LGBTQ+YOU by Cynthia Orr https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj en-us 2020-04-29 21:35:37 UTC 2025-11-02 07:45:25 UTC hello@padlet.com Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540742880 Rowell, R., Hicks, F. E., & Stern, S. (2019). Pumpkinheads: a graphic novel. New York: First Second. 
209 pages. ISBN 978-1-62672-162-3. 
Genre: Graphic Novel Contemporary Fiction
(LGBTQ+, Bisexual)

There are quite a few graphic novels which depict the LGBTQ+ community, however this one features a character who is very fluid and accepted as a bisexual. This story follows Deja and Josiah during their last year as employees at the local pumpkin patch. They work together every autumn and are now faced with the reality that their friendship may not continue after this year. Outgoing and daring Deja is determined to help shy and responsible Josiah confront his crush as it is his last chance. The story unfolds in a silly race across the pumpkin patch, stopping for snacks, helping lost children, and eventually realizing maybe the people who mean the most to us aren't the ones we dream about, but the ones who have been with us all along. Author Rainbow Rowell brings to life these two opposites in a vibrant and playful backdrop of fall fun. The characters are full of life and fun to follow on this love scavenger hunt.]]> 2020-04-30 02:05:54 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540742880 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540745794 2020-04-30 02:08:30 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540745794 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540747743 2020-04-30 02:10:15 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540747743 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540754099 2020-04-30 02:15:55 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540754099 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540756439 2020-04-30 02:18:20 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540756439 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540758024 2020-04-30 02:19:52 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540758024 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540759839 2020-04-30 02:21:42 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540759839 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540763660 Albertalli, B. (2015). Simon vs. the Homo sapiens agenda. New York, NY: Balzer Bray, an imprint of
             HarperCollinsPublishers. 
303 pages. ISBN 9780062348678.
Genre: Realistic Fiction 
(LGBTQ+, Gay)

In this heartfelt novel about change, identity, and the cost of honesty we follow Simon Spier as he comes to terms with who he really is. Simon is gay, but he is not open about it, not with his family, not with his closest friends, and not really with himself. He begins emailing a mysterious admirer and is able to be more himself in those email exchanges than anywhere else. The plot shifts when a classmate discovers Simon's email. Threatening to out Simon the classmate begins to blackmail him into setting him up with Simon's good friend. Simon is faced with a choice, be open and honest with who he is or hide and participate in the blackmail. This forced self-discovery about what is really important doesn't come until Simon makes bad choices and hurts everyone around him. This novel is lighthearted but realistic. It shines a light on the difficulty LGBTQ+ people face in having to declare their sexuality, whereas hetero-normative people do not. It touches on what identity really is and the freedom to be loved for who we are, no matter how we identify.]]> 2020-04-30 02:25:35 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540763660 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540772598 Legrand, C. (2018). Sawkill girls. New York, NY: KatherineTegen Books.
447 pages. ISBN 9780062696601.
Genre: Magical Realism
(LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Asexual)

Girls have been disappearing from the town of Sawkill Rock for as long as anyone can remember. So much so that it is an accepted part of the town. Marion arrives with her mom and her sister, seeking a new start after the death of her father. She is immediately connected to Zoey, the sheriff's daughter, awkward and suspicious, especially after her best friend becomes the latest in missing girls. All Zoey's suspicions are pinned on Val, the privileged and stunning "it girl" of the island. However, not everything is what it appears. These three girls will find that there is something much more sinister at play than what they first imagined. Each of these three characters is experiencing grief in different ways. It is deep and real and the author does a great job of showing each girl coping in her own way. They are seeking love and acceptance and eventually trying to understand if forgiveness can be given and received even after the most horrendous actions. ]]> 2020-04-30 02:33:36 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540772598 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540777926 Mills, E. (2017). Foolish hearts. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
312 pages. ISBN 9781627799379.
Genre: Realistic Fiction 
(LGBTQ+, lesbian)

Claudia attends an all-girl school. She has her best friend and her GPA to keep her happy. While attending a classmates party Claudia accidentally hears the dramatic break-up of the schools "it couple", Iris and Paige. This awkward moment propels the story as Claudia finds herself reluctantly paired for a school project with cold and standoffish Iris. Their partnership continues when they are forced to audition for A Midsummer Nights Eve with the adjoining all-boys school. This simple activity opens a wide world Claudia had purposefully shied away from. This book is about friendship, forgiveness, love, and accepting people as they are. Claudia finds herself vulnerable and open to possibilities, not only with a new and different friendship with Iris but also with a cute, sweet boy in the play. Though the book is focused on Claudia, Iris's character is rich and real. Her painful growth as a person throughout the book only draws you closer to her. This book captures the agony of lost love and the sheer relief of forgiveness, with the added playfulness of using Shakespeare's a play within a play within a play.]]> 2020-04-30 02:38:38 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540777926 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540788266 Stevens, C. C. (2017). Dress codes for small towns. New York, NY: Harper Teen, an imprint of
                HarperCollinsPublishers.
337 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-239851-2.
Genre: Realistic fiction 
(LGBTQ+, bisexual, queer)

Billie McCaffrey loves to create. Create epitaphs. Create art out of recycling. Create chaos in the youth room of her father’s church. She does all of this with her inseparable pack of friends deemed the Hexagon, in a small town in Kentucky. Billie has never quite fit in and after an incident that almost burns down the church, she and her friends are tasked with community service. Woods one of Billie’s best friends decides they need to go bigger to win the town back over, after their mischief. The group bands together to put on the annual fall festival, where girls and women of the town vie for a chance to be the sole winner of a handmade “corn dolly”. During this time of scheming and planning, Billie begins to question her identity. Afraid of ruining the dynamic of the group she keeps it to herself until her lifelong friend Janie Lee says she loves Woods. This causes Billie to feel confused as she realizes she loves Woods and also Janie Lee. This novel portrays real and rich bonds between friends, loyalty that stands through tough times and change, and self-discovery that is painful and scary when you admit the truth. Author Courtney Stevens also expertly paints the backdrop of a small southern town, where everyone knows everyone else’s business and of a strained father/daughter relationship where knowing one another as they are, no longer happens with the ease it once did. The path Billie takes in experimenting with her sexuality and true identity is sincere and honest.

]]> 2020-04-30 02:48:34 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540788266 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540806285 Chupeco, R. (2019). The never tilting world. New York, NY: HarperTeen, an imprint of
HarperCollinsPublishers.
496 pages. ISBN 9780062821799.
Genre: Fantasy
(LGBTQ+, Lesbian)

The world is broken, forever divided into two lands. One scorching with the never-ending sun and the other in frozen darkness. Tradition holds that twin goddesses are born each generation, one to rule and one to marry. The two sisters who rule the now divided world each holds a secret to the destruction. Each sister is raising a daughter twins Odessa and Haidee, but the girls do not know the other exists. Each daughter will set out, accompanied by an unusual companion, in order to heal the world. Without the full history of the destruction, neither daughter knows quite what the journey will hold or the price required of them to accomplish their mission. Filled with dark magic and forbidden love, this book paints a post-apocalyptic landscape only to be survived by the most wrenching of sacrifices. ]]> 2020-04-30 03:06:36 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540806285 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540829114 I would tie this book in with Pride week and have students make an art piece that depicts who they are. Billie is an artist and her work reflects her inner self.
Below is the fan art which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.
de Silva, A. J. P. (2017). dcfst_group_1_FINAL. Retrieved
                from http://www.courtneycstevens.com/novels/pre-order-
                dress-codes-for-small-
towns/attachment/dcfst_group_1_final-2/]]> 2020-04-30 03:29:21 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540829114 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540852036 I would tie this book in with Pride week and have students write a short fictional story that includes some real-life facts about themselves. The author's interview discusses how she used this method in Foolish Hearts.
Below is a video with the author which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.
Mills, E. (2018). 5 Behind the Scenes Facts About Foolish Hearts.
              Uppercase Box. Retrieved from
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8L-
MXOFd6Q&feature=youtu.be]]> 2020-04-30 03:52:48 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/540852036 PRIDE WEEK DISPLAY cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542754314 The intention of this display is not only to allow for visibility of this gender diverse group but to also create an interactive program during Pride week. The display will begin with a rainbow book display (see the image of the rainbow bookshelf below). Students will be tasked with finding the book which matches the color of the day. For example day one would be red and that would correspond to Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. The student would then use augmented reality (it is an app called Vxcam and is free) to scan the book to see the hidden content. Examples of this are provided below. After finding the hidden content students would then be encouraged to participate in the activity for the day. This display is an exercise in inclusion and equity. The creativity of the display would hopefully pull in students who both identify and don't identify with the LGBTQ+ community, showing them that they don't have to identify with a character to enjoy a good story. Each of the books chosen is high school young adult level texts. They represent a wide range of the community including; lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, and asexual. It is important for students at a developing age to see themselves represented and accepted by their institution. I see this display working for both a high school library and a public library. (Background image by Travel Addicts Mural Time: Discovering the Colorful Reykjavik Street Art Scene.)]]> 2020-04-30 18:16:25 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542754314 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542837181 I would tie this book in with Pride week by having the students create their own comic. I would hand out previously developed comic templates for them to create their story. They would also have the option of digital creation.
Below is the book trailer which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.

PUMPKINHEADS official book trailer. (2019). Fierce Reads.
                Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SDYVRNn64RU&feature=youtu.be]]> 2020-04-30 18:54:56 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542837181 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542876361 I would tie this book in with Pride week. Simon is very fond of Oreo cookies in the book. The activity would be a group project to build a structure out of Oreos, then watch the film.
Below is a trailer for the Love Simon movie which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.

Love, Simon Official Trailer. (2017). 20th Century FOX.
           Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch? 
   v=ykHeGtN4m94&feature=youtu.be]]> 2020-04-30 19:15:07 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/542876361 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543074472 I would tie this book in with Pride week by having the students play a game of murder. Trust and listening are key element to the game and the book. Students sit in a circle and are issued a single card from a deck. Each card symbolizes a different role. Each person must go around and try to figure out who the murderer is.
Below is the video of feminist book quotes featuring one from Sawkill Girls, which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.

YA Quotes About Truth, Feminism & Family. (2019). Epic
               Reads. Retrieved from
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Y_ADUDbiOWQ&feature=youtu.be

]]> 2020-04-30 21:18:21 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543074472 Example Display cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543108821 Below is my rainbow bookshelf. The display would be like this. Not all of the books would need to be LGBTQ+ because the activity is a scavenger hunt to find the color book of the day. An example of the scavenger hunt would be a clue like, "Simon says find the RED book", which would lead to Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda]]> 2020-04-30 21:45:24 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543108821 Example cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543150858 This is the AR for Pumkinheads ]]> 2020-04-30 22:22:34 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543150858 Example cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543154962 This is the AR for Foolish Hearts]]> 2020-04-30 22:26:05 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543154962 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543174856 I would tie this book in with Pride week by creating a leadership challenge. This book deals with power and how it is handled. I would have the students work in groups. All members would be blindfolded except one. The one who is not blindfolded must direct the others to build a structure out of the supplies provided. They would rotate leaders.
Below is the author's Instagram featuring fan art which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.
layahimalaya. (2020). Lan and Odessa. Retrieved
                  from https://www.instagram.com/p/B-S2shUA1YY/?
utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet]]> 2020-04-30 22:45:42 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543174856 Example cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543182409 This is the AR for Dress Codes for Small Towns]]> 2020-04-30 22:53:49 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/543182409 BOOK SELECTION cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560944973 Annotated Bibliography]]> 2020-05-09 01:28:04 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560944973 Example Display Participation cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560964894 Paper clouds will be available for students and staff to write encouraging messages or recommendations and attach to the rainbow shelf.]]> 2020-05-09 02:09:32 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560964894 Description cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560968430 Russo, M. (2016). If I was your girl. New York: Flatiron Books.
280 pages. ISBN 9781250078407
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
(LGBTQ+, Transgender)

Amanda Hardy is living with her dad and finishing her senior year at a brand new school. Leaving behind the bullying and transphobia she faced in her past, Amanda is now in a positive situation. She has made friends and adjusted well. In spite of all this, she feels she can't reveal who she truly is. It isn't until Amanda meets Grant that she begins to want to let her guard down. Debut author Meredith Russo pulls from her own experience as a trans woman and paints a picture of a normal teenage girl living her life with a painful secret. Amanda still faces the struggle of revealing the truth about who she used to be to her new friends and especially Grant, but will they accept her or will her secret drive them away?]]> 2020-05-09 02:17:04 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560968430 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560970826 2020-05-09 02:21:50 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560970826 Activity cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560978145 I would tie this book in with Pride week by engaging the students in researching current news articles about trans rights. The students could present their findings and discuss what they have learned about this diverse gender group.
Below is a brief news story featuring author Meredith Russo which would appear with the AR scavenger hunt.
Chattanooga times free press. (2015). A transgender
               Chattanoogan has landed a $100,000 dollar book deal.
               Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
               v=g_r2OkRCF6U&feature=youtu.be]]> 2020-05-09 02:37:46 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/560978145 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057171 2020-05-09 05:56:24 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057171 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057363 2020-05-09 05:56:56 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057363 cindiorr21 https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057996 2020-05-09 05:58:33 UTC https://padlet.com/cindiorr21/tm7mrpxpbt549naj/wish/561057996