AN ASSEMBLY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

LGBTQ Young Adult Literature

When Being LGBTQ Is Not the Problem in Contemporary Novels

Older young adult “problem” novels featuring LGBTQ characters generally portrayed their sexuality as the central difficulty to be faced and reconciled. However, many current titles show LGBTQ adolescents with their sexuality respected and facing the same issues alongside their LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ friends: life during and after high school, romantic relationships, changing friendships, and/or family hardships. This bibliography presents a variety of such novels and will be updated frequently. Please contact Lisa Hazlett (University of Suth Dakota, Vermillion, SD) or Judith A. Hayn (University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Litttle Rock, AR).

Short Stories

Abrahams, P. et al. (2008). Up all night. NY: Laura Geringer Books/HarperTeen.

This anthology’s common theme is of how much lives can change over the course of one night.

Busby, C. (Ed.). (2008). First kiss (then tell). NY: Bloomsbury.

Twenty-five young adult authors share stories about their first kiss.

Garden, N. (2007). Hear us out! Lesbian and gay stories of struggle, progress, and hope: 1950 to the present. NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Stories chronicling the lives of lesbians and gays in America from the 1950’s to the present, including a futuristic story.

Giles, G. (2006). No clown zone. In Donald R. Gallo (Ed.), What are you afraid of? (pp. 122-142). Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Will is afraid of clowns; his best friend’s lesbian sister assists in conquering his fear.

Donoghue, E. (1999). Kissing the witch: Old tales in new skins. NY: HarperCollins.

A collection of thirteen interconnected stories gives familiar fairy tales new twists.

Levithan, D., & Merrell, B., (Eds.). (2006). The full spectrum: A new generation of writing about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other identities. NY: Knopf.

A collection of original poems, essays, and stories by young adults in their teens and early 20’s.

Levithan, D., & Ehrenhaft, D., (Eds.). (2007). 21 proms. NY: Scholastic.

A collection of 21 prom-related stories.

Levithan, D. (2008). How they met, and other stories. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

A collection of stories about love.

Mercado, N.E. (Ed). (2005). Every man for himself: Ten short stories about being a guy. NY: Dial Books.

Ten original short stories written by well known YA lit authors.

Peters, J.A. (2007). grl2grl. NY: Little, Brown.

Love, romance, and dating for gay teenage girls are explored in this collection.

Robson, C. (Ed.). (2007). Outside rules: Short stories about nonconformist youth. NY: Persea Books.

A collection of fourteen stories for teens singled out due to differences from majority peers.

Poetry

Franco, B. (Ed.). (2008). Falling hard: 100 love poems by teenagers. NY: Candlewick. Frost, H. (2003). Keesha’s house. NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

The stories of various teens seeking shelter or refuge, with its narration using sestinas and sonnets.

Levithan, D. (2004). The realm of possibility. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Stories narrated by a variety of high school students in blank verse. The characters’ lives intersect throughout their stories.

Merrell, B. (2003). Talking in the dark: A poetry memoir. NY: PUSH/Scholastic Inc.

Rachel, T.C., & Costello, R.D. (Eds.) (2004). Bend don’t shatter: Poets on the beginning of desire. NY: Soft Skull Press/Red Rattle Books.

Fifty-nine poems written by adults describing what it meant to come of age as an LFBTQ teen.

Fiction

Block, F.L. (2005). Necklace of kisses: A novel. NY: HarperCollins.

Sequel to Weetzie Bat, 20 years later.

Burchill, J. (2005). Sugar rush. NY: HarperCollins.

Fifteen-year-old Kim meets freewheeling Maria and falls in love, but eventually realizes Maria lives for attention and will not change.

**Carney, J. (2006). The adventures of Michael MacInnes. NY: FSG.

Michael and Roger meet in 1924. Roger is closeted, and they become embroiled in a riotous romp of hetero-and homosexual romance. Later lies, deception, discrimination, and murder appear.

Cohn, R., & Levithan, D. (2007). Naomi and Ely’s no kiss list. NY: Knopf.

Best friends straight Naomi and gay Ely find their relationship suddenly strained during their freshman year at a NY university.

Corbet, R. (2005). Shelf life. NY: Walker & Company.

Teens working in a supermarket cope with life issues and customer service challenges.

De Oliveira, E. (2004). Lucky. NY: PUSH/Scholastic.

Nineteen-year-old Sam comes to terms with his bisexuality.

Flinn, A. (2005). Fade to Black. NY: HarperTempest.

An HIV-positive high school student hospitalized after being attacked, the bigot accused of the crime, & sole witness, a classmate with Down Syndrome, share how the assault changed them when discussing afterwards.

Golden, C. (2008). Poison ink. NY: Delacorte.

Five female friends (one is a lesbian) decide to get a tattoo as a sign of their special bond, but when one nervously backs out the group’s friendship is jeopardized.

Goldman, S. (2008). Two parties, one tux, and a very short film about The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Bloomsbury.

When David tells his best friend Mitchell he’s gay Mitchell’s fine with it, although some things change. As David’s not out to anyone else, they agree to be set up with prom dates with more unpredictable events to follow.

Hartinger, B. (2003). Geography Club. NY: HarperTempest.

Gay and lesbian teens find mutual support after forming a high school "Geography Club."

Hartinger, B. (2005). The Order of the Poison Oak. NY: HarperTempest.

After coming out at school, sixteen-year-old Russel becomes a counselor at a camp for burn victims to evade classmates’ antagonism, but finds ten-year-old boys also have problems.

Hartinger, B. (2006). Grand & humble. NY: HarperTempest.

Alternating chapters follow the lives of two high school boys whose recent nightmares and premonitions of disaster are linked to mysterious past events.

Hartinger, B. (2007). Split screen. NY: HarperTeen.

Two books in one tell of sixteen-year-old friends Russel, who is gay, and Min, who is bisexual, as they face separate romantic troubles while working as extras on the set of a horror movie.

Hines, S. (2000). Out of the shadows. NY: Avon.

First published in Australia, three high schoolers grapple with sexual identity, other personal problems, and school abuse.

Howe, J. (2003). The misfits. NY: Simon and Schuster.

Four twelve-year-old “misfits” have been targets of name calling, but plan to fight back in seventh grade.

**Huntington, G. (2002). Sorcerers of the nightwing. NY: HarperCollins.

Fourteen-year-old Devon discovers he is a Sorcerer of the Nightwing, destined to keep demons contained. He and his friends, including the uncloseted Paul, assist him in his dangerous and exciting tasks.

**Huntington, G. (2003). Demon Witch. NY: HarperCollins.

Devon continues his mission while learning more of his past and future, with his friends again assisting him. [Sequel to Sorcerers of the Nightwing.]

Hyde, C.R. (2006). Becoming Chloe. NY: Knopf.

Jordy rescues a confused young woman [Chloe] from a gang rape. Soon Chloe, Jordy, and a gay street teen become a team.

Johnson, M. (2004). The Bermudez triangle. NY: Razorbill.

The friendship of three high school girls is tested when two fall in love with each other.

Jones, C. (2007). Tips on having a gay (ex) boyfriend. Woodbury, MN: Flux/Llewellyn.

Life changes after discovering one’s boyfriend is gay!

Kizer, A. (2007). Gert Garibaldi’s rants and raves: One butt cheek at a time. NY: Delacorte.

Lively Gert narrates life with her gay best friend Adam, who likes Tim, with Gert in love with Tim’s twin brother. [The second in this series, From Butt to Booty is scheduled for December, 2008 publication.]

Kluger, S. (2008). My most excellent year: A novel of love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park. NY: Dial Books.

Three teenagers in Boston narrate their experiences of a year of new friendships, first loves, and coming into their own.

Koertge, R. (2005). Boy girl boy. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.

Three troubled high school seniors plan to run away together after graduation while trying to discover who they are and want to become.

Koja, K. (2005). Talk. NY: Frances Foster Books.

Kit acts in a controversial school play, struggles with coming out, and he and his costar face crises regarding themselves and their relationships. Told from two points of view.

LaRochelle, D. (2005). Absolutely, positively not. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Chronicles a teenage boy's humorous attempts to fit in at his high school by becoming a macho, girl-loving "playboy" pinup-displaying heterosexual.

Levithan, D. (2005). Boy meets boy. London, England: Collins.

Paul meets boy, loses boy, and must win back boy. Paul’s high school quarterback is also its homecoming queen, the school’s gay/straight alliance exists only to teach straight kids how to dance, and being gay is just that.

**Levithan, D. (2006). Wide awake. NY: Knopf.

In the not-too-distant future, when a gay Jewish man is elected president of the US, sixteen-year-old Duncan reexamines his feelings, boyfriend, religious and political beliefs.

Lockhart, E. Dramarama. NY: Hyperion/DGB.

Spending their summer at Wildewood Academy, an elite boarding school for the performing arts, the bond between teens Sadye and her best friend Demi are tested.

Manning, S. (2005). Pretty things. NY: Dutton.

While rehearsing for "The Taming of the Shrew," four English teens explore their relationships and sexuality, discovering surprising truths about themselves.

Mac, C. (2006). Crush. Victoria, BC: Orca.

Sent to live in NY with her sister while her parents are traveling, Hope starts a friendship with a local girl that turns into something unexpected.

McKnight, G. (2006). The frog prince. NY: Simon Pulse.

Alexis and Helene, best friends and stepsisters, summer in Paris. Romantic misunderstandings and rivalries occur among them and the men they meet.

Mechling, L., & Moser, L. (2006). All q, no A More tales of a 10th grade social climber. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Mimi moves to NYC from TX and meets and befriends a wide variety of people.

**Moore, P. (2007). Hero. NY: Hyperion.

Thom, the gay son of a disowned superhero, finds that he, too, has special powers and is asked to join the same league that rejected his father.

Myracle, L. (2003). Kissing Kate. NY: Dutton.

Sixteen-year-old Lissa's relationship with her best friend changes after they kiss. Lissa is confused until receiving help from an unexpected friend.

Papademetriou, L., & Tebbetts, C. (2005). M or F?: A novel. NY: Razorbill.

Marcus helps his friend Frannie chat with her online crush, but soon discovers her crush is falling for him.

Peters, J.A. (2003). Keeping you a secret: A novel. NY: Little, Brown.

Holland begins her final high school semester puzzled about her future and intrigued by a transfer student wishing to start a Lesbigay club.

Peters, J.A. (c. 2004, 2005). Luna: A novel. NY: Little, Brown.

Fifteen-year-old Regan's life, previously centered on keeping her older brother Liam's transsexuality secret, changes when Liam begins publicly transitioning.

Peters, J.A. (2005). Far from Xanadu. NY: Little, Brown.

Sixteen-year-old Mary-Elizabeth tries to cope with her father's suicide and her homosexuality.

Peters, J.A. (2006). Between Mom and Jo. NY: Little, Brown.

Fourteen-year-old Nick tells the story of his life with two lesbian mothers.

**Plum-Ucci, C. (2002). What happened to Lani Garver. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.

Sixteen-year-old Claire is unable to face her fears of leukemia recurrence or handle other health and family problems until the enigmatic Lani Garver appears and helps her grasp control of her life by risking his.

Ryan, A.K. (2008). Vibes. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin.

Kristi, a sophomore in an alternative high school, begins to doubt her psychic insights after learning she is the last one to realize her best friend is gay.

Ryan, P.E. (2007). Saints of Augustine. NY: HarperTeen.

Former best friends Charlie and Sam, now sixteen, realize that their friendship is their only steady thing when each of their worlds is turned upside down through various tumultuous life-events.

St. James, J. (2007). Freak show. NY: Dutton.

After teasing turned into brutal attack, Christianity expressed as persecution, and losing his only friend after admitting his silent crush, seventeen-year-old Billy, a drag queen, decides the only way to become fabulous again is to run for Homecoming Queen at his elite private school.

Sanchez, A. (2003). Rainbow boys. NY: Simon Pulse.

Three seniors struggle with family issues, gay bashers, first sex, and conflicting feelings about each other.

Sanchez, A. (2003). Rainbow high. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Sequel to Rainbow Boys. Three gay high school seniors struggle with coming out, safe sex, homophobia, love, and college.

Sanchez, A. (2004). So hard to say. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Thirteen-year-old Xio and Frederick become close friends, but when Xio starts considering him her boyfriend he must confront confusing feelings and accept being gay.

Sanchez, A. (2005). Rainbow road. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Sequel to Rainbow Boys. While driving across the US after high school graduation, three gay males encounter various bisexual and homosexual people and make decisions about their own relationships and lives.

Sanchez, A. (2006). Getting it. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Carlos, unlucky in love, asks his gay friend Sal for a makeover. Sal agrees if Carlos will assist him in beginning a Gay-Straight Alliance at their high school.

Sanchez, A. (2007). The god box. NY: Simon & Schuster.

When openly-gay Manuel transfers to Paul’s high school, Paul, a born-again Christian, begins to question his own sexuality.

Shaw, T. (2005). The hookup artist. NY: HarperCollins.

Lucas happily serves as his high school's matchmaker, but his finding love is more difficult.

Sloan, B. (2005). A really nice prom mess. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Cameron endures a disastrous prom when forced to accompany a girl, and becomes involved in an on-stage performance, a police chase, and unexpected revelations.

Sloan, B. (2006). A tale of two summers. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Fifteen-year-old best friends Hal (who is gay) and Chuck (who is straight) set up a blog where Hal records his budding romance with a young Frenchman and Chuck falls for a summer camp diva.

Steinhofel, A. (2005). The center of the world. NY: Delacorte Press.

Translated from the German by Alisa Jaffa. By considering his difficult relationships, a teen male learns of the wounds and healing brought by love.

Trueman, T. (2007). 7 days at the hot corner. NY: HarperCollins.

Baseball player Scott struggles with his prejudices and others’ when his best friend reveals he is gay.

Wittlinger, E. (2004). Heart on my sleeve. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Chloe and Julian deal with major changes in families and friendships and explore their feelings for each other through emails, letters, and a visit.

Wittlinger, E. (2007). Parrotfish. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Grady, a transgendered high school student, struggles to adjust to his new identity as a male.

Wittlinger, E. (2008). Love and lies: Marisol’s story. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Marisol enrolls in an adult education class and begins a relationship with her instructor, Olivia. Blinded by love, she begins losing sight of her goals—and unable to see lies and problems. [This is a companion novel to Hard Love.]

Woodson, J. (2004). Behind you. NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

After fifteen-year-old Jeremiah is mistakenly shot by police, those who loved him struggle to cope, unaware that 'Miah is watching over them.

Woodson, J. (2008). After Tupac and D Foster. NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

In NYC’s borough of Queens in 1996, three girls bond over their shared love of Tupac Shakur’s music as together they try to understand their unpredictable world. [One has a gay brother in prison].

Half and Half—Titles where being LGBTQ is initially the problem, but end with embracement and acceptance

Lieberman, L. (2008). Gravity. Custer, WA: Orca.

Ellie is an orthodox Jewish teenager living in Toronto in the late eighties. She has no doubts about her strict religious upbringing until falling in love with another girl. Aware that homosexuality clashes with her religion, Ellie feels forced to either alter her sexuality or leave her religion. However, her mother and sister offer alternative concepts of God that help Ellie find a place for herself as a queer Jew.

Wilson, M. (2008). What they always tell us. NY: Delacorte Press.

Sixteen-year-old Alex feels so disconnected from his friends that he attempts suicide before his junior year, but soon a friend of his older brother draws him into cross-country running and a new understanding of himself.

Nonfiction/Adolescent Resources

Alsenas, L. (2008). Gay America: Struggle for equality. NY:Amulet/Harry N.

Abrams. Bass, E., & Kaufman, K. (1996). Free your mind: The book for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth—and their allies. NY: HarperPerennial.

Beam, C. (2007). Transparent: Love, family, and living the T with transgendered teenagers. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.

Bell, R. (1998). Changing bodies, changing lives: A book for teens on sex and relationships. NY: Times Books.

Ruth Bell and co-authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves and Our Children, together with members of the Teen-Book-Project.

Garner, A. (2004). Families like mine: Children of gay parents tell it like it is. NY: HarperCollins.

Huegel, K. (2003). GLBTQ: The survival guide for queer & questioning teens. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Jennings, K. (2006). Mama’s boy, preacher’s son: A memoir. Beacon Press.

Kaeser, G. (1999). Love makes a family: Portraits of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered parents and their families. Amherst, MA: University of MA Press. Photographs by G. Kaeser and edited by P. Gillespie.

Keen, L. (2007). Out law: What LGBT youth should know about their legal rights. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Pearson, C.L. (2007). No more goodbyes: Circling the wagons around our gay loved ones. Walnut Creek, CA: Pivot Point Books.

Price, G. (2005). Puberty boy. Allen & Unwin [Dist. By Independent Publishers Group].

A discussion of male adolescence/maturation.

Macavinta, C., & Vander Pluym, A. Edited by Verdick, E. and illustrated by Lepage, C. (2005). Respect: A girl's guide to getting respect and dealing when your line is crossed. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Marcus, E. (2007). What if someone I know is gay? Answers to questions about what it means to be gay and lesbian. NY: SimonPulse/S&S.

Mastoon, A. (2001). The shared heart: Portraits and stories celebrating lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people. NY: Harper Collins. Photographs by author.

Snyder, K. (2003). The lavender road to success: The career guide for the gay community. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

Summer, J. (Ed.). (2004). Not the only one: Lesbian and gay fiction for teens. Los Angeles, CA: Alyson.

Trope, Z. (2003). Please don’t kill the freshman: A memoir. NY: HarperCollins.

Fifteen-year-old Zoe’s memoir of high school life began as a small press chapbook that caught the eye of HarperCollins. Written in journal entries and includes a discussion of life with her transgendered boyfriend.

Winfield, C. (2007). Gender identity: The ultimate teen guide. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

Wright, K. (2008). Drifting toward love: Black, brown, and gay, and coming of age on the streets of New York. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Professional

Cart, M. (2007). Passions and pleasures: Essays and speeches about literature and libraries. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

Cart, M., & Jenkins, C.A. (2006). The heart has its reasons: Young adult literature with gay/lesbian/queer content, 1969-2004. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

Martin, H.J., Jr., & Murdock, J.R. (2007). Serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. NY: Neal-Schuman.

Rooney, F. (Ed.). (2004). Hear me out: True stories of teens educating and confronting homophobia: A project of Planned Parenthood of Toronto. Toronto, Canada: Second Story Press.

Originally presented as part of T.E.A.C.H.'s presentations to schools: Safely Out.

Savin-Williams, R.C. (2001). Mom, Dad, I'm gay: How families negotiate coming out. Washington, DC: APA.

Savin-Williams, R.C. (2005). The new gay teenager. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Sears, J.T. (Ed.) (2005). Gay, lesbian, and transgender issues in education: Programs, policies, and practices. Binghamton, NY: Harrington Park Press.

Stein, M. (Ed.). (2004). Encyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history in America. NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Williams, W.L., & Retter, Y. (Eds.). (2003). Gay and lesbian rights in the United States:A documentary history. Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Gay/lesbian documents that begin with a report of Native American transgendered healers in 1677.

**Denotes fantasy/supernatural, and/or a genre other than fiction

Other Resources

Baldwin, J. (1963). Talk to teachers. Saturday Review, 60, 42-44.

Cady, J. (1995). American literature: Gay male, 1900-1969. In C.J. Summers (Ed.), The gay and lesbian literary heritage (p. 69). New York: Henry Holt.

Cart, M. (1997). Honoring their stories, too: Literature for gay and lesbian teens. The ALAN Review, 25.1, 40-45.

Cart, M. (2004). What a wonderful world: Notes on the evolution of GLBTQ literature for young adults. The ALAN Review, 32.2, 46-52.

Daly, M. (1942). Seventeenth summer. NY: Dodd, Mead & Company. [Portrays presumably the first gay character in YA lit; Daly’s novel is recognized as the first novel written specifically for then-contemporary adolescents]

Donovan, J. (1969). I’ll get there. It better be worth the trip: A novel. NY: Harper & Row. [Portrays presumably the first gay characters in contemporary YA literature]

Spiegel, L.A., & Hayn, J. (November, 1998). Listen to our stories: Gay and lesbian themes in adolescent literature. Presentation at the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, Nashville, TN.

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