please notify the GLBTRT Resources Committee.

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These lists provide a selection of resources; they are not comprehensive or exhaustive. Lists are updated by committee members as often as possible. Open to All: Serving the GLBT Community in Your Library (9 April 2016) [pdf: 374 kb] GLBT News - Official news outlet for the GLBTRT GLBT Reviews - Media reviews and columns about GLBT materials If you have any suggestions or comments regarding the resources on this page, please notify the GLBTRT Resources Committee.

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A June 1969 riot at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan is often considered to be the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the United States. Launched in 2000, Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is held in June to commemorate this important event in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer (LGBTQ) history.

As the National Women's History Project puts it, "June is now the month of acceptance and the month to welcome diversity in communities regardless of sexual orientation. Gay and lesbian groups celebrate this special time with pride parades, picnics, parties, memorials for those lost from HIV and AIDS, and other group gathering events that attract thousands upon thousands of individuals. This month is meant to recognize the impact Gay, Lesbian and Transgender individuals have had on the world."

Library Programming

The Portland (Org.) Public Library partnered with Portland Pride to host a panel discussion and exhibit about the GLBT history in the 1970s. The library also hosted weekly LGBT movies on Thursday nights. Finally, the library staff marched with their Bookmobile in the Pride Parade and staff members passed out bookmarks with LGBT literature listed on them.

The Library of Congress celebrated LGBTQ Pride Month with poetry readings by emerging poets of the GLBT community, a rare book open house, and a panel discussion about LGBTQ people in the military.

Drag Queen Story Hour is an all-ages story time in which a drag queen reads stories with messages of love and acceptance. These events - many organized by the nonprofit, have been popular in schools, libraries and chilren camps. Tom Donlon, library director at the Port Jefferson (N.Y.) Free Library, held one in 2018 and gave feedback on his expierence.

Other Resources

The Library of Congress offers a wide range of LGBTQ resources, including "many books, posters, sound recordings, manuscripts, and other material produced by, about, and for the LGBTQ community. The contributions ... are preserved as part of our nation's history, and include noted artistic works, musical compositions, and contemporary novels. The Library's American collections range from the iconic poetry of Walt Whitman through the manuscripts of the founder of LGBTQ activism in Washington, D.C., Frank Kameny."

KQED public television and radio has collected an extensive community guide to LGBT resources, including advocacy, arts, education, family and children, health and safety, and seniors.

Check out Oak Park (Ill.) Public Library's groundbreaking Transgender Resource Collection, which earned the library the 2010 Gordon M. Conable Award from the Public Library Association.

Resources and Program Starters

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A June 1969 riot at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan is often considered to be the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the United States. Launched in 2000, Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is held in June to commemorate this important event in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer (LGBTQ) history.

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Demco: How to Celebrate Pride Month in Your Library or Classroom

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Demco: How to Celebrate Pride Month in Your Library or Classroom

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Knowledge Quest Article PDF "Makerspaces for All: Serving LGBTQ Makers in School Libraries"

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Knowledge Quest Article PDF "Makerspaces for All: Serving LGBTQ Makers in School Libraries"

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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The independent book festival focusing on queer writers and queer stories has more than 60 authors participating in panels. The event will be streamed June 11-13.

Author Steven Salvatore has wanted to create a book festival focused on queer writers and stories for a while. But when he mentioned it to people, no one jumped on board-no one until Jacob Demlow. After participating in an event together in March, Salvatore brought up the idea in conversation with Demlow, a theater director and producer who runs @a.veryqueerbookclub on Instagram and TikTok. Demlow, who had contemplated the same idea in the past, was ready to start planning the next day. Next month, the queer-focused festival will be a reality.

Pride Book Fest 2021 is June 11-13. With prerecorded panels, the event will run on the Pride Book Fest youtube channel.

"It came together very, very quickly," says Salvatore. "Jacob [was] the one who was like, 'Let's meet. Let's talk about this right now.'"

As most events remain virtual for the time being, Salvatore and Demlow could move fast, not needing to find and secure a venue or ask authors to travel. Only two months later, the founding duo has a packed lineup of more than 60 queer authors of middle grade, YA, and adult fiction, including Nic Stone (), Ashley Woodfolk (When You Were Everything), Leah Johnson (You Should See Me in a Crown), Claribel A. Ortega (), Adam Silvera (), and Becky Albertalli (Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda)-who they credit with connecting them to other prominent authors.

With this quick work and enthusiastic buy-in from queer writers, the inaugural independent book festival created to celebrate LGBTQ+ authors, books, and voices will be held in June, Pride Month.

"It's really fantastic. It felt very...I don't know...like cosmic in terms of timing," says Salvatore. "It felt like everything happened when it was supposed to. I have had this idea for a while. And Jacob had this idea of separately for a while too. And it just felt like the universe brought us together."

While other festivals have presented panels of LGBTQIA+ authors, this one is purely focused on queer books and queer authors.

"I have never seen something that's really just for these queer authors and queer readers and spotlighting queer stories and some stories that are not queer, but are written by queer writers," says Salvatore. "For me, it always felt like there was something lacking there, because I think one of the great things about the LGBTQ community is that it touches on everybody, every demographic, every race, all across the world."

Organizing an entire book festival focused on queer creators also has the ability to create panels that are not only about the authors' identity and the challenges that come with it.

"So many of those LGBTQ specific panels at other festivals and conventions tend to steer toward the teachable moments, the teachability of queer representation in books," says Salvatore. "And it's like, 'Oh, well, you know, LGBTQ people are not there to teach straight readers to be tolerant.'"

Stephen Salvatore (L) and Jacob Demlow, cofounders of
the Pride Book Fest 2021.

Pride Book Fest will go beyond that.

"It's so nice to be able to kind of put something together [where] that's not what it's all about," says Demlow. "It's still obviously all through the lens of queerness, but we get to talk more in-depth because we've already established that this is gay. We've moved past that."

While the two would not disclose panel topics (those will be announced beginning in mid-May), they did share how they developed panel topics. Authors who agreed to take part were asked the authors what they wanted to talk about and the panel makeup and subjects were based on that input. It will not be the typical focus on the "collective trauma" with stories about coming out, fighting through objections, and being on the banned books list, says Demlow. There will be discussions about queer joy and the craft of writing. And, he hopes, these authors will connect with readers who often still don't know these titles are out there, because the books fail to get the full publishing house marketing push. As often happens on his Instagram, he wants readers to find their new favorite book and author.

Salvatore hopes the event shows queer writers who might not have an agent or haven't sold their stories yet that "their stories are valuable and their stories are important" and to help them see the role models in the queer writing community.

"And I also hope that queer readers find themselves in something on this on these panels," Salvatore says.

Ten years ago, they say, there weren't a lot of queer authors to look to as role models. Now, Salvatore and Demlow easily came up with 100 or more when putting together their first list of possible panelists.

"It's overwhelming and beautiful," says Salvatore.

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The independent book festival focusing on queer writers and queer stories has more than 60 authors participating in panels. The event will be streamed June 11-13. Author Steven Salvatore has wanted to create a book festival focused on queer writers and stories for a while.

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Knowledge Quest Article PDF "Going Beyond Book Displays: Providing Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Youth"

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Photograph by Kai Teoh/Ink Café Photography

A former part-time school library assistant, Amanda MacGregor (above) considers the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) teens she worked with for more than three years to be "my kids," she says. Wanting to make sure materials were available for them-without forcing students to request them directly-MacGregor created displays of LGBTQ books, listed phone numbers for groups like the Trevor Project, a crisis intervention program for LGBTQ young people, and mixed LGBTQ titles in with ones thematically ranging from vampire tales to mysteries when creating book lists.

However, she thinks that her mere presence in a room without doors or an office, where students who needed a safe space could walk in and just be themselves, may have been her greatest value.

"Kids in general are often so grateful to have someone show an interest in their lives and accept them for who they are," she says. "I had one kid in my first year who spent a fair amount of time talking with me, often about having crushes on boys. He sent me a private message last year saying, 'I never thanked you for encouraging me to be myself.' That means something to me, even three years later."

The library: An unofficial refuge

Online sites are often the first go-to resources for educators searching for book lists and tips on setting up their libraries with more LGBTQ materials. Where do librarians look?

Kyle Lukoff often heads to Tumblr to find "some 21-year-old gender queer" whom he then follows. He learns a lot by just reading the comments-but is careful to not chime in himself. "Flame wars aren't great to participate in," he says.

Sarah Stone suggests going to the American Library Association's (ALA) site to look at current-year winners of Stonewall Book Awards.

Amanda MacGregor herself blogs at Cite Something! and writes about LGBTQ resources, GLSEN's National School Climate Survey, and other topics.

Jillian McCoy turns to sites including the Trevor Project, the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, and Lamba Legal, a resource site focusing on the legal rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those living with HIV.

GLSEN's Jenny Betz recommends librarians look at the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table ( GLBTRT) Rainbow List for suggested titles, while also reading through GLBTRT's site for resources for GLBTQ-identifying librarians.

GLSEN produces a "Tools for Librarians" sheet, a two-page poster stocked with instructions on creating a Safe Space Kit, including one aimed at elementary schools. PDFs of the poster can be requested by email.

With 82 percent of LGBTQ students reporting verbal harassment, among other forms of bullying, according to the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network's ( GLSEN) 2011 School Climate Report, finding a space to feel safe may be particularly crucial for these students. So is finding materials in which LGBTQ students can see themselves-resources that reflect the stories of their lives and the themes that mirror their own questions and concerns. School librarians provide support through their very presence as well as through the services they can provide.

"I remember hiding out in the library to escape bullying or because I generally felt I was not fitting in," says Jenny Betz, senior education manager for GLSEN. "It gave me a place to be."

GLSEN has seen library use grow among students seeking LGBTQ-specific content and information. This is no surprise, says Betz, since librarians are free-speech supporters and usually want to ensure LGBTQ student access to materials.

School librarians can highlight titles without making "a big deal, or doing things that might out people, by just leaving books on the tables, on the fly," Betz says. "Librarians have been doing this for generations, really finding ways to serve their constituents."

And LGBTQ teens are a constituency that librarians and educators consistently report as needing to be served.

More than 38 percent of LGBTQ teens report physical harassment, and 18.3 percent report being physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation, according to GLSEN's 2011 School Climate Report (a 2013 report is due this fall). The Web can also be an unsafe space for LGBTQ youth, with 42 percent reporting being harassed or bullied online-three times more than non-LGBTQ youth-and 27 percent saying they feel unsafe online, according to GLSEN's "Out Online" report from 2013.

L. Lee Butler, a librarian at the Stoughton (MA) High School, agrees that a librarian can play a key role in a student's school life as a "trusted adult who is not part of the evaluating or disciplinary process," he says. "That's not to say we don't discipline students or evaluate their work. But we are not giving them a grade. We can be more approachable than many classroom teachers."

Butler focuses in particular on making sure his students have access to "accurate and age-appropriate sexual health information," he says. While he makes sure he has materials available, he also watches to see which titles are never returned. Books that mention anything about sex? They often go missing, he says.

"They're not just being checked out voraciously. They just disappear off the shelves," he says. "The books that are stolen are often the ones most needed in your collection."

To highlight the books he thinks are important, Butler simply puts up displays on topics about sexual health and education when the Gay Straight Alliance comes in for their regular meetings. While "hanging out" near the check-out area afterwards, Butler says, they discover the titles he has purposefully, but casually, placed there.

"They're seniors, so they won't admit they need the information. But they do," he says. "They say they're going to give the resources to their classmates. They become information vectors."

Finding LGBTQ content for teens

Students, particularly those in their teen and tween years, also say they want to see more genres featuring LGBTQ students as characters, even if gender orientation isn't the main plot point.

When school librarian Jillian McCoy started at the Academy of Mount St. Ursula school in the Bronx, the ninth-through-twelfth grade girls started requesting "books that weren't just coming-out stories, but with LGBTQ characters in them," she says. "They were pretty vocal about it." At first, McCoy had trouble finding some genres, such as fantasy, with LGBTQ characters. But that's starting to change, she says.

Elementary school librarians may not have as many questions regarding LGBTQ issues as their high school counterparts, but they still have a responsibility to serve their students with these materials, believes Kyle Lukoff, a librarian at Corlears School in Manhattan. Lukoff actively searches for titles with LGBTQ themes for his younger students.

"I don't have Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2008) in my library," says Lukoff. "But I have Jennifer Carr's Be Who You Are! (AuthorHouse, 2010), which is about trans kids. It's a matter of finding the materials."

Lukoff has heard the arguments that children, particularly those in the younger grades, might get confused by reading material adults don't believe they can understand, such as gender orientation. But he finds that argument specious. "Kids are always confused," he says. "They're confused about why their hands are sticky, or about what makes their jacket fall off their desk. Math is confusing. And we don't say not to teach them math."

Sarah Stone believes that her patrons should have access to as many materials as she can find and stock at the San Francisco Public Library, where she serves as a branch collections specialist. Stone is especially attuned to including LGBTQ-relevant titles. "There is a sense of showing some leadership because we are San Francisco," she says. "If it touches on some aspect of LGBTQ life, we probably want that book unless it is terrible."

Stone turns to blogs, traditional channels such as ALA's Stonewall Book Awards, and sites such as Goodreads to find new titles. Waiting for a review copy is the last way Stone wants to discover a book. Instead, she says, librarians "can be on the prowl."

That means looking at books focusing on LGBTQ issues from many different angles, says Stone. She mentions Chris Terry's Zero Fade (Curbside Splendor, 2013), about a teen named Kevin Phifer whose uncle comes out as gay.

However, "the queer experience doesn't have to be limited to 'coming out' books," Stone says. "It can be dealing with your own homophobia."

Or, a title can be a book that simply features an LGBTQ family within its story line. As many as six million American children and adults have an LGBTQ parent, according to the UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute.

"There are children in the classroom whose families look like that," says April Sanders, assistant professor at Spring Hill College's Division of Teacher Education in Mobile, AL. "These books point to the importance of students finding themselves in the literature."

Sanders, who works with students pursuing teaching degrees, regularly emphasizes that LGBTQ books need to be part of collections, and displayed prominently-in classrooms as well as school media centers. Students don't always get time to go to the library, she notes.

"I can't emphasize enough how important is it for our students to be seeing themselves in the reading," says Sanders. "I think that goes a long way for students who are particularly dealing with issues like bullying."

Librarians who are unsure of how to launch a book collection or build other materials for LGBTQ students should take the advice they give to students, says Saunders.

"Sometimes it's just getting out there," she says. And "sometimes we just need to take a breath, and read some books."

Outstanding Titles

Four librarians weigh in on essential LGBTQ books
L. Lee Butler
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole (S. & S., 2005). PreS-Gr 2. Two male penguins and their baby.

Sex, a Book for Teens: An Uncensored Guide to Your Body, Sex, and Safety by Nikol Hasler (Zest, 2010). Gr 10 Up. "General sex ed and sexuality, including a lot about LGBTQ teen experiences."
Kyle Lukoff
Be Who You Are! by Jennifer Carr (AuthorHouse, 2010). Gr 3-5. "About trans kids, written for younger kids."

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman (Seal Pr., 2010). An adult publication appropriate for teens. "Provides a lot of different perspectives about gender."

What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth (Triangle Square, 2013). PreS-Gr 2. A book about where babies come from that doesn't specify parents' gender or sexuality.
April Sanders
Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman (Tricycle, board book edition, 2009). PreS. "Board book for a very young level."
Sarah Stone
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills (Flux, 2012). Gr 7 Up. "Includes a transgender character."

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (S. & S., 2014). Gr 4-8. A 13-year-old boy heads to the Big Apple looking to audition for a big-city musical.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth (HarperCollins, 2012). Gr 8 Up. Teen coming-of-age book.

10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert, illustrated by Rex Ray (Triangle Square, 2008). K-Gr 4. A picture book about a child who dreams at night of dresses.

Violet in Bloom: A Flower Power Book by Lauren Myracle (Abrams, 2010). Gr 4-8. "Has character with two moms, an experience that some readers may have in common."

Zero Fade by Chris L. Terry (Curbside Splendor, 2013). Gr 5 Up. The main character struggles with homophobic feelings about his uncle, who is coming out.

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LGBTQ & You: How to Support Your Students

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Photograph by Kai Teoh/Ink Café Photography A former part-time school library assistant, Amanda MacGregor (above) considers the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) teens she worked with for more than three years to be "my kids," she says.

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I recently attended an Ally Training for faculty serving LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) students. The facilitator looked around the (nearly) full room of teachers and librarians and said, simply, "my gay fifteen-year-old self thanks you." As a teenager, he would have given anything for even one visible teacher ally.

It might seem that today's educational climates have improved in terms of diversity and tolerance of gender diverse youth. However, the statistics continue to tell an alarming story. According to a 2015 GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) survey, 85% of LGBTQ students reported verbal harassment or discrimination at school; 49% experienced cyber bullying. And 60% of students reported hearing negative remarks about LGTBQ issues or gender expression from faculty and staff. Meanwhile, the statistics on bullying and suicide for transgender students, particularly transgender students of color, are dismal. (See Gender Spectrum's Supporting and Caring for Our Gender Expansive Youth). We can do better.

While many educators are becoming better informed about the needs of their LGBTQ students, gender diversity may still be under the radar. "Gender diverse" or "gender expansive" refers to students who do not identify with or express the gender typically assumed of their biological sex. It may be helpful to think of gender and sexuality as separate spectra. Who one is attracted to sexually or romantically does not depend upon a person's professed gender identity. (For instance, a transgender individual born female who identifies as male may be attracted to either men or women.) The kaleidoscope of possible gender and sexuality combinations is beautiful, but can be confusing. The best advice for librarians and teachers is not to make any assumptions about their students, and to modify lesson plans, classroom language, and projects and programs to be as inclusive of gender diversity as possible.

As librarians, we attempt to create spaces and programs where diverse students feel welcome. Below, I offer suggestions for how to be an effective ally to LGBTQ students, particularly gender diverse and gender expansive students. It is our job to make sure that everyone feels safe, welcome, and included in our libraries. What can librarians do to support LGBTQ students?

1. Make information about LGTBQ issues available and easily accessible, for faculty as well as for students. Don't wait for days or months designated as "awareness" periods. LGBTQ students need support every day of the school year.

2. Don't tolerate anti-LGBTQ language in the library or anywhere else you hear it in the school. This includes the use of the word "gay" to indicate that something is stupid or undesirable. If you hear something, say something.

3. Understand that any student you interact with could be LBGTQ. Don't modify your behavior just because you know an LGBTQ person is present! Consistently model and reinforce inclusive behaviors and attitudes.

4. After training, put an ally symbol on your office door. If a student comes out to you, don't assume that that are out to everyone, including their parents.

5. Don't assume that your students are cisgender and/or heterosexual. Modulate your language to exclude gendered expressions such as "ladies and gentlemen" or "boys and girls." Ask students for their preferred pronouns, and accept the use of the singular they/them pronoun.

6. Don't separate groups of students by perceived gender or assume just two genders.

7. Be inclusive in programs and book displays. Include resources authored by and featuring LGBTQ people even and especially when the theme of the display is not LGTBQ-related.

8. Support GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) groups at your school. Volunteer to be a faculty adviser to the group. Give them opportunities to sponsor programs, suggest library resources, and contribute to displays. Make the library space available for GSA meetings.

9. Make the following resources available to students, faculty, staff, and parents:

The Trevor Project: Resource for LGTBQ crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

Gender Spectrum: Tools for creating gender-sensitive and inclusive spaces for youth and teens.

It Gets Better: Testimonials for teens and youth from LGTBQ adults who survived difficulties as youth to emerge happy and successful in adulthood.

GLSEN: A resource for students and faculty to help create space and affirming spaces in schools for all students.

Know of other resources that could benefit LGBTQ youth and their allies? Please share below!

Categories: Blog Topics, Intellectual Freedom, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models

Tags: advocacy

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Be an Ally: LGBTQ Advocacy and the School Library | Knowledge Quest

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I recently attended an Ally Training for faculty serving LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) students. The facilitator looked around the (nearly) full room of teachers and librarians and said, simply, "my gay fifteen-year-old self thanks you." As a... Read More ›

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This blog was written by NCTE member Vanessa Perez, a member of the NCTE Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Advisory Committee.
Four of the top ten books on the American Library Association's Most Challenged list are included due to having LGBTQ characters. Declaring a book with LGBTQ characters inappropriate for school is the same as declaring LGBTQ students and families inappropriate for school. It sends the message, "You don't belong here. We'll remove this book and we'll try to remove you, too."

According to the Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people, the facts are that LGBTQ youth are more likely to contemplate suicide, more likely to make suicide attempts requiring medical treatment, and more likely to self-harm when harassed or abused. However, educators can make a difference-they can defend and protect students through acceptance: "You belong here with us. We see you and your life matters."

Books are a critical part of proving to our LGBTQ students that we recognize and value them, and that we don't question their right to exist in school or anywhere else. An individual teacher may not be able to change curriculum to include LGBTQ lives and learning, yet one teacher can choose books for a classroom or school library.

While I initially purchased award-winning books and titles recommended by students, there are many good resources to guide your collection-building, including the ALA's Rainbow Book List and LGBTQ Reads.

Alternative Valentine's Day display: Love Every Day

The more difficult problem, for me, was where to put the books in our "genre-fied" library. Student input was key, as always. While students wanted the books to be visible, they didn't want the books segregated in a separate section or stickered with a rainbow. LGBTQ is not a genre. There are not queer romances, there are romances with queer main characters. There are not lesbian mysteries, there are mystery books with lesbian detectives. Trans students are not the only students who can or should read books with trans heroes. Put the books on the shelves, the students told me, we'll find them.

The question isn't whether we should have books with LGBTQ characters, the question is, how can we best share them?

In my three years as a library media specialist, I've found the following to be effective ways to ensure LGBTQ students know that their voices and experiences are honored:

Ask for ideas about improving their library experience, and listen. Specifically ask about LGBTQ books and topics, without excluding other parts of their identity. Ask in a variety of ways, including in-person conversations, but also allow anonymity through digital forms and/or physical dropboxes. For instance, one way I asked for input was while library assistants and I were adding spine labels to award-winning books. To introduce the idea of easily identifying LGBTQ books, I shared the other kinds of spine labels available via a web site. We were able to discuss pros and cons as well as to pull other students into the conversation.

Build both fiction and nonfiction to represent LGBTQ culture. Historically, LGBTQ contributions and events have been erased. Including books like Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum and by Jazz Jennings remedy curricular injustices that silence LGBTQ contributions. Additionally, librarians need to weed out books categorizing homosexuality as a mental health issue. Such books exist residually in library collections that have not been critically examined.

Make LGBTQ people and texts visible in your displays. Whether you're celebrating Black History Month, National Poetry Month, or Teen Tech Week, include LGBTQ stories. For instance, during Black History Month, a library display could be used to honor the contributions of Bayard Rustin, an important leader for civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights, who is often ignored in history books.

Read, be seen reading, and talk about books with LGBTQ voices. An adult visibly reading an LGBTQ text lets students know that LGBTQ voices are worth listening to without shame or stigma, and that LGBT stories are just as meaningful and valued as any other in the library.

Biography Table as part of a Book Tasting

Libraries can honor LGBTQ voices that are far too frequently marginalized in classroom spaces. Including LGBTQ texts is a simple action compared to organizing an elaborate assembly or special month celebration; it's a normalizing, everyday action any educator can make to clearly communicate LGBTQ students belong.
Vanessa Perez is the Technology Integration and Library Media Specialist for Clinton High School. She can be reached at @vperezy on Twitter.

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Libraries Can Be LGBTQ-Affirming Spaces on School Campuses - NCTE

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This blog was written by NCTE member Vanessa Perez, a member of the NCTE Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Advisory Committee. Four of the top ten books on the American Library Association's Most Challenged list are included due to having LGBTQ characters.

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The following 58 titles were under consideration by the Rainbow List Committee during the month of October:

America, vol 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez by Gabby Rivera

America, vol 2: Fast and Fuertona by Gabby Rivera

La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibia Obono

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Burro Hills by Julia Lynn Rubin

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Bérubé

DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test (Book 1) by Hamish Steele

Dead Weight by Terry Blas & Molly Muldoon

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Goldie Vance vol. 3 by Hope Larson

Goldie Vance vol. 4 by Hope Larson

The Handsome Girl and Beautiful Boy by B.T. Gottfried

Heart Foreger by Rin Chupeco

Heavy Vinyl by Carly Usdin

Here to Stay by Sara Farizan

Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel by A.W. Jantha

I Felt a Funeral in My Brain by Will Walton

Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst

Jack of Hearts and Other Parts by L.C. Rosen

Jaya and Rasa: A Love Story by Sonia Patel

The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo

Love & Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves

Luisa - Now and Then by Carole Maurel and Mariko Tamaki

Lumberjanes Bonus Tracks by Holly Black

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim

Modern HERstory: Stories of women and nonbinary people writing history by Blair Imani

My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer

Nate Expectations by Blair Imani

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

P.S. I Miss You by Jen Petro-Roy

People Like Us by Dana Mele

Pride Guide: A guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBTQ Youth by Jo Langford

Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar and Michelle Schusterman

Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall

Pulp by Robin Talley

Quiver by Julia Watts

Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

The Rules and Regulations of Mediating Myths and Magic by F.T. Lukens

Runaways Vol. 1 Find Your Way Home by Rainbow Rowell

Runaways Vol 2 Best Friends Forever by Rainbow Rowell

Secret Loves of Geeks ed. by Hope Hicholson

Starless by Jacqueline Carey

Summer of Us by Cecilia Vinesse

SuperMoon by H.A. Swain

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston

They She He Me: Free To Be by Maya + Matthew

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender

Tiger's Watch by Julia Ember

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno

Trans Teen Survival Guide by Fox and Owl Fisher

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

When Lights Left us by Leah Thomas

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The following 58 titles were under consideration by the Rainbow List Committee during the month of October: America, vol 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez by Gabby Rivera America, vol 2: Fast and Fuertona by Gabby Rivera La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibia Obono Before I Let Go by

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Today on the site, I'm welcoming Chrissy Holm, author of the new memoir Finding Sunlight, to discuss find herself and her bisexuality after being raised in purity culture. Here's a little more on the book:

In the inspirational coming-of-age memoir Finding Sunlight (Wise Ink, September 2023), Chrissy Holm separates the pressures of purity culture from all the possibilities of meaningful love. Homeschooled at church and raised by a devout father, Chrissy suppressed her bisexuality and followed all the teachings of purity culture. But when she turned sixteen, her parent's divorce flipped the script. Devastated and unsure of her values, Chrissy embarked on a long journey, often making mistakes, until she figured out just exactly who she is and what she believes in. Raw and hopeful, this liberating memoir is an intimate look at figuring out how to forgive-and love-after purity culture.
Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon
Imagine soaring in the sky on a hot air balloon ride with an ex-boyfriend, wondering if you should've married him while also being interested in pursuing someone else. You feel like you know what you're doing, yet floating up there, you feel unstable and unable to get down. For me, that state of confusion-while thousands of feet in the air-stemmed from purity culture. When I was a kid in the '90s and early '00s, I learned from my church that dating was only intended for marriage. That I needed to "remain pure" and abstain from sex before marriage. As a woman, it meant succumbing to traditional gender roles and submitting to men. And it meant that it was a sin to love anyone of the same sex.

But I knew deep down, after a game of truth or dare with one of my friends who was a girl, that this meant I also had to hide my sexuality and desires. As I continued life, I was homeschooled at my church and learned more about "God's will" and how I could abide by it. Flash forward a few years when I attended a purity conference with my mom and sisters, where speakers talked about making decisions about relationships and sexual health. They encouraged us to maintain purity, especially in a world that promotes sexual promiscuity. One speaker in particular focused on how she became a grandmother at age thirty-six and blamed it on generations of sex before marriage. Though romantic relationships were forbidden in my house until I was sixteen, I still sought out connections with boys. And with every relationship I entered, I had to imagine it was my intention to marry them, even at a young age. I also needed to satisfy them and address their needs, as mine came last. And yet, when I had moments of attraction to women sprinkled throughout my teenage years, I had to hide in shame in hopes that no one would discover my secret. If I forced myself not to think about it, I would be safe, and God wouldn't send me to Hell. When I turned fifteen, I dated someone who I eventually lost my virginity to. Instantly, I felt shame, guilt, and like I had failed as a Christian. I was going to Hell, and nothing would save me - not even Jesus, whom I had accepted into my heart when I was six. At seventeen and eighteen, I kissed two girls, and those small moments allowed me to slowly unbury that part of who I was, though it would take many more years to express it out loud. More clarity would start to arrive as I headed to college a few months after breaking up with my boyfriend and the hot air balloon ride. At school, I learned the differences between sex and gender. I learned about gender roles, societal expectations, and sexuality. During lectures about cohabitation, my throat would close, and my stomach would churn, but I realized that it was okay to live together and be in a sexual relationship without being married. It was the first time I had accepted and understood that. In my college relationships, each moment I embraced sex or intimacy before marriage, I still felt in the pit of my gut telling me it was wrong. But yet, I kept learning and continued embracing my desires. The second night I met my now-husband, we had sex. I had come a long way beyond shame and confusion, and for the first time in my adult life, I felt empowered. Over the next several years, I learned more about well-being, spirituality, and sexuality. I prioritized my health, set boundaries, sought therapy, and found ways to practice self-compassion. I spent time in nature, hiked, and connected with people who understood the harm of restrictive religion.

On one of those long hiking trips, one person inspired me to dedicate myself to writing a book, a passion of mine since I was little. Over the following five years, my memoir became a space to heal and reflect on these aspects of my life - sex, love, purity, religion, sexuality, and more. And though I stepped away from the church, I built a community and found acceptance and empowerment in who I am. I finally had the courage to share and no longer hide my queer identity. While there still may be flashes of shame and guilt that sit in my body, it's finally freeing to know that I can connect the dots and understand where that's coming from. It's liberating to know that I can feel stable, get down from that hot air balloon ride, and ground myself with greater clarity.

***

Chrissy Holm (she/they) is a writer, editor, and project manager. She is the host of the podcast Stirred By Words, where she interviews guests and discusses words, writing, and wellness. Her writing has been featured on Everyday Health, National Council on Aging, and more. She is an alumni at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, where she studied Public Health Education and Promotion. Chrissy lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and daughter.

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Queering up your shelf, one rec at a time!

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This website seeks to be a comprehensive list of all LGBTQIAP+ YA titles published between 2000 and 2020. It includes all major and indie US presses and selective self-published material. This website is not meant to act as a list of book recommendations, although we provide best of lists for those who seek recommendations. These lists were commissioned from experts who share that identity and feature what they felt were the best representations that specific set of identities.

When looking at the filters you may notice that there are fewer published books for certain types of representation, especially books representing characters with multiple marginalized identities, for example queer people of color, queer Muslims, queer people with disabilities and more. We hope that seeing the reality of these numbers encourages publishers to seek out and publish more titles that represent the intersections of marginalized identities, especially when those titles are #ownvoices. If you have titles for us to add, please contact us!

Please check out our updates and changes page to see what we are working on and how we have progressed.

Thanks for stopping by!

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This website seeks to be a comprehensive list of all LGBTQIAP+ YA titles published between 2000 and 2020. It includes all major and indie US presses and selective self-published material. This website is not meant to act as a list of book recommendations, although we provide best of lists for those who seek recommendations.

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Happy Women's History Month, readers! This list is a celebration of the strength of women. Of all women. Women of color. Women of different sexual and romantic orientations. Trans women. Women with mental illnesses and disabilities.

Queer teen girls who are reading this list-this is a celebration of your strength.

Here are 20 LGBTQIAP+ YA books to celebrate Women's History Month with. Happy reading!

Out now:
We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband's household or raise his children, but both are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school's top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret-that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico's son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme.

On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or to give up everything she's strived for in pursuit of a free Medio-and a chance at a forbidden love?
Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi
Sana Khan is a cheerleader and a straight A student. She's the classic (somewhat obnoxious) overachiever determined to win.

Rachel Recht is a wannabe director who's obsesssed with movies and ready to make her own masterpiece. As she's casting her senior film project, she knows she's found the perfect lead - Sana.

There's only one problem. Rachel hates Sana. Rachel was the first girl Sana ever asked out, but Rachel thought it was a cruel prank and has detested Sana ever since.

Told in alternative viewpoints and inspired by classic romantic comedies, this engaging and edgy YA novel follows two strongwilled young women falling for each other despite themselves.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova I was chosen by the Deos. Even gods make mistakes.
Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo she can't trust, but who may be Alex's only chance at saving her family.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
When Cameron Post's parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they'll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief doesn't last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship-one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to "fix" her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self-even if she's not exactly sure who that is.
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan
Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali tries her hardest to live up to her conservative Muslim parents' expectations, but lately she's finding that harder and harder to do. She rolls her eyes instead of screaming when they blatantly favor her brother and she dresses conservatively at home, saving her crop tops and makeup for parties her parents don't know about. Luckily, only a few more months stand between her carefully monitored life in Seattle and her new life at Caltech, where she can pursue her dream of becoming an engineer.

But when her parents catch her kissing her girlfriend Ariana, all of Rukhsana's plans fall apart. Her parents are devastated; being gay may as well be a death sentence in the Bengali community. They immediately whisk Rukhsana off to Bangladesh, where she is thrown headfirst into a world of arranged marriages and tradition. Only through reading her grandmother's old diary is Rukhsana able to gain some much needed perspective.

Rukhsana realizes she must find the courage to fight for her love, but can she do so without losing everyone and everything in her life?
Wild Beauty Anna-Marie McLemore
Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They've also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he's even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
A new kind of big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are.

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she's determined not to get too close to anyone.

But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself, including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it.

Because the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that at her old school, she used to be Andrew. Will the truth cost Amanda her new life, and her new love?
The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding
Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people's lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby has stayed focused on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a prized internship at her favorite local boutique, she's thrilled to take her first step into her dream career. She doesn't expect to fall for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Abby knows it's a big no-no to fall for a colleague. She also knows that Jordi documents her whole life in photographs, while Abby would prefer to stay behind the scenes.

Then again, nothing is going as expected this summer. She's competing against the girl she's kissing to win a paid job at the boutique. She's somehow managed to befriend Jax, a lacrosse-playing bro type who needs help in a project that involves eating burgers across L.A.'s eastside. Suddenly, she doesn't feel like a sidekick. Is it possible Abby's finally in her own story?

But when Jordi's photography puts Abby in the spotlight, it feels like a betrayal, rather than a starring role. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image that other people have of her?

Is this just Abby's summer of fashion? Or will it truly be The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)?
Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake
Mara and Owen are about as close as twins can get. So when Mara's friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn't know what to think. Can the brother she loves really be guilty of such a violent crime? Torn between the family she loves and her own sense of right and wrong, Mara is feeling lost, and it doesn't help that things have been strained with her ex-girlfriend and best friend since childhood, Charlie.

As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie navigate this new terrain, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits in her future. With sensitivity and openness, this timely novel confronts the difficult questions surrounding consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after-the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable-she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

TW: violence and sexual abuse.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep.
He'll follow you home, and he won't let you sleep.

Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she's sure she'll never find.

Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she's broken-or maybe everyone else is.

Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.

Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight... until now.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville-derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities-and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It's a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society's expectations.

But that's not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn't pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
Welcome to Andover... where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef-up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship-only it turns out to be for the town's most heinous supervillain. On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, who Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there's the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious "M," who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour You go through life thinking there's so much you need...
Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn't spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she's tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that's been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.
The Gallery of Unfinished Girls by Lauren Karcz
A beautiful and evocative look at identity and creativity, The Gallery of Unfinished Girls is a stunning debut in magical realism. Perfect for fans of The Walls Around Us and Bone Gap.

Mercedes Moreno is an artist. At least, she thinks she could be, even though she hasn't been able to paint anything worthwhile in the past year.

Her lack of inspiration might be because her abuela is in a coma. Or the fact that Mercedes is in love with her best friend, Victoria, but is too afraid to admit her true feelings.

Despite Mercedes's creative block, art starts to show up in unexpected ways. A piano appears on her front lawn one morning, and a mysterious new neighbor invites Mercedes to paint with her at the Red Mangrove Estate.

At the Estate, Mercedes can create in ways she hasn't ever before. But Mercedes can't take anything out of the Estate, including her new-found clarity. Mercedes can't live both lives forever, and ultimately she must choose between this perfect world of art and truth and a much messier reality.
Far From You by Tess Sharpe Nine months. Two weeks. Six days.
That's how long recovering addict Sophie's been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered.

Forced into rehab for an addiction she'd already beaten, Sophie's finally out and on the trail of the killer-but can she track them down before they come for her?

Upcoming:
THE LAST 8 by Laura Pohl (March 5, 2019)
Clover Martinez has always been a survivor, which is the only reason she isn't among the dead when aliens invade and destroy Earth as she knows it.

When Clover hears an inexplicable radio message, she's shocked to learn there are other survivors-and that they're all at the former Area 51. When she arrives, she's greeted by a band of misfits who call themselves The Last Teenagers on Earth.

Only they aren't the ragtag group of heroes Clover was expecting. The group seems more interested in hiding than fighting back, and Clover starts to wonder if she was better off alone. But then she finds a hidden spaceship, and she doesn't know what to believe...or who to trust.
THE WEIGHT OF STARS by K. Ancrum (March 19, 2019)
Ryann Bird dreams of traveling across the stars. But a career in space isn't an option for a girl who lives in a trailer park on the wrong side of town. So Ryann becomes her circumstances and settles for acting out and skipping school to hang out with her delinquent friends.

One day she meets Alexandria: a furious loner who spurns Ryann's offer of friendship. After a horrific accident leaves Alexandria with a broken arm, the two misfits are brought together despite themselves-and Ryann learns her secret: Alexandria's mother is an astronaut who volunteered for a one-way trip to the edge of the solar system.

Every night without fail, Alexandria waits to catch radio signals from her mother. And its up to Ryann to lift her onto the roof day after day until the silence between them grows into friendship, and eventually something more . . .
BIRTHDAY by Meredith Russo (May 21, 2019)
Two kids, Morgan and Eric, are bonded for life after being born on the same day at the same time. We meet them once a year on their shared birthday as they grow and change: as Eric figures out who he is and how he fits into the world, and as Morgan makes the difficult choice to live as her true self. Over the years, they will drift apart, come together, fight, make up, and break up-and ultimately, realize how inextricably they are a part of each other.
THE GRIEF KEEPER by Alexandra Villasante (June 11, 2019)
Seventeen-year-old Marisol has always dreamed of being American, learning what Americans and the US are like from television and Mrs. Rosen, an elderly expat who had employed Marisol's mother as a maid. When she pictured an American life for herself, she dreamed of a life like Aimee and Amber's, the title characters of her favorite American TV show. She never pictured fleeing her home in El Salvador under threat of death and stealing across the US border as "an illegal", but after her brother is murdered and her younger sister, Gabi's, life is also placed in equal jeopardy, she has no choice, especially because she knows everything is her fault. If she had never fallen for the charms of a beautiful girl named Liliana, Pablo might still be alive, her mother wouldn't be in hiding and she and Gabi wouldn't have been caught crossing the border.

But they have been caught and their asylum request will most certainly be denied. With truly no options remaining, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She's asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It's a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. She just never imagined one of the risks would be falling in love, a love that may even be powerful enough to finally help her face her own crushing grief.

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Happy Women's History Month, readers! This list is a celebration of the strength of women. Of all women. Women of color. Women of different sexual and romantic orientations. Trans women. Women with mental illnesses and disabilities. Queer teen girls who are reading this list-this is a celebration of your strength.

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Supportive educators save students' lives. Having just one visibly supportive educator in a school can ensure that LGBTQ students feel safe, welcomed, and encouraged to learn. Show your support by displaying a Safe Space sticker and poster in your classroom. Learn how to discuss bullying, gender roles, or family diversity with elementary-aged students.

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Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students

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With this guide, we hope to help teachers and school leaders make curriculum and policy decisions that include LGBTQ students and prepare all students to thrive in a diverse democracy.

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AASL Toolkit contains infographic, resource guide, applied framework, and flowchart.

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AASL Toolkit contains infographic, resource guide, applied framework, and flowchart.

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Stemming from an AASL Chapters concern, the 2018 ALA Emerging Leaders team was charged with creating a guide for AASL to support school librarians in addressing challenges related to censorship and patron privacy issues, particularly with LGBTQ+ materials. Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries is more than a collection of resources. This work uses the AASL Standards framework as scaffolding to help users explore LGBTQ+ materials and needs in their own communities.

Use the accompanying infographic and applied framework in the guide to navigate the document more quickly depending on your specific question or need. Activities in each section make this a valuable tool for professional development. This guide is a great example to any practitioner about how they can use the AASL Standards as a lens to address ANY school library issue!

Infographic | Resource Guide | Applied Framework | YA Flowchart (Completed) | YA Flowchart (Blank)

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Defending Intellectual Freedom - National School Library Standards

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Stemming from an AASL Chapters concern, the 2018 ALA Emerging Leaders team was charged with creating a guide for AASL to support school librarians in addressing challenges related to censorship and patron privacy issues, particularly with LGBTQ+ materials. Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries is more than a collection of resources.

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62 LGBTQ+ YA Books to Read All Year Long | Epic Reads

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Check out this list of truly wonderful, completely epic LGBTQ YA books to read all year long! From contemporary to fantasy and everything in between.

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June is Rainbow Book Month™

Rainbow Book Month™ is a nationwide celebration of the authors and writings that reflect the lives and experiences of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, genderqueer, queer, intersex, agender, and asexual community. As of 2020, GLBT Book Month™ (celebrated by the American Library Association since 2015) has been renamed Rainbow Book Month™, in coordination with the Rainbow Round Table's name change in 2019. Originally established in the early 1990s by The Publishing Triangle as National Lesbian and Gay Book Month, this occasion is an opportunity for book lovers and libraries with the very best in LGBTQIA+ literature.

Customizable Publicity Materials and Templates

Get the word out in your community about Rainbow Book Month™ and your library's celebrations! ALA has developed these free, customizable publicity templates that are ready for your library to adapt and submit to your local media.

Rainbow Book Month™ Press Release Template [DOCX]

Rainbow Book Month™ Flyer [PDF]

Rainbow Book Month™ Letter-to-the-Editor Template [DOCX]

Rainbow Book Month™ PSA scripts [DOCX]

Rainbow Book Month™ Radio PSA scripts [DOCX]

Rainbow Book Month Social Media Graphics

Share how your institution is celebrating Rainbow Book Month™ with the following social media graphics, and use #RainbowBookMonth to join the conversation!

Rainbow Book Month Facebook Profile [PNG]

Rainbow Book Month Facebook Post [PNG]

Rainbow Book Month Twitter Profile [PNG]

Rainbow Book Month Twitter Header [PNG]

Rainbow Book Month Twitter Post [PNG]

Rainbow Book Month Instagram Post [PNG]

Libraries Transform Social Media/Promotional Graphics

Celebrate the importance of inclusive stories year-round with the following downloadable graphics from the Libraries Transform campaign!

LGBTQIA+ Book Awards and Bibliographies from ALA

The American Library Association supports LGBTQIA+ literature through the Stonewall Book Awards (in Children's and Young Adult, Non-Fiction, and Literature categories), as well as two bibliographies including the Rainbow Book List and Over the Rainbow Book List. These awards and lists serve to recognize the very best in contemporary literature and serve as invaluable tools for building quality LGBTQIA+ collections.

Tools for Library Workers

Holding a book discussion or programming this June in honor of Rainbow Book Month™? Authors, publishers, school districts, reading organizations, and even the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund have put time and effort into creating reading guides specifically for book discussions. ALA has also created several resources around best practices for community-informed programming. Below are several tools which can be used on their own or as jumping off points.

Historic GLBT Book Month™ Items

Historic GLBT Book Month™ bookmarks and posters bearing the initiative's prior name are still available from ALA Graphics. Featuring vibrant art from . This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman and illustrated by Kristyna Litten, this poster and bookmark commemorate June as GLBT Book Month™ This Day in June is the winner of the 2015 Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and a Top Ten Rainbow List Title. It invites readers to a pride celebration with text in rhyming couplets, energetic images, and a reading guide for parents and caregivers on how to talk to children about sexual orientation and gender identity in age-appropriate ways.

Purchase Posters and Bookmarks from ALA Graphics:

General Inquiries

For general information, please contact:

Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services

American Library Association

Media

For media inquiries, please refer to the press kit and contact:

ALA Communications and Marketing Office

American Library Association

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June is Rainbow Book Month™ Rainbow Book Month™ is a nationwide celebration of the authors and writings that reflect the lives and experiences of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, genderqueer, queer, intersex, agender, and asexual community.

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By: Kristin Pekoll, OIF Assistant Director

Libraries, bookstores and the broader public have been celebrating June as National Lesbian and Gay Book Month since the early 1990s. In 2015, ALA's Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS) and the Rainbow Round Table (RRT) continued the nationwide celebration with GLBT Book Month, to recognize the authors and writings that reflect the lives and experiences of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

Pride Services and Materials at the Library

The creativity and passion of librarians in creating displays amazes me. Walls and bookshelves are covered in hearts, rainbows and sparkles; colors streaming from the ceiling; information and inspiration spotlighted wherever space is found. There are programs for all ages and all interest levels. The atmosphere of welcome, joy, love and PRIDE radiates beyond the four walls. There are some incredible examples when you search Pinterest for ideas.

Every display during any month is a great opportunity to include works by all authors and topics and not to shy away from adding materials that highlight queer content. But the reality is that June is when many libraries decorate with inclusive displays and rainbows. June is also when ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom sees a spike in reports chronicling complaints about LGBT displays and requests to take down displays.

More common is when LGBT displays are outright denied approval to be crafted to avoid controversy or because administrators don't agree with the content. Censorship of library displays is very common because few libraries have a policy or guidelines in place that protect librarians who build these displays or how to address concerns when they come from external or internal sources.

Please let the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom know if this happens to you. We can help! We can provide talking points, help with press interviews, provide letters of support for your board, publicly support your library on social media, coordinate with local allies to gather support, and offer a listening ear for questions and emotional venting. We will protect your confidentiality. Even if the display doesn't come down, it's helpful to know when these situations happen so we can build more support and education for the library profession.

If Drag Queen Story Hours (DQSH) aren't the right step for your library, that's ok. There are lots of programming ideas for Pride Month. Libraries have been very successful with film festivals, crafts, author visits, pride picnics, read-outs, photo booths, and interactive displays. A few things to consider when planning your programs: 1) Do you have support from your colleagues? It will help you feel more confident. 2) Does your library have a programming policy that addresses how complaints should be handled?

LGBT Censorship

"LGBT" was the most cited reason for challenging library materials and services in 2017. Since 1990, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom has recorded 122 titles that have been challenged for including LGBT content. More than one-third of these titles have been challenged more than once.

The Intellectual Freedom Blog GLBTQ category chronicles a lot of the current events, challenges, and issues that we're seeing in libraries and schools.

Censorship and challenges to library programs are just as important to report as a book challenge. These are events organized by skilled professional library staff and by censoring them, not only does the community suffer, the staff suffers. The chilling effect of censorship lowers our professional morale and creates a stressful work environment.

Resources to Support Librarians

There are a LOT of librarians who have had successful experiences with pride programming and displays. They offer a wealth of tips and advice. Here's an abbreviated list of some blog posts and articles from our amazing colleagues.

ALA's Rainbow Round Table has a great toolkit; " Open to All " is designed for libraries of all types and sizes and offers practical tips and resources on purchasing materials, developing programs and promoting partnerships with other organizations.

"Our goal is to give library staff at any library a starting off point on serving this community. Those who are unfamiliar with the rainbow community and their needs often ask us where to start. This toolkit will help point them in the right direction," said Peter Coyl, 2016 RRT Chair.

Official ALA Statements and Definitions

Libraries are so much more than books. The services librarians provide in creating displays and implementing programs are essential to creating a cohesive whole for people-all people-to learn, engage and have fun in the library. In The Librarian's Book of Lists, American Libraries Magazine Editor George Eberhart offers this definition:

"A library is a collection of resources in a variety of formats that is (1) organized by information professionals or other experts who (2) provide convenient physical, digital, bibliographic, or intellectual access and (3) offer targeted services and programs (4) with the mission of educating, informing, or entertaining a variety of audiences (5) and the goal of stimulating individual learning and advancing society as a whole."

In Quotable Facts about America's Libraries: "Public libraries offer 4.3 million programs per year" and "There were 96.5 million attendees at public library programs in 2013, more than all Major League Baseball and NBA games combined."

Library-Initiated Programs as a Resource: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. "Library-initiated programs support the mission of the library by providing users with additional opportunities for information, education, and recreation. Article I of the Library Bill of Rights states: 'Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves.'"

Access to Library Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sexual Orientation: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. "The American Library Association stringently and unequivocally maintains that libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials (and services) dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation."

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. "Beyond merely avoiding the exclusion of materials representing unorthodox or unpopular ideas, libraries should proactively seek to include an abundance of resources and programming representing the greatest possible diversity of genres, ideas, and expressions. A full commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion requires that library collections and programming reflect the broad range of viewpoints and cultures that exist in our world. Socially excluded, marginalized, and underrepresented people, not just the mainstream majority, should be able to see themselves reflected in the resources and programs that libraries offer."

Dear Saint Paul Public Library

On June 4th, Saint Paul Public Library (SPPL) posted a press release on its Twitter feed and was immediately swarmed with replies.

MEDIA RELEASE: Saint Paul Public Library will host Drag Story Hour for families in celebration of Pride. We will live stream the June 11 event on Facebook - https://t.co/9wO4FEZacs

- St Paul Library (@stpaullibrary) June 4, 2018

OIF sent an email to the library offering assistance and support and that help was quickly accepted. While the library has not and will not be considering any cancellation of the story hours, they wanted to be able to show that ALA supports not only drag queen story hours at SPPL but all pride events and displays. Here is the letter to SPPL:

Dear Ms. Catherine Penkert and the Saint Paul Public Library staff:

On behalf of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, we express our gratitude for upholding the ideals of respect, inclusion, and equality for all people and celebrating intellectual freedom in your library. By crafting programs that create a joyful and engaging environment for everyone, you have proven to your community that SPPL welcomes all people, from all backgrounds, and difference is not something to be feared.

The library's mission - "We connect people in Saint Paul with the imperative and the joy of learning through a lifetime" - is clearly exemplified in this series of programs. You've not only connected the library's mission with the story hour, you've tied together the "We Belong Together" (SPPL's inclusivity campaign), the ALA Library Bill of Rights, and the state of Minnesota Pride Month celebrations.

"Drag Queen Story Hours capture the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress up is real." - Dragqueenstoryhour.org

By increasing the visibility of materials and services for everyone in your community, SPPL is establishing the library as a welcoming and inclusive center with free access to all ideas, without censorship or discrimination. By providing library users with the freedom to explore an array of viewpoints, libraries help them develop into thoughtful citizens.

We extend our full support to the library staff of the Saint Paul Public Library, who work to organize and promote a diverse range of services for the community without shying away from potentially controversial subjects. We encourage their continued excellent service to all the members of their community, whether straight or gay, who have made a home in Saint Paul.

By providing diverse programs and defending the freedom for community members to attend or not attend, you sent a powerful message - that, in this country, everyone has a place at the library.

Sincerely,

James LaRue, Director, ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom

An Exemplary Response

In January, Broome County Public Library announced a Drag Queen Story Hour at its library in Bingingham, New York. When I read its Facebook post in defense of the event and aim for the community to "freely explore the entirety of the world," I printed out the post and pinned it to the bulletin board in my office. I read it out loud at a staff meeting for everyone who works at the Office for Intellectual Freedom.

Libraries celebrate and defend the freedom to be who we are - differences and similarities and everything in between.

Drag queen Deja Brooks is pictured near the entrance of the Lawrence Public Library. Photo via Lawrence Public Library

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Defend Pride at Your Library - Intellectual Freedom Blog

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"Beyond merely avoiding the exclusion of materials representing unorthodox or unpopular ideas, libraries should proactively seek to include an abundance of resources and programming representing the greatest possible diversity of genres, ideas, and expressions. A full commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion requires that library collections and programming reflect the broad range of viewpoints and cultures that exist in our world."

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Welcome from the Library of Congress

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month. This month-long celebration demonstrates how LGBTQ Americans have strengthened our country, by using their talent and creativity to help create awareness and goodwill. June 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ+ Pride traditions. The first Pride March in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. More

The legacy of LGBTQ individuals is being discovered by interested readers and seasoned researchers perusing unparalleled global collections. The acquisition of historic material and the ongoing program of copyright deposits will continue to enrich the Library's holdings of LGBTQ materials.

The collections of the Library of Congress contain many books, posters, sound recordings, manuscripts and other material produced by, about and for the LGBTQ community. The contributions of this community are preserved as part of our nation's history, and include noted artistic works, musical compositions and contemporary novels. The Library's American collections range from the iconic poetry of Walt Whitman through the manuscripts of the founder of LGBTQ activism in Washington, D.C., Frank Kameny.

The Library of Congress is the largest single repository of world knowledge in a single place. In addition to having the mission of acquiring and preserving this exponentially growing body of knowledge, the Library is responsible for making all of its vast collection accessible to all.

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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month | Library of Congress

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Welcome from the Library of Congress June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month. This month-long celebration demonstrates how LGBTQ Americans have strengthened our country, by using their talent and creativity to help create awareness and goodwill. June 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ+ Pride traditions.