Charlie has just transferred to an arts school. She doesn’t know anyone and she’s not even sure she made the right choice switching schools. During an activity fair she starts getting hounded by a girl at one of the booths who is trying to start a basketball team at the school for the first time. At first Charlie’s not interested, but Liv, the girl from the fair is persistent. Once Liv finds Charlie used to play on the team at her school, she’s determined to get Charlie to join the Avant-Guards. The fact that Liv has a little crush on Charlie might add to her persistence too. The Avant-Guards is a graphic novel series that’s funny, realistic and even has a touch of romance if you’re a fan of The Lumberjanes or Giant Days definitely pick up volume 1 right away.
Tag: LGBTQIA+
Pride is Never On Pause: A Reading and Watching List Celebrating LGBTQIA+ for All Ages!
June 5, 2020
Hooray! Pride Month is back and here at the library our staffers have been working overtime to scout out the best books, shows, films, you name it with a connection to the issues most affecting LGBTQIA+ America today. Need something you access from home? Then consider this all-digital list our perfect gift to you.
Digital Pride Resources
(The term “Own Voice” is a term coined by the writer Corinne Duyvis, and refers to an author from a marginalized or under-represented group writing about their own experiences/from their own perspective, rather than someone from an outside perspective writing as a character from an underrepresented group.)
Books: Children’s Picture Books
- The Boy & The Bindi by Vivek Shraya (Trans POC Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- A Church For All by Gayle E. Pitman (Lesbian Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Marlon Bundo – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Dazzling Travis by Hannah Carmona Dias (POC) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Girls Will Be Boys Will Be Girls by Jacinta Bunnell – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel (POC Trans Youth Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- I Promise by Catherine Hernandez (Queer Woman of Color Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Love Is Love by Michael Genhart (Gay Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Morris Micklewhite And The Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Plenty of Hugs by Fran Manushkin – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Sometimes The Spoon Runs Away With Another Spoon by Jacinta Bunnell – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
Books: Children’s Non-Fiction
- The Living Proud! Growing Up LGBTQ series (Gay Own Voice, many topics) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Gay & Lesbian History For Kids by Jerome Pohlen – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Gay Rights Movement by Eric Braun – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Pride: The Celebration and The Struggle by Robin Stevenson – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- What’s Gender Identity? by Katie Kawa – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Some People Do by Frank Lowe – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
Parenting:
- Gay Parenting by Shana Priwer and Cynthia Phillips – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Gender Born, Gender Made by Diane Ehrensaft – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Gender Creative Child – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Gender Identity Workbook for Kids: A Guide To Exploring Who You Are by Kelly Storck and Noah Grigni – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Journey To Same-Sex Parenthood by Eric Rosswood – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Love Song For Baby X by Cheryl Dumesnil – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Parenting Beyond Blue and Pink by Christia Spears Brown, PhD – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Rad Families: A Celebration – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Stuck in the Middle With You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan (Trans Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- This Is A Book For Parents Of Gay Kids by Dannielle Owens-Reid & Kristin Russo – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads by Eric Rosswood – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Unconditional by Telaina Eriksen – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
Books: Children’s Middle Grade Fiction (Ages 9-12)
- Ashes To Asheville by Sarah Dooley – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Birdie and Me by J. M. M. Nuanez – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (Gay Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake – Available on Libby (eBook)
- The Pants Project by Cat Clarke – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- A Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles – Available on Libby (eBook)
Audio Books: Children’s Middle Grade Fiction (Ages 9-12)
- The Best Man by Richard Peck (Gay Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- Birdie and Me by J. M. M. Nuanez – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- George by Alex Gino (own voice) – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- Gracefully Grayson by by Ami Polonsky – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- Hazel’s Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (Queer/Asexual Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- King and The Dragonflies by Kacen Callender – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk! by Greg Howard – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
Family-Friendly Films:
Documentaries:
- Growing Up Trans – Available on Hoopla
- In The Turn – Available on Hoopla
- In My Shoes: Children of Gay Parents – Available on Kanopy
- Gender Matters (short films) – Available on Kanopy
- Expanding Gender – Available on Kanopy
- Our House – Available on Hoopla
Fictional:
- Steven Universe Season 1 – Available on Hoopla
- Steven Universe Season 2 – Available on Hoopla
- Adventure Time – Available on Hoopla
Books: YA Fiction
- Assassins: Discord, by Erica Cameron (Asexual Own Voice, asexual, bisexual, intersex, and gender-fluid characters) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Assassins: Nemesis, by Erica Cameron (Asexual Own Voice, asexual, bisexual, intersex, and gender-fluid characters) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Beneath The Citadel, by Destiny Soria (bisexual, asexual and gay characters) – Available on Hoopla (eBook and eAudiobook)
- Dreadnought by April Daniels (Trans Own Voice) – Available on (eBook)
- Every Heart A Doorway, by Seanan McGuire (queer author; asexual and trans characters) – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook) and Libby (eBook and eAudiobook)
- A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (Bisexual Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle (Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (Trans BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (Nonbinary Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- If I Was Your Girl (Trans Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (Queer BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Let’s Talk about Love by Claire Kann (Asexual BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (Trans BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Radio Silence by Alice Oseman (Asexual Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding – Available on Hoopla (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Starless, by Jacqueline Carey (trans character) – Available on Libby (eBook)
Books: YA Non-Fiction
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson and David Levithan (Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult by Skylar Kergil (Trans Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Brave Face: A Memoir by Shaun David Hutchinson – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to Their Younger Selves by Sarah Moon – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum – Available on Libby(eBook)
- TransMission by Alex Bertie (Trans Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Trans Teen Survival Guide by Fox Fisher and Owl Fisher (Trans Own Voices) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- A Queer History of the United States for Young People by Michael Bronski & Richie Chevat – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager and Zoe More O’Ferrall – Available on Libby (eBook)
Books: YA Graphics:
- Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Girl Town by Carolyn Nowak – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash – Available on Libby (eAudiobook)
- Lumberjanes, Issue 1 by Shannon Watters – Available on Libby (eBook)
- Operatic by Kyo Maclear – Available on Libby (eBook)
- The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang – Available on Libby (eBook)
- This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki – Available on Libby (eBook)
Books: New Adult Fiction
- Crush, by Caitlin Ricci (Asexual/Panromantic Own Voice)- Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Red, White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston – Available on Libby (eBook and eAudiobook)
Books: Adult Fiction
- All Systems Red, by Martha Wells (asexual main character) – Available on Overdrive (eBook)
- All the Birds in the Sky, by Charlie Jane Anders (Trans Own Voice) – Available on (eBook)
- American Dreamer, by Adriana Herrera (BIPOC Own Voice; gay romance) – Available on Overdrive (eBook and eAudiobook) and Hoopla (eBook and eAudiobook)
- The Deep by Rivers Soloman (Trans BIPOC Own Voice) Available on (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi (Trans BIPOC OV) – Available on (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Hold Me, by Courtney Milan (Bisexual BIPOC author, trans character) – Available on Libby (eBook)
- The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers (lesbian Own Voice, genderfluid and pansexual characters) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Gideon The Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir (lesbian Own Voice, lesbian characters) – Available on Overdrive (eBook)
- The Lady’s Guide To Celestial Mechanics, by Olivia Waite (Bisexual Own Voice; lesbian romance) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin (gender fluid characters) – Available on Overdrive (eBook and eAudiobook)
- The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Daniel Mallory Ortberg (Trans Own Voice) – Available on (eBook)
- Once Ghosted, Twice Shy, by Alyssa Cole (BIPOC Own Voice, bisexual and lesbian characters) Available on Libby (eBook and eAudiobook)
- Something to Talk About, by Meryl Wilsner (Non-Binary Own Voice, lesbian romance) – Available on Overdrive (eBook and eAudiobook)
- Space Opera, by Catherynne Valente (queer Own Voice, genderfluid and pansexual characters) – Available on Overdrive (eBook and eAudiobook) and Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, by Kai Ashante Wilson (gay BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
- An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Soloman (Trans BIPOC Own Voice)
- Wolfsong, by T.J. Klune (Queer Own Voice, gay romance) – Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
John Donovan, I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip (1969, own voice). This was the first novel for teens from a major mainstream publisher (Harper & Row) that spoke openly about being gay–with the predictable backlash from the conservative community of critics and publishers and even congressmen. 13-year-old Davy Ross is forced to move in with his alcoholic mother when the grandmother who raised him dies. His father, whom he visits infrequently, is only a remote presence. Into his lonely life enters a classmate: they become friends. But then something unexpected and amazing happens between the two boys, which is what the novel is actually about. Available at https://archive.org/details/illgetthereitbet00dono.
Jeanette Winterson, Frankissstein: A Love Story (2019, Lesbian Own Voice). An audacious love story that weaves together disparate lives into an exploration of transhumanism, artificial intelligence, and queer love.
Books: Adult Non-Fiction
- This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson (LGB Own Voice) – Available on Libby (eBook & eAudiobook)
- Gay Like Me by Richie Jackson (Gay Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Officer Clemmons: A Memoir (Gay BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- We Make It Better: The LGBTQ Community and Their Positive Contributions to Society – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Pride: Fifty Years of Parades and Protests from the Photo Archives of the New York Times – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World by Mason Funk (Gay Own Voice) – Available on Hoopla (eBook)
- Don’t Call Us Dead: Poems by Danez Smith (Trans BIPOC Own Voice) – Available on (eBook)
Maggie Nelson, The Argonauts (2016, Queer Own Voice). Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts is a genre-bending memoir, a work of “autotheory” offering fresh, fierce, and timely thinking about desire, identity, and the limitations and possibilities of love and language. At its center is a romance: the story of the author’s relationship with artist Harry Dodge. This story, which includes the author’s account of falling in love with Dodge, who is fluidly gendered, as well as her journey to and through a pregnancy, is an intimate portrayal of the complexities and joys of (queer) family making. https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/argonauts
Available on Hoopla (eaudibook)
Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider (1984, POC own voice). Presenting the essential writings of black lesbian poet and feminist writer Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider celebrates an influential voice in twentieth-century literature. In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/198292/sister-outsider-by-audre-lorde/
Available on Hoopla (eAudiobook)
Available on Libby by Libby (eBook and eAudiobook)
Saeed Jones, How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir (2019, POC own voice). Haunted and haunting, How We Fight for Our Lives is a stunning coming-of-age memoir. Jones tells the story of a young, black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/How-We-Fight-for-Our-Lives/Saeed-Jones/9781501132735
Available on Libby by Libby (eBook and eAudiobook)
Audiobooks: All Ages:
See Hoopla’s digital collection of LGBTQ eAudiobook titles for a wide array of titles you can check out immediately. There is also a section for LGBTQ eBooks.
Films and Documentaries:
Kanopy currently has 255 films and documentaries labeled as GLBTQ Stories. Search under the categories of LGBTQ History, Transgender Stories, Activism, International Stories, Art and Artists, LGBT Issues and Religion, and New Releases.
Hoopla also contains videos, but clocks in at around 87 or so here.
Other Resources:
Magazines:
- Them – https://www.them.us/
Free Viewing on YouTube:
- Queer Kid Stuff https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCecsVoeJcsXbAra7Sl4mOPw
- Pop’n’Olly https://www.youtube.com/user/ollysp
- Gender Spectrum https://www.youtube.com/user/genderspectrum
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Something’s amiss in Nova’s town. Her neighbors seem a little off and she’s spotted a white wolf lurking in the woods. Turns out the wolf is her childhood friend, Tam. Tam just happens to be a werewolf and it turns they have come back to down to get to the bottom dark magical happenings. Tam and Nova decide to get to the bottom of whatever is going on together and enlist the help of Nova’s grandmas and their bookstore full of magical resources. Mooncakes is a graphic mix of realistic fiction and fantasy. If you’re looking for a creepy yet heartwarming LGBTQAI+ read then this is a great place to start.
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
This book swept the major science fiction awards when it came out, winning the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, BSFA Award, Arthur C. Clarke Award and Locus Award – and all of them well-deserved. It’s a terrific concept, and executed to perfection. The world-building is comprehensive and engaging, and the author’s ability to convey the experience of Breq, a character who used to be a sentient spaceship that saw through the eyes of thousands of bodies (her “ancillaries”), and is now confined to the body of one survivor, is impressive. This was the Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Discussion Group selection for April 2015.
Also available as an audiobook and an eBook.