Teen and YA books with LGBT characters
Representation is so important, both for teens who are themselves LGBT and also for others to gain more empathy and understanding.
These books for teens and young adults all feature lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters and relationships.
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Just Like Everyone Else
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
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Just Like Everyone Else
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
A funny, thought-provoking story that challenges gender stereotypes, explores different ideas of family and acknowledges the diffi…
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The Art of Protest
Author: De Nichols
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
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The Art of Protest
Author: De Nichols
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
Explaining why art can be so powerful within social movements, and the different forms protest art can take, De Nichols introduces…
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To Night Owl From Dogfish
Author: Meg Wolitzer and Holly Goldberg Sloan
Interest level: 9-12
Reading age: 9+
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To Night Owl From Dogfish
Author: Meg Wolitzer and Holly Goldberg Sloan
Interest level: 9-12
Reading age: 9+
Told entirely in emails and letters, this sensitive, often funny book examines what it means to be a family, and what happens when…
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Girl Hearts Girl
Author: Lucy Sutcliffe
Interest level: 10+
Reading age: 10+
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Girl Hearts Girl
Author: Lucy Sutcliffe
Interest level: 10+
Reading age: 10+
A real-life memoir about a young person coming to terms with her sexuality and her 'coming out', as well as her first relationship…
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Abertalli
Interest level: 15+
Reading age: 14+
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Abertalli
Interest level: 15+
Reading age: 14+
Simon finds himself in trouble when an email he sent ends up in the wrong hands; will his secret about his sexuality be revealed?
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Alex As Well
Author: Alyssa Brugman
Interest level: 15-16
Reading age: 14+
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Alex As Well
Author: Alyssa Brugman
Interest level: 15-16
Reading age: 14+
Alex As Well is a pioneering young adult story which explores issues of gender, identity and sexuality in a frank and unembellishe…
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Never Trust a Gemini
Author: Freja Nicole Woolf
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 12+
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Never Trust a Gemini
Author: Freja Nicole Woolf
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 12+
This charming, funny romantic comedy about a girl who likes girls is packed with awkward moments, sticky situations and complex ch…
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Read Me Like a Book
Author: Liz Kessler
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 9+
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Read Me Like a Book
Author: Liz Kessler
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 9+
Written 15 years ago, Kessler's novel is about 17-year-old Ash, discovering her sexuality and eventually coming out.
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The Art of Being Normal
Author: Lisa Williamson
Interest level: 14-15
Reading age: 13+
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The Art of Being Normal
Author: Lisa Williamson
Interest level: 14-15
Reading age: 13+
David Piper has always been an outsider, labelled a freak by the school bully. Only his two best friends know the real truth &ndas…
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Proud of Me
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 9-13
Reading age: 9+
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Proud of Me
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 9-13
Reading age: 9+
A beautifully written and everyday story of LGBTQ family life that’s perfect for any middle grade reader, especially for chil…
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Hurricane Child
Author: Kacen Callender
Interest level: 9-12
Reading age: 9+
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Hurricane Child
Author: Kacen Callender
Interest level: 9-12
Reading age: 9+
Caroline’s mother has gone and left an aching hole in her life. When new girl Kalinda arrives on the island, Caroline falls in lov…
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What's The T?
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
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What's The T?
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
Juno Dawson's no-nonsense guide to all things transgender and non-binary is an essential read for readers thinking about identity,…
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Love Frankie
Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 10+
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Love Frankie
Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 10+
14 year old Frankie is having to grow up quickly to help her mum with her developing MS - and now that one of her bullies is start…
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The List of Things That Will Not Change
Author: Rebecca Stead
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 11+
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The List of Things That Will Not Change
Author: Rebecca Stead
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 11+
Bea’s dad is gay and he’s marrying his boyfriend Jesse, who Bea loves. Bea lives half of her week with mum, half of the week with …
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Pumpkin Heads
Author: Rainbow Rowell Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 10+
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Pumpkin Heads
Author: Rainbow Rowell Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 10+
A story of friendship and romance told in a funny and inclusive graphic novel that celebrates the joy and diversity of Halloween t…
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Stay A Little Longer
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 8+
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Stay A Little Longer
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 8+
Since Aman’s father died, nothing has been the same. Then she befriends a new neighbour, who is lonely too. This warm, o…
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Nothing Ever Happens Here
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
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Nothing Ever Happens Here
Author: Sarah Hagger-Holt
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
Nothing ever happens in Littlehaven... at least, that is, until Izzy's Dad comes out as trans. A gentle, timely and warm story abo…
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This Book is Gay
Author: Juno Dawson Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
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This Book is Gay
Author: Juno Dawson Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
A fantastic book for classrooms and school libraries, This Book is Gay is a must-read for teachers and parents, as well as teens t…
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We Are All Made of Molecules
Author: Susin Nielsen
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
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We Are All Made of Molecules
Author: Susin Nielsen
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
High-functioning Stewart is happy at Genius Academy but his life is shattered when his Mum dies from cancer. Ashley is obsessed wi…
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Postcards from No Mans Land
Author: Aidan Chambers
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 9+
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Postcards from No Mans Land
Author: Aidan Chambers
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 9+
The stories of three different characters are interwoven in this powerful novel exploring relationships, sexuality, life and death…
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Sugar Rush
Author: Julie Burchill
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
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Sugar Rush
Author: Julie Burchill
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
Shortlisted for the 2005 Booktrust Teenage Prize, this is a controversial and daring look at the gritty reality of teenage experie…
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City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 9+
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City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 9+
When Clary visits a nightclub, she discovers that she is one of the Shadowhunters - a group of demon-hunters living in a worl…
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Kiss
Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 11+
Reading age: 9+
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Kiss
Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 11+
Reading age: 9+
Wilson skilfully combines an approachable and involving teenage story with a debate about true friendship, sexual identity and gro…
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Out of the Blue
Author: Sophie Cameron
Interest level: 13-18
Reading age: 10+
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Out of the Blue
Author: Sophie Cameron
Interest level: 13-18
Reading age: 10+
Angels are falling from the sky, and it is 17-year-old Jaya who finds a live one. The urgent drama of saving the angel plays out a…
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Boys Don't Cry
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
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Boys Don't Cry
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
Dante is waiting for the postman. It's 'A' level results day and he has high hopes, but a knock on the door brings an old girlfrie…
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Hollow Pike
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 10+
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Hollow Pike
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 10+
Lis London had hoped that a move to the country would allow her to escape not only the bullies but also her recurring nightmares
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Stay A Little Longer
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 8+
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Stay A Little Longer
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 8+
Since Aman’s father died, nothing has been the same. Then she befriends a new neighbour, who is lonely too. This warm, o…
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Noteworthy
Author: Riley Redgate
Interest level: 14-18
Reading age: 10+
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Noteworthy
Author: Riley Redgate
Interest level: 14-18
Reading age: 10+
Presenting herself as Julian, Jordan successfully auditions for an all-male a capella group and is forced to consider what it mean…
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What is Gender?
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 10-16
Reading age: 10+
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What is Gender?
Author: Juno Dawson
Interest level: 10-16
Reading age: 10+
An informative, no-nonsense guide looking at the concept of gender and the different issues surrounding it, featuring personal sto…
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 14+
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 14+
High school student Charlie prefers to look on life from the sidelines, but he can't be a 'wallflower' for ever, and soon finds hi…
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Boy Meets Boy
Author: David Levithan
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
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Boy Meets Boy
Author: David Levithan
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
This delightful high-school story is set in a town in which being a gay teenager is no more fraught with difficulty than being str…
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