June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Pride Month (LGBTQ+ Pride Month) — celebrated annually to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of demonstrations by members of the gay community in response to violent police raids during the summer of 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan, New York City. The riots are considered to be one of the most important events leading to the gay liberation movement and the twentieth century fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
Pride Month works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning Americans. Check out these great books that represent the broad spectrum of LGBTQ+ voices in YA literature, and follow the links for each book to learn more from the CA Library catalog!
If an eBook and/or audiobook is available, links are also provided (Sora login is required). You can also explore our LGBTQ+ Pride Month collection in Sora, eBooks and audiobooks available for in Sora Digital Reading app!
All The Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley — Newly orphaned seventeen-year old Marin accepts a nanny position for an acclaimed horror writer and her mother’s childhood friend, but she soon realizes all is not well at Lovelace House and must unravel its secrets before they consume her.
“A rich, disquieting novel for fans of horror, fairy tales, and good storytelling” (Booklist).
Ariel Crashes A Train by Olivia A. Cole — Ariel grapples with her fear of her own mind and violent fantasies, driven by her desire to meet her parents’ expectations and societal norms, until a summer job at a carnival leads her to new friends who help her discover her struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and find acceptance and support for her true self. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“A revelatory, razor-sharp, and powerfully honest depiction of the reality of living with OCD” (Kirkus Reviews).
The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram — High school junior Jackson Ghasnavi, stage manager for his school’s theater, has to face his complicated feelings about love when he catches himself falling for the same guy as his sister. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“The carefully constructed plot, empathetic and fully realized characters, and sensitive treatment of Jackson’s hearing impairment make this one of the year’s finer novels” (Booklist).
Charming Young Man by Eliot Schrefer — They say Léon Delafosse will be France’s next great pianist. But despite his being the youngest student ever accepted into the prestigious Paris Conservatory, there’s no way an impoverished musician can make his way in 1890s Paris without an outside patron.
“An enjoyable and easy-to-read coming-of-age story set in the past but relevant to the present” (School Library Journal).
Emmett by L.C. Rosen — Playing matchmaker for his friends at Highbury Academy, handsome, clever and rich Emmett tries to find his occasional friend-with-benefits the perfect match, but instead learns that gifted as he may be, he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to love. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“This contemporary update of Jane Austen’s Emma is a smoothly written and highly readable . . . there is not a false note in this expert effort, and Emmett is a character to treasure” (Booklist).
Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon — Nonbinary Seminole teen Gem Echols is rescued by a strange new girl who reveals they are reincarnated gods who’ve known and loved each other across lifetimes — and who have made enemies, including the Goddess of Death. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“Edgmon thoughtfully explores issues of agency, identity, and mental illness via an inventive mythology and a high-stakes, action-packed plot” (Publishers Weekly).
Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli — Pretending to be her queer best friend Lili’s former girlfriend, heterosexual Imogen Scott spends a lot of time with Lili’s friend Tessa and starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“Imogen’s journey feels authentic and sincere, and readers will find it difficult not to fall for her” (Kirkus Reviews).
The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes — Eleanor believed acceptance to the Meadows would better her life, but the seemingly perfect institution hides a dark agenda, and after her graduation, Eleanor grapples with her experience as she uncovers the fate of her lost love, Rose. Get the Audiobook
“An intelligent dystopian tale that proves a biting interpretation of contemporary issues surrounding conversion therapy, homophobia, misogyny, and racism” (Publishers Weekly).
The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall — When her boyfriend excludes her from participating in a role-playing game, high school senior Hollie joins an all-girls group where an in-game romance has the potential to be more than just pretend.
“Randall navigates serious topics such as mental health and toxic masculinity alongside joyful themes surrounding self-realization and cultivating genuine camaraderie and affirming safe spaces” (Publishers Weekly).
The Queer Girl Is Going To Be Okay by Dale Walls — Making a documentary about queer love that will hopefully win her a scholarship to film school, Dawn is determined to reach her goal, no matter what it takes. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“Walls has created an enveloping, affirming world and a story that moves at a steady clip, thanks to their witty dialogue interspersed with text messages, emotional gut punches, and profound truths” (Booklist).
The Spirit Bares It’s Teeth by Andrew Joseph White — Set in an alternate Victorian England where mediums control the dead, sixteen-year-old autistic transgender boy Silas must expose a power-hungry secret society while confined to a cruel finishing school designed to turn him into the perfect wife. Get the eBook | Get the Audiobook
“White crafts an unsettlingly horrific tale that boasts a rich and fully realized world, propelled by a champion of a protagonist whose determination to fight for his right to survive is both uplifting and empowering” (Publishers Weekly).
Transmogrify! : 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic, edited by G. Haron Davis — Transness is as varied and colorful as magic can be. In Transmogrify!, you’ll embark on fourteen different adventures alongside unforgettable characters who embody many different genders and expressions and experiences — because magic is for everyone, and that is cause for celebration.
“In this fantasy anthology featuring entries by a broad range of trans authors, transgender teens discover strength, truth, and magic in themselves as they fight oppressive societal expectations and define their own destinies” (Kirkus Reviews).
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa — Sixteen-year-old Mar, a transmasculine Latinx pirate hiding magical abilities, must learn to use their magic to save their papá and newfound pirate family from losing their souls to El Diablo. Get the Audiobook
“Novoa imbues this moving exploration of historical transmasculinity and riveting examination of Spanish colonization with riotously good fun, making this an ideal read for audiences seeking a mix of knowledge and thrilling adventure” (Publishers Weekly).
Find even more great LGBTQ+ titles in these previous posts:
