Read Harder 2017: Read a YA/MG by an Author Who Identifies at LGBTQ+

One of the book challenges I’m most excited about for the Book Riot 2017 Read Harder Challenge is “read a YA or MG book by an author who identifies as LGBTQ+”! Middle grade and YA books are more than diverse than ever (but we still have a ways to go), and while it’s great to see so many new books include LGBTQ+ characters of all ages, I’m excited that this challenge supports and highlights #ownvoices. And luckily for us, there are so many great books to choose from! Before we dive in, I want to address why our YA list is going to be longer than the MG list. First off, YA authors tend to be a bit more visibly out in their public author lives than MG writers are. While every writer has their own personal and professional reasons for this, I highly encourage you to read Alex London’s article “Why I Came Out As a Gay Children’s Writer” to understand why being open about their sexuality can be difficult for some MG writers, and even detrimental to their careers (like I said, we’ve still got a ways to go!). In compiling this list, I don’t assume that because an author wrote a book in which a significant character is gay, they must also be gay. Therefore, the writers here are those who are publicly out, or those whom I know personally and have obtained their permission to include their names in this list. If I have missed anyone or overlooked them, it’s probably because I’m not aware that they identify as LGBTQ+, but if they’re out in their public lives, feel free to let us know in the comments!

YA:

Zac Brewer The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series The Cemetery Boys The Blood Between Us Jaye Robin Brown No Place to Fall Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit (this one would also work for the LGBTQ romance challenge!) Amy Rose Capetta (full disclosure: Amy Rose is a friend!) Entangled Unmade Echo After Echo (out in October) Sara Farizan If You Could Be Mine Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel M-E Girard Girl Mans Up Heidi Heilig The Girl from Everywhere The Ship Beyond Time Shaun David Hutchinson The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley We Are the Ants The Edge of the Universe …plus more titles! Bill Konigsburg Openly Straight The Porcupine of Truth Honestly Ben …and other titles! Nina LaCour Hold Still The Disenchantments Everything Leads to You (which would also work for the LGBTQ romance challenge!) You Know Me Well (with David Levithan) We Are Okay (out in February) Mackenzi Lee This Monstrous Thing The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue David Levithan Two Boys Kissing Every Day Boy Meets Boy …and so many others! Malinda Lo Ash Huntress Adaptation Inheritance Carrie Mac 10 Things I Can See From Here (out February 28th) …plus other titles! Cori McCarthy (full disclosure, Cori is a friend!) Breaking Sky You Were Here Anna-Marie McLemore The Weight of Feathers When the Moon Was Ours Gabby Rivera Juliet Takes a Breath Meredith Russo If I Was Your Girl Benjamin Alire Saenz Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe The Inexplicable Logic of My Life (out soon) …and many others! Adam Silvera More Happy Than Not History is All You Left Me (out January)

MG:

  Phil Bildner A Whole New Ballgame Rookie of the Year …and many others! Alex Gino George Jessica Leader Nice and Mean Brian Selznick The Invention of Hugo Cabret Wonderstruck The Marvels Delia Sherman The Evil Wizard Smallbone The Freedom Maze …and other titles!

Authors who write both YA/MG!

Marion Dane Bauer On My Honor (MG Killing Miss Kitty and Other Sins (YA) Runt (MG) Little Dog, Lost (MG) …and so many more titles Melanie Crowder Parched (MG) Audacity (YA) The Nearer Moon (MG) Three Pennies (MG) An UnInterrupted View of the Sky (YA) Tim Federle (MG) Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (MG) The Great American Whatever (YA) Alex London Proxy (YA) The Wild Ones (MG) Dog Tags (MG) …and other titles! Hannah Moskowitz Marco Impossible Gena/Finn (with Kat Helgeson) …and so many more titles! Jacqueline Woodson Brown Girl Dreaming (MG) Feathers (MG) After Tupac and D Foster (MG) Hush (YA) …and so many more titles!   Which books are you most excited to read?   (Note: Marion Dane Bauer was originally classified as MG author, some of her titles can be considered YA/MG crossovers.)