AN ASSEMBLY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

LGBT Teen Reading List

As faculty advisor to his school's Gay Straight Alliance, GSEA chair Michael Weinberg has obtained grants to purchase gay and lesbian themed books for the high school library and has consulted with other high school groups about obtaining grants of their own. This book list has grown out of those grant proposals. Contact him at [email protected].

Aarons, Leroy. Prayers for Bobby: A Mother’s Coming to Terms with the Suicide of her Gay Son. (1995)

Drawing on the diaries of Bobby Griffith, a gay youth who committed suicide as a teenager, and the reminiscences of his mother, the author traces Mary Griffith's struggle to come to terms with her son's sexuality and her turn away from religious fundamentalism.

Abrahams, George. Boy v Girl: How Gender Shapes Who We Are, What We Want, and How We Get Along. (2002)

Each day, in countless ways, gender shapes who we are, what we can become, and how we relate to others. This book invites young readers to examine the issues, weigh the facts, and overcome gender barriers to make the most of friendships, school, extracurricular activities, and the future.

Adams, Maurianne and others. Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An Anthology on Racism, Anti-Semitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and Classism. (2000)

This reader contains a mix of short personal and theoretical essays as well as entries designed to challenge students to take action to end oppressive behavior and to affirm diversity and racial justice. Each thematic section is broken down into three divisions: Contexts; Personal Voices; and Next Steps and Action.

Anshaw, Carol. Lucky in the Corner. (2003)

Nora and her teenage daughter, Fern, have a typically contentious relationship. They share a house with Nora's partner, Jeanne, and their dog, Lucky, and life is purring along until Nora makes a bad decision that results in a painful disruption of their family life.

Bass, Ellen and Kate Kaufman. Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Youth and their Allies. (1996)

A practical resource guide for gay teenagers and college students helps gay youth understand, accept, and celebrate their sexual orientation; overcome obstacles; make healthy choices about relationships and sex; and participate in the gay and lesbian community.

Bauer, Marion Dane, ed. Am I Blue? Coming Out From the Silence. (1994)

A collection of short stories about homosexuality by such authors as Bruce Coville, M.E. Kerr, William Sleator, and Jane Yolen.

Beam, Cris. Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T with Transgender Teenagers. (2008)

Beam writes of her volunteer activities at Eagles, a small high school for gay and transgender teens in Los Angeles, by focusing on first one, then another, of the young people she encountered.

Benduhn, Tea. Gravel Queen. (2003)

It's the summer between their junior and senior years of high school for Aurin and her friends Kenney and Fred. Fred has known he's gay for as long as he can remember, but Aurin discovers her attraction to Neila, a new girl in town, as the novel progresses. The plot centers on her awakening to her sexual identity and the difficulty she has in maintaining her old friendships while pursuing the new intimacy.

Block, Francesca Lia. Baby Be-Bop. (1995)

Dirk MacDonald, a sixteen-year-old boy living in Los Angeles, comes to terms with being gay after he receives surreal storytelling visitations from his dead father and great-grandmother.

Block, Francesca Lia. Echo. (2001)

Echo, who believes that "the only things I know how to do well are shoplift, kiss and dance," feels excluded from her extraordinary parents' perfect love for each other. So she sets out alone to try and fill the cavernous void inside. During her travels, Echo meets a broken angel, iron-pumping vampires, and the fairy daughter of a rock star.

Block, Francesca Lia. Girl Goddess #9: Nine Stories. (1996)

Stories about nine remarkable young women include the tales of a girl with two mothers, a girl who keeps a strange blue-skinned creature in her closet, a rock star groupie, and a dancer who loves poetry and moonlight picnics.

Block, Francesca Lia. Violet & Claire. (1999)

In search of material for a screenplay they are developing, seventeen-year-old Violet and her new friend Claire try to make life a movie as they chase their dreams through dangerously beautiful Los Angeles.

Block Francesca Lia. Weetzie Bat. (2004)

The narrative follows the adventures of the eponymous character Weetzie and her best friend Dirk, who happens to be gay. On being granted three wishes by a genie, Weetzie discovers that the ramifications of her wishes are not exactly what she had been expecting.

Brett, Catherine. S. P. Likes A. D. (1990)

A fast moving short novel...Brett treats the topic of homosexuality in a matter of fact way.

Bull, Chris, ed. Come Out Fighting: A Century of Essential Writings on Gay and Lesbian Liberation. (2001)

An anthology of the last century's essential writing on gay and lesbian issues from U.S. independent and alternative progressive journals.

Cart, Michael. My Father’s Scar. (1996)

As he enters into his first relationships as a gay man, a college freshman recalls the aching loneliness of life with his alcoholic physically abusive father in a community prejudiced against homosexuals.

Cart, Michael. Love and Sex: Ten Stories of Truth. (2001)

Original stories on the various aspects of love and sexuality.

Chambers, Aiden. Dance on My Grave. (2008)

The love of sixteen-year-old Hal Robinson for self-confident Barry Gorman is revealed through Hal’s own observations, press clippings, and the scattered notes of a social worker. These various perspectives contribute to an extraordinarily sensitive portrait of the intensity of first love.

Chandler, Kurt. Passages of Pride: True Stories of Lesbian and Gay Teenagers. (1997)

Interviews with six St. Paul teenagers are supplemented with profiles of other teens as they confront--sometimes triumphantly, sometimes tragically--the challenges of coming out to themselves and the world.

Crutcher, Chris. Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories. (2002)

In these six short stories, he and his athlete protagonists take on such weighty issues as racism, homophobia, sexism and the teenager's essential task of coming to terms with his parents.

Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch. (1999)

A collection of tradition fairy tales retold from a modern woman’s point of view.

Ferris, Jean. Eight Seconds. (2000)

Eighteen-year-old John must confront his own sexuality when he goes to rodeo school and finds himself strangely attracted to an older boy who is smart, tough, complicated, gorgeous, and gay.

Fox, Paula. Eagle Kite, The. (1995)

Liam's father has AIDS, and his family cannot talk about it until Liam reveals a secret that he has tried to deny ever since he saw his father embracing another man at the beach.

Fricke, Aaron. Reflections of a Rock Lobster: A Story of Growing Up Gay. (1995)

Written by a young man who sued his school for the right to bring a same-sex date to the prom, this book portrays a realistic and unglamorized portayal of the life of a gay teen.

Gallo, Donald. On the Fringe. (2001)

From a star football player standing up for a tormented student to a ruthless bully who tests the faith of a religious girl, a collection of stories that embodies the teen "outsider" experience.

Garden, Nancy. Annie on my Mind. (1982)

Liza puts aside her feelings for Annie after the disaster at school, but eventually she allows love to triumph over the ignorance of people.

Garden, Nancy. Holly’s Secret. (2000)

When she starts middle school, eleven-year-old Holly decides to become sophisticated and feminine, change her name to Yvette, and hide the fact that her two moms are lesbians.

Garden, Nancy. Year They Burned the Books, The. (1999)

While trying to come to terms with her own lesbian feelings, Jamie, a high-school senior and editor of the school newspaper, finds herself in the middle of a battle with a group of townspeople over the new health education curriculum.

Grahm, Judy. Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds. (1990)

Uses personal memories, etymology, legend, and recent and ancient history to explore the importance and meaning of gay and lesbian life.

Gray, Mary. In Your Face: Stories from the Lives of Queer Youth. (1999)

A collection of essays drawn from discussions about gender and sexuality with gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth.

Hardy, Mark. Nothing Pink. (2008)

Vincent is a preacher's son who has known since his childhood that he is gay and that being gay, according to the Bible and his father's sermons, is a sin. He has prayed and offered up his sin to God over and over with no relief, and has come to realize that his homosexuality is as innate to him as his desire to reach out for God. It isn't until he meets Robert and begins a sweetly innocent romance with him that he begins to hear what God has been trying to tell him: that He loves him the way He created him.

Hartinger, Brent. Geography Club. (2003)

Russel is gay, and he knows he better keep it secret, or he'll be a total outcast in his small-town high school. But then he discovers that there are others like him--including Min, his longtime best friend, and her lesbian lover, as well as gorgeous, popular jock star Kevin. Seven of them form a support group (the "Geography Club" is their cover-up name), and for a short time, life is blissful.

Hartinger, Brent. Order of the Posion Oak, The. (2005)

In this sequel to Geography Club, 16-year-old Russel, now openly gay and tired of being the freak at school, tries to escape as a counselor in a rural summer camp with his two best friends.

Hines, Sue. Out of the Shadows. (2000)

Set at a high school in contemporary Australia, this young adult novel is a love triangle with several twists. Nearly 16 years old, Rowanna is a nice kid with a tough (and secret) background. When we meet her, she's still coming to terms with several facts: that her mother was gay, that her mother was killed by a drunk driver, and that she now lives with her mother's partner--a woman it's taken her years to stop hating.

Homes, A. M. Jack. (1990)

Fifteen-year-old Jack's confused feelings for his father, who left him and his mother four years earlier, are further complicated when he finds that his father is gay.

Howe, James. Misfits, The. (2003)

Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school decide to create a third party for the student council elections to represent all students who have ever been called names.

Howe, James. Totally Joe. (2005)

Joe's teacher asks his seventh-grade class to write an “alphabiography” throughout the year, presenting themselves and their lives in entries from A to Z. Joe's essays begin and end with friends, from Addie, a long-time pal and confidant, to Zachary, a new student who, like Joe, has a unique approach to life. Throughout, Joe demonstrates that he truly is a one-of-a-kind kid, mostly comfortable with himself but struggling with common adolescent issues.

Howey, Noelle & Ellen Samuels. Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Parents. (2000)

The typical adolescent experience of being mortified by one's parents or squeamish about discussing sexuality takes on an additional dimension in this collection of essays by 20 contributors who have a queer mom or dad (or two).

Huegel, Kelly. GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens. (2003)

Huegel has written an indispensable guide for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens, as well as for their straight peers and parents. In 11 candid, fact-filled, nonjudgmental chapters, she covers every aspect of being GLBTQ-- from coming out to homophobia, from religion and culture to sex and sexuality.

Jaffe McClain, Ellen. No Big Deal. (1997)

A girl named Janice Green started hearing rumors about her favorite teacher Mr.P being gay. All of the sudden someone spray painted homophobic graffiti on Mr.P's car and Janice knew who the person was. This book is about how Janice knew she had to stand up for what's right and do the right thing.

Kaeser, Gigi & Peggy Gillespie. Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People and their Families. (1999)

This collection of informal family portraits and interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents and their children grew out of a photo exhibit created by photographer Kaeser.

Kerr. M. E. Deliver Us From Evie. (1994)

Sixteen-year-old Parr Burrman and his family face some difficult times when word spreads through their rural Missouri town that his older sister is a lesbian, and she leaves the family farm to live with the daughter of the town's banker.

Kerr, M. E. Hello, I Lied. (1998)

Lang Penner is a happily adjusted 17-year-old gay teen who is engaged in a loving relationship with Alex, a 20-year-old actor. When Lang becomes emotionally involved with Huguette, the French daughter of a famous deceased rock star, life suddenly becomes more complicated.

Kerr, M. E. Night Kites. (1986)

Seventeen-year-old Erick's comfortable and well-ordered life begins to fall apart when he is forced to keep two secrets: the identity of his new girlfriend and the nature of his brother's debilitating disease.

Ketchum, Liza. Twelve Days in August. (1993)

Twins Alex and Rita move into Todd's Vermont town just as soccer practice begins. In the days before the first scrimmage, the entire team is affected by Alex's obvious athletic skill. Todd finds himself admiring the newcomer; another player, Randy, is intimidated by his talent--and also by his suspected homosexuality.

Ketchum, Liza. Blue Coyote. (1996)

In this sequel to Twelve Days in August, Alex moves to a new place where he struggles to find love and his true identity.

Koja, Kathe. Talk. (2005)

Other people may be surprised when Kit, who has never acted before, wins the lead in the high-school play. But he isn't. He knows the truth: he's been acting all his life, pretending to be straight. Things become increasingly complicated for the closeted teen when his difficult costar, Lindsay, falls in love with him.

Levithan, David. Boy Meets Boy. (2005)

Paul has known that he was gay every since kindergarten when his teacher told him so. But where Paul lives it is not only acceptable to be gay, but most of the town is. As we follow Paul throughout the turbulent month of November, he takes as on an incredible journey of friendship, self-discovery, and acceptance.

Levithan, David and Billy Merrell. The Full Spectrum. (2006)

Using works submitted anonymously through a web site, Levithan and Merrell have selected 40 essays, mini-autobiographies, poems, and photographs that chronicle the lives of 21st-century young people, ages 13 to 23.

Marcus, Eric. Is It a Choice? Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gay and Lesbian People. (1999)

Provides insightful, no-nonsense answers to hundreds of the most commonly asked questions about homosexuality.

Marcus, Eric. What if Someone I Know is Gay? Answers to Questions About Gay and Lesbian People. (2000)

Provides useful information and anecdotes on many issues concerning friends and family, dating, sex, religion, school, activism, and discrimination.

Mastoon, Adam. The Shared Heart: Portraits and Stories Celebrating Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young People. (2001)

In this stirring collection of photographs and personal narratives, forty lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people share their thoughts and experiences about family, friends, culture, and coming out.

Nelson, Theresa. Earthshine. (1994)

Slim watches over her father, a disarmingly charismatic man, as his struggle with AIDS reaches its climax.

Perronne, Michael Holloway. A Time Before Me. (2006)

A gay teen struggles to find his identity in the contrasting worlds of rural Mississippi and the big city of New Orleans. Growing up in a small Mississippi town in the early 1990s, shy and inexperienced Mason spends much of his time with his best friend and secret childhood crush, the charming and daring Billy.

Peters, Julie Anne. Keeping You a Secret. (2003)

Holland Jaeger goes steady with a good-looking boy and contemplates attending an Ivy League college in the fall. Then she meets "out-and-proud" lesbian Cece Goddard, and her life changes. Within a matter of weeks, the two begin an affair that eventually leads to a committed relationship.

Peters, Julie Anne. Luna. (2004)

Regan has always been there for her transgender brother, Liam, sacrificing her needs for his, but when he announces that he is ready to "transition" into Luna permanently, Regan is not sure she can handle the consequences. She has been his confidant all her life, letting Luna dress in her room, buying underwear for her when Liam couldn't, and giving support. However, when the attractive new guy in chemistry class shows an interest in Regan, she wishes her sibling would just go away and give her a chance to live her own life.

Revoyr, Nina. Necessary Hunger, The. (1998)

Step-sisters and rival athletes Nancy and Raina form a supportive bond as together they combat racism, experience self-discovery, and awaken to their first feelings of love.

Reynolds, Marilyn. Love Rules. (2001)

Seventeen-year-old Lynn experiences surprise, discomfort, and a new awareness of prejudices and stereotyping when her best friend Kit comes out as a lesbian.

Ryan, Sara. Empress of the World. (2001)

While attending a summer institute, fifteen-year-old Nic meets another girl named Battle, falls in love with her, and finds the relationship to be difficult and confusing.

Sanchez, Alex. Getting It. (2007)

15-year-old Carlos Amoroso asks Sal, the gay guy at school, to make him over so he can stop being a "girlfriend-less virgin." Sal agrees, in exchange for Carlos's help with forming a Gay-Straight Alliance. As Sal helps Carlos fix up his room and shop for clothes—and even eat better—he also teaches Carlos to be more honest and to stand up for what is right.

Sanchez, Alex. God Box, The. (2007)

High school senior Paul has dated Angie since middle school, and they're good together. They have a lot of the same interests, like singing in their church choir and being active in Bible club. But when Manuel transfers to their school, Paul has to rethink his life. Manuel is the first openly gay teen anyone in their small town has ever met, and yet he says he's also a committed Christian. Talking to Manuel makes Paul reconsider thoughts he has kept hidden, and listening to Manuel's interpretation of Biblical passages on homosexuality causes Paul to reevaluate everything he believed.

Sanchez, Alex. Rainbow Boys. (2001)

Three high school seniors, a jock with a girlfriend and an alcoholic father, a closeted gay, and a flamboyant gay rights advocate, struggle with family issues, gay bashers, first sex, and conflicting feelings about each other.

Sanchez, Alex. Rainbow High. (2003)

In this sequel to Rainbow Boys, gay friends Nelson, Kyle, and Jason, nearing the end of their high school days, struggle with issues of coming out, safe sex, homophobia, being in love, and college choices.

Sanchez. Alex. Rainbow Road. (2005)

In this third part of a trilogy, Nelson, Kyle, and Jason prepare for college. During an eye-opening postgraduation summer road trip, each of the three very different boys also embarks on a personal journey across a landscape of love, sexuality, homophobia, and above all, friendship.

Sanchez, Alex. So Hard to Say. (2004)

Frederick is just starting the eighth grade as a new student at a California middle school. During his first week he meets Xio, a girl of Mexican descent who is immediately attracted to his "kick-butt blue eyes and sandy blond hair spiked in front." Xio and her girlfriends welcome Frederick into their circle, with Xio clearly thinking of him as boyfriend material. But what does Frederick himself want? At first even he is not sure.

Scholinski, Daphne. The Last Time I Wore a Dress. (1998)

This terrifying memoir recounts author Daphne Scholinski's three years spent in mental institutions for, among other things, Gender Identity Disorder. This book is both a powerful indictment of Gender Identity Disorder treatment and an inspiring testament of one person's survival.

Shannon, George. Unlived Affections. (1995)

At his grandmother's death, eighteen-year-old Willie finds a box of old letters which explain many family secrets.

Singer, Bennett. Growing Up Gay/Growing Up Lesbian. (1993)

A literary anthology geared specifically to gay and lesbian youth, that includes more than fifty coming-of-age stories by established writers and by teenagers.

Sonnie, Amy. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Anthology. (2000)

Celebrates the hues and harmonies of the future of gay and lesbian society, presenting not a collection of stories but a collection of experiences, ideas, dreams, and fantasies expressed through prose, poetry, artwork, letters, diaries, and performance pieces.

Stevenson, Michael & Jeanine Cogan. Everyday Activism: A Handbook for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People and Their Allies. (2003)

From combating hate crimes and workplace discrimination to debunking myths about homosexuality and child abuse, this all-in-one guide shows lesbians, gays, bisexuals and everyone else how to promote change in everyday life.

Taylor, William. Blue Lawn, The. (1999)

A fifteen-year-old boy acknowledges his attraction to an older rugby teammate, as he also begins to break out of the preconceived notions his family and others have about him.

Taylor, William, Jerome. (1999)

Marco, a teen living in Australia, and Kate, his acquaintance who is a foreign exchange student in the U.S., develop a friendship through e-mail, faxes, and online chats. Although their friendship is based on their individual relationship with Jerome, whose death has devastated them both, their conversations gradually move beyond their immediate loss to an exploration of each other's thoughts, especially Kate's feelings about her homosexuality and experiences in another country.

Van Dijk, Lutz. Damned Strong Love: The True Story of Willi G. and Stefan K. (1995)

Set in occupied Poland during World War II, this novel is based on the true story of Stefan K., a Polish boy who, at 16, fell in love with a German soldier. When their liaison was discovered by the Gestapo, the teen was tortured and sentenced to a labor camp.

Watts, Julia. Finding H. F. (2001)

Sixteen-year-old Heavenly Faith (H.F.) discovers she has a crush on a local college professor's daughter, and embarks on a search for her missing mother.

Wersba, Barbara. Whistle Me Home. (1997)

Seventeen-year-old Noli feels as if she has found her soul mate when handsome, sensitive TJ moves to Sag Harbor, but even as their feelings deepen, individual secrets threaten their relationship.

Winick, Judd. Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned. (2000)

In graphic art format, this book describes the friendship between two roommates on the MTV show "Real World," one of whom died of AIDS.

Withrow, Sarah. Box Girl. (2001)

Gwen, hoping to be reunited with her mother, saves the postcards that she sends.

Wittlinger, Ellen. Hard Love. (1999)

After starting to publish a zine in which he writes his secret feelings about his lonely life and his parents' divorce, sixteen-year-old John meets an unusual girl and begins to develop a healthier personality.

Wittlinger, Ellen. What’s In a Name. (2000)

Each of ten teenagers living in Scrub Harbor, Massachusetts, explores his or her identity at the same time that the local residents consider changing the name of their town.

Woodson, Jacqueline. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun. (1995)

For as long as thirteen-year-old Melanin Sun can remember, it's been just him and his mom. His father walked off before he was born. His mother never dated much. Usually after just two or three dates with a man she'd lose interest. Melanin Sun was happy with his life and family situation...until his mom discovered the pretty white lawyer named Kristin.

Woodson, Jacqueline. House You Pass on the Way, The. (1999)

The daughter of an interracial couple, 14-year-old Staggerlee is already an outsider when she wonders if she is gay, too.

Woog, Dan. Friends and Family: True Stories of Gay America’s Straight Allies. (1999)

This collection of personal interviews highlights the contributions of the many devoted heterosexual activists who give their time and energy to gay rights, but who are often overlooked in the lesbian and gay community's struggle for equality and acceptance. The book features touchingly honest stories of families and individuals, from a self-proclaimed "former redneck" whose life changed when his son died of AIDS to a Mormon couple who took on their church when two of their six children came out as gay.

Yamanaka, Lois-Ann. Name Me Nobody. (1999)

Emi-Lou struggles to come of age in her middle school years in Hawaii.

RETURN HOME