New Guide to LGBTQAI+ Kids’/YA Books Offers Lists, Advice, Discussion
A new guide to LGBTQAI+ children’s and young adult books should become a go-to resource for librarians, teachers, and parents—although it needs to clean up a few errors.
young adult books
Bestseller and 1st Book by Trans Mom Win Stonewall Awards for LGBT-Inclusive Kids’ Books
A book from a long-running, NYT-bestselling series and the first novel by a transgender mother both win the American Library Association’s annual Stonewall Book Award for LGBT-inclusive children’s and young adult books.
LGBT Characters in Young Adult Literature: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Authors Rachel Manija Brown and Sherwood Smith wrote in a post at Publishers Weekly this week that a literary agent told them to make a gay character in their young adult novel straight if they wanted the agent to represent them. It’s unfortunately not an isolated occurence. If you’re wondering why, author Patricia Nell Warren
A Bevy of LGBTQ-Inclusive Young Adult Books
There is a veritable slew of LGBT-inclusive children’s books, young adult books, and books about parenting coming out right now (a “slew” being more than a “bevy” but less than a “flood”). I will be covering some of them in more depth for my newspaper column, but I wanted to mention a few new young adult books here. They’re a little outside my usual parenting focus, but I liked them enough to give them a mention.
New Award for LGBT Children’s and Young Adult Books
Go librarians. The American Library Association (ALA) this week announced it will add an annual award for “English-language works for children and teens of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience.”
Cinderella with a Lesbian Twist
(Originally published in Bay Windows, September 3, 2009.) “As a kid, Cinderella was basically my favorite fairy tale. I always loved it, even though it was cheesy,” says author Malinda Lo. “I decided to do a retelling of Cinderella since I never read one that I liked.” Lo’s debut young adult novel, Ash (Little, Brown,
Lambda Award Finalists: Children’s/Young Adult
The 21st Lambda Literary Award finalists were announced this week. The six finalists for the LGBT Children’s/Young Adult category are fine books all, although I’m a little disappointed none of them show LGBT parents—as important as it also is to show LGBT kids. Actually, Hit the Road, Manny, is about a gay male nanny, so
2009 Rainbow List of Children’s and Young Adult Books Is Out
The American Library Association’s 2009 Rainbow List of children’s and young adult books with “significant” LGBT content is now out! I interviewed the chair of the Rainbow List Committee, Nel Ward, and the article has just appeared at 365gay.com. I can’t crosspost it yet but I hope some of you will go have a read
Schools, Marriage Equality, and What We’re Teaching Our Children
The Grossmont Union High School District in California voted 4-0 yesterday in support of Proposition 8, the November ballot initiative that would ban marriage of same-sex couples in California. It is believed to be the first public school board in the state to do so. The San Diego Union-Tribune notes that some supporters of the
Vermont Author Writes Teen Novel of First Love
(Originally published in Bay Windows, May 15, 2008.) “It’s the book I wish I’d read when I was 13,” says Vermont writer Jennifer McMahon about her new young adult book, My Tiki Girl (Dutton/Penguin: May 2008). “I wish I had a time machine to send it back to my 13-year-old self. When I fell in