Out on the Shelves: YA books recommended by our real-life librarians
There's nothing better than reading a book recommended to you by a friendly librarian, right? So we've put together a list of the rainbow books in our collection that we loved enough to recommend!
Strangely, librarians like reading books. And we also like telling people about books we've liked!
As part of Out on the Shelves we thought we could combine these two traits and tell you about the books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters that we've read and think that you should read too. So we did!
Most of the books featured below can be found in our Young Adult collection, though there are a few from our general collection - we're sure you'll manage!
All of these titles are perfect to read if you're taking part (which we're sure you will be!) in our Read the Rainbow online challenge that's running throughout June.
If you want to know more about the events and activities we're running in our libraries during Out on the Shelves, we've written a story about that too so go read it!
Our Recommendations
Kate recommends:
Out of left field by Jonah Newman
Representation: gay
This mostly autobiographical coming of age story is about playing baseball and being gay (in no particular order). It's got cute art, it's easy to read, and it deals with some big themes all in one great little package.
Sabrina recommends:
Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman
Representation: a focus on the gay and bisexual leads, but there are just a plethora of queer characters
Heartstopper! I know most people have already read these, but for those who haven't... this series brought me to life and made me feel deeply about each character, in a way I'd been missing for a long time in my books.
I'll admit 2 is a bit weak, but overall, the series is incredibly intelligent, incorporating real life problems and big decisions instead of just focusing on the romance, offering side characters plenty of page/screen time.
Oseman excellently shows us our potential in creating a world that is LGBTQIA+ friendly, not shying from the hardships the Rainbow Community faces but ultimately relying on the celebration of unbridled joy to convince readers of why we desperately need to make the world a better place.
It's also the best TV adaptation of a series that has ever been, imho.
Kate recommends:
Bad dream : a Dreamer story by Nicole Maines
Representation: trans
This is an origin story for Dreamer, a DC comics character who has superpowers passed down to the girls in her family - and she's trans. It's a story about finding queer acceptance, features a stop by ballroom, and it's written by trans actress, activist, icon, and now comics author Nicole Maines. You don't need to know DC because the story stands alone, but if you're reading the current Secret Six run (also written by Nicole!) or have seen Nia in the recent Superman: Son of Kal-El series, then this is a must read! Also - who doesn't love queer superheroes?
Lady Grey recommends:
They both die at the end by Adam Silvera
Representation: bisexual, gay
The title of this book kinda gives away the ending, BUT, it has a really well-developed storyline with a depth to the characters and themes, even though this book takes place over 24hours. This book has a really strong message of live life to the fullest, and don't waste a moment. The friendships that are made and the memories that are created over this book are heartwarming.
Kate recommends:
Every day by David Levithan
Representation: generally queer, I would argue that A is a non-binary/agender pansexual protagonist
Every morning A wakes up in someone else's body and assumes their life for the day. They do their best not to make any waves - until they meet Rhiannon, and their life changes. This is truly one of my all-time favourite books from queer author icon David Levithan of such hits as Two boys kissing and Dash and Lily's book of dares (with Rachel Cohn). The way A gets to peek into so many diverse lives is magical - as well as the literal magic part of the body swapping.
J'Shuall and Rita recommend:
I think our son is gay series by Okura
Representation:
J'Shuall:
I Think Our Son is Gay is a cute slice-of-life manga about a young gay man who is trying very hard not to out himself (to little success) and his mother who is perfectly understanding but letting him take his time. If you're looking for a light comedic read and good queer vibes, look no further.
Rita:
Tomoyo Aoyama thinks her son, Hiroaki, is gay. He isn't out yet, due to embarrassment and fear of what his family and friends would think of him, however his mum is quietly cheering him on. What I love about this book is Hiroaki's mum refuses to out him, wanting him to come out of his own accord, while supporting him covertly like calling out her husband for (unintentional) hurtful comments regarding LGBTQI+ topics.
Kate recommends:
Cheer up! : love and pompoms by Crystal Frasier
Representation: trans, lesbian
I don't know what there is to not like about this comic. It's got everything: cheerleaders. Lesbians. Grumpy x Sunshine trope. It touches on some themes of transphobia but it's never too far from being a happy, silly little story about badass girls being cheerleaders even if they don't really want to be.
Rita recommends:
She loves to cook, and she loves to eat series by Sakaomi Yuzaki
Representation: lesbian
Yuki Nomoto has a problem: cooking servings far bigger than herself. This is a problem as a single woman living alone in Tokyo. Thankfully she remembered she has a neighbor named Totoko Kasuga who is a big eater. What I love is that it starts as a friendship over the love of food and cooking. As the series goes on, the characters naturally get into a romance - realising they are gay (and embracing it) whilst navigating challenging societal and family expectations together.
Kate recommends:
Galaxy : the prettiest star by Jadzia Axelrod
Representation: trans, lesbian
Taylor is an alien princess who has to use alien technology to disguise herself as a boy to hide on Earth. This story takes place in the DC universe but you don't need to know a backlog of superheroes or even really care about them to enjoy this story! It is also extremely important to note that Taylor has a talking dog.
Rita recommends:
My brother's husband series by Gengoroh Tagame
Representation: gay
Single dad Yaichi Origuchi's life becomes disrupted when his twin brother's widower, Canadian Mike Flanagan, shows up one day at his doorstep in Japan (much to his chagrin and his daughters delight). The manga explores Japanese and Western differing views on homosexuality, different types of discrimination and challenging characters, especially the Yaichi, who as the series goes reflect on their preconceived notions.
Kate recommends:
Bunt! : striking out on financial aid by Ngozi Ukazu
Representation: non-binary, lesbian
Imagine: your scholarship falls through and the only way for you to get another is to start a halfway decent softball team. This is the challenge for Molly. The other challenge is that she goes to an art school, where everyone who might like to play on her team isn't really the athletic type. This is comedic, has a loveable cast of queer characters, and is just an all-round good time from Ngozi Ukazu (who wrote another great gay sports comic, Check, please!).
Merritt recommends:
This delicious death by Kayla Cottingham
Representation: bisexual, lesbian, trans
A fascinating take on a zombie apocalypse that is still pretty light-hearted despite all the zombies, traumatic-zombie-origin-stories, conspiracy, death, synthetic human flesh, and cannibalism (does it still count as cannibalism when it's a zombie eating a human??). Very campy-horror, about four very queer friends at a music festival, and of course there's some unrequited pining after a best friend going on too.
Kate recommends:
Representation: gay
An absolute fave! It's about fencing at a fancy boarding school, rivalries, and friendships. There's a diverse cast of loveable characters and they get to fight each other with swords. Seriously, what is there not to love?
Librarian recommends:
Four-color heroes by Richard Fairgray
Representation: gay
A very meaningful coming-of-age graphic novel, and it's set in New Zealand! Two very different high-school students bond over comics while the 2004 Civil Union Act is about to pass.
Kate recommends:
Gwen and Art are not in love by Lex Croucher,
Representation: gay, lesbian
Gwen and Art are engaged. They also hate each other. But when it becomes clear that actually they're both queer, they realise that they can help each other out if they can convince everyone that they do want to get married. It's set in a loosey goosey, Arthurian-esque medieval setting, with plenty of fake dating hijinks, characters who feel like familiar friends, and a bit of political intrigue to spice it up. I couldn't put it down but I didn't want it to finish. 10/10.
If you'd like to browse through more books with queer characters, we've also put together some booklists of books in our collection featuring a wide range of rainbow identities.
Click the button to browse these lists!