New LGBTQ-Inclusive Kids’ Books for Halloween

Leroy Has Something to Say, by Emily Rosenthal, illustrated by My Phuong Thai (Bloomsbury): Leroy the ghost loves all of the plants in the garden at Rosebud Manor, and offers a yellow rose of friendship to each new family that comes to live there. No one understands what he’s trying to say, however, until a girl with two moms, who uses a tablet to talk,  recognizes that he’s trying to communicate.

The Pumpkin Seed, by Poppy O’Neill, illustrated by Brizida Magro (Nosy Crow): A girl learns to adjust to her mom’s new partner in this sweet story with a message about change and a metaphor about growth, time, and nourishment.

Seeing Stars! (Batcat Book #4), by Meggie Ramm (Abrams Fanfare): Batcat and ghost friend Al return in this entertaining and surprisingly moving graphic novel series. The two nonbinary friends’ lives remain charmingly hilarious while this installment offers a substantive but age-appropriate look at how to help someone dealing with sadness, grief, and perhaps depression.

The Travelers, by Greg Howard (Nancy Paulsen): This atmospheric mystery and adventure with a gay boy protagonist is a thoughtful exploration of intergenerational hurt, grief, healing, and family both chosen and (re)found.

The Ghosts Behind the Door, by Jen Wilde (Scholastic): A girl moves into her Nana’s supposedly haunted home with her two parents (one queer; one trans and nonbinary), in this spooky story about facing the past, confronting oppression, and finding our own “magick.”

Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth, by M.K. England (Penguin Workshop): Riley, who lives above her aunt’s escape room, loves nothing more than a good puzzle. But a real-life disappearance and a bloody clue present a mystery that will test her to the limit.

Spells to Mend Broken Hearts, by Marissa Macy (Scholastic): A queer girl discovers her grandmother’s book On Small Magics, and she and a new friend use it to try and adjust their everyday lives. Will it help them work through grief and change?

The Sea Witch Prophecy (Witchlings #5), by Claribel Ortega (Scholastic): The action-packed conclusion of the series that both evokes the world of She Who Must Not Be Named (young witches organized into houses) and goes beyond it in important and original ways, with a protagonist of color, a culture infused by Ortega’s Dominican heritage, a non-school setting, and a queer-normative world.

Lightmare (The Incorruptibles #2), by Lauren Magaziner (Aladdin): After the events in the first volume of this post-apocalyptic boarding school fantasy, Fiora and her team from the Incorruptibles Academy are continuing to fight against the sorcerers who took over the U.S. a century ago and now oppress non-sorcerers. But will the group be able to take on the ever-growing threats even as the flaws in their own side are exposed?

Clementine H. Hopeful Is Not a Hero, by Noah Corey (Labyrinth Road): An imaginative, darkly entertaining, and pointed look at what makes a hero, villain, or monster, the experience of growing up queer in today’s world, and the cost of creating change.

The Shapeshifter’s Guide to Gym Class, by Kai Cheng Thom (Simon & Schuster): A trans girl stars in this joyous, wise, delightful, and highly recommended story about self-growth, community, and why, as the book says, “The only monsters are the ones we make.”

The Burn Beast, by Mary Averling (G. P Putnam’s Sons): A queer girl with two moms moves to a strange new town and must band together with new friends to face dangerous creatures. Underlying messages explore environmentalism, the perils of corporate greed, what adults pass on to the next generation, and standing up to create change.

The Nowhere Beast (Labyrinth of Souls #2), by Leslie Vedder, illustrated by Abigail Larson (G. P. Putnam’s Sons): In the second volume of this spooky series, set in a queer-normative world, Ix Tatterfall is still training at Candle Corp Academy to protect the kingdom from dangerous Nightmare creatures—but the most dangerous creature of all has Ix in its sights. Underlying the gripping action is a thoughtful exploration of loneliness, grief, belonging, and the ways we handle our feelings.

Shadowglass (Doomsday Archives #3), by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos (Zando): The third volume of this series brings us back to New Rotterdam, one of America’s Most Haunted Cities, and to the three friends who have been given magic relics to combat forces of evil. Serena, the lead protagonist of this volume, has two dads.

Blood City Rollers: Move It or Bruise It, by V.P. Anderson, illustrated by Tatiana Hill (Labyrinth Road): Mina and friend Swan are finally back with the Blood City Rollers after a summer separated from their team, in this graphic novel sequel to Blood City Rollers. The paranormal fun is grounded in the authenticity of the creators’ experiences as derby skaters, underpinned with a thoughtful look at what it means to be a teammate, a friend, and a community.

Middle School Monsters, by Robin Easter (Little Brown Ink): Jamie is hiding her werewolf nature from classmates at her new school. When they warn her about goth Vera, rumored to be a vampire, Jamie wonders if Vera, a “monster” like herself, would actually understand her better. An original but relatable graphic novel of friendship, growing up, and navigating middle school.