Lgbt coming of age books
In recognition of LGBT Pride Month, The Conversation reached out to Jonathan Alexander – an English professor with a scholarly interest in the interplay between sexuality and literature – for recommendations of young adult fiction books that feature LGBTQ characters. What follows is a list that Alexander, who has just stepped down as the children’s and young adult fiction section editor for the Los Angeles Review of Books, considers as “must-reads” for this summer.
1. Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Written by Adib Khorram, “Darius the Fantastic Is Not Okay” is told from the perspective of a Persian American teen battling an anxiety disorder while navigating the complexities of growing up in a culturally mixed household. Darius’ parents – an Iranian immigrant mother and a white father – are kind and kind, even as they are dealing with their own issues, including the dad’s struggle with mental health issues and the mother’s attempt to maintain family relations with relatives in a region that is not only halfway around the world but whose government is viewed with suspicio
A history of LGBTQ coming-of-age fiction (in 15 books)
Let's start by saying this: it’s basically unfeasible to condense the entire history of LGBTQ YA into 15 books. It’s like trying to squash all your stuff into a suitcase before going on holiday – no matter how much you skimp and scrunch, and even sit on top of your battered old wheely number to try and zip it up, you inevitably finish up having to leave out some really good stuff.
The YA, coming-of-age genre has such an amazing history of exploring affection stories and relationships of all kinds, and pioneering new voices and styles, that it’s totally unsurprising that it’s been a major trailblazer in bringing a whole range of LGBTQ books to the fore and changing the landscape of LGBTQ literature across all genres and ages.
Stephen Chbosky’s coming-of-age classic, The Perks of Being a Wallflower consistently appears on the American Library Association’s list of Top 10 Most-Challenged Books. It’s an epistolary novel (a book-in-letters), from the point of view of “wallflower” Charlie, whose friend Patrick is gay – a
34 Books That Make LGBTQ+ Teens Feel Seen
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Quill Tree Books "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
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In They Both Die at the End, Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both receive some bad news on the adj day: that it's their last day alive. The pair are total strangers, but are looking to make a new buddy on their "End Day." Mateo and Rufus meet on an app called The Last Comrade and endure a new adventure of living a lifetime in a single day all while falling for each other.
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Harper Teen "It's Not Like It's a Secret" by Misa Sugiura
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Two star-crossed girls of color fall in love in this magical and easy-to-love juvenile adult novel. Told through the lens of year-old Sana, whose family moves to California as her parents go through their own trials, this coming-of-age story is impossible to put down.
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Wednesday Books "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" by Casey McQuiston
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I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the latest release by Red, W Though one could make the case that gay literature dates back to centuries B.C.—the moment Homer wrote of Achilles and Patroclus and the “union of their thighs”—you’d be hard-pressed to locate a book about a teen who identifies as an LGBT individual. Until now. Over the last few decades, there has been an uptick in coming-of-age stories starring homosexual protagonists, both on the page and on the screen. Finally, these stories are being given a voice and their much-deserved due. And guess what! You don’t have to be gay to enjoy gay literature! Whether you're simply wanting to look beyond your own experience, or you're an LGBT youth seeking a character like yourself, the following classic and contemporary coming-of-age LGBT novels chronicle the road to first loves, acceptance, and self-discovery. And that’s something everyone can relate to. Related: LGBT Authors to Read Year-Round By Stacey Donovan Teenager Virginia “V” Dunn is down on her luck. Her beloved dog, Lucky, was hit by a car; her best ally is avoiding
12 Must-Read Coming-of-Age LGBT Novels
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