Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
Staff-created list
LGBTQIA+ people haven't been showing up in YA literature for very long (and we've still got a while to go with some of the identities in that acronym!). This list celebrates some of the trailblazing work of those authors who started writing diverse characters into their books for teens when it was still a publishing risk to do so. Read these to remember where we've been, and celebrate how far we've come, and to imagine what's next as well. Check out the 'Classics' list in the Adult Pride Reading Guide too! We use the hashtag #ownvoices when the author and the main character share an identity.
First published in 1982, 'Annie On My Mind' is a story of two young women in New York whose friendship grows into love, despite pressures from their schoo...Show more
First published in 1982, 'Annie On My Mind' is a story of two young women in New York whose friendship grows into love, despite pressures from their school and families to end the relationship. This book caused a lot of controversy in the USA after its publication - it was banned in many states, and even once publicly burned. While the story might feel quite dated to some now, this classic of the YA genre shows us how far we've come. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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First published in 1982, 'Annie On My Mind' is a story of two young women in New York whose friendship grows into love, despite pressures from their schoo...Show more
First published in 1982, 'Annie On My Mind' is a story of two young women in New York whose friendship grows into love, despite pressures from their school and families to end the relationship. This book caused a lot of controversy in the USA after its publication - it was banned in many states, and even once publicly burned. While the story might feel quite dated to some now, this classic of the YA genre shows us how far we've come. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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In a similar vein to 'Annie On My Mind', 'Dare Truth or Promise' is a story of two young women in Dunedin who fall in love, despite their doubts and fears...Show more
In a similar vein to 'Annie On My Mind', 'Dare Truth or Promise' is a story of two young women in Dunedin who fall in love, despite their doubts and fears, and pressure from school and family to keep them apart. When it was released here in Aotearoa in 1997, it won the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year award and was subject to a lot of controversy. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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In a similar vein to 'Annie On My Mind', 'Dare Truth or Promise' is a story of two young women in Dunedin who fall in love, despite their doubts and fears...Show more
In a similar vein to 'Annie On My Mind', 'Dare Truth or Promise' is a story of two young women in Dunedin who fall in love, despite their doubts and fears, and pressure from school and family to keep them apart. When it was released here in Aotearoa in 1997, it won the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year award and was subject to a lot of controversy. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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You can tell from the cover hairstyles that this book was published in the early 2000s! 'Rainbow Boys' follows three young men at the same school who are ...Show more
You can tell from the cover hairstyles that this book was published in the early 2000s! 'Rainbow Boys' follows three young men at the same school who are at various stages of coming out, to themselves, their families, and at school. Told in alternating perspectives, the boys different personalities and perspectives about what it means to be gay really shine. Nearly 20 years after publication, 'Rainbow Boys' is a classic and gives a clear insight into the similarities and the differences faced by gay youth over time. #ownvoices
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You can tell from the cover hairstyles that this book was published in the early 2000s! 'Rainbow Boys' follows three young men at the same school who are ...Show more
You can tell from the cover hairstyles that this book was published in the early 2000s! 'Rainbow Boys' follows three young men at the same school who are at various stages of coming out, to themselves, their families, and at school. Told in alternating perspectives, the boys different personalities and perspectives about what it means to be gay really shine. Nearly 20 years after publication, 'Rainbow Boys' is a classic and gives a clear insight into the similarities and the differences faced by gay youth over time. #ownvoices
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In 'Boy Meets Boy', author David Levithan imagines a utopia of a small town in America that is accepting, diverse, celebratory, and fabulous. So while the...Show more
In 'Boy Meets Boy', author David Levithan imagines a utopia of a small town in America that is accepting, diverse, celebratory, and fabulous. So while the story might be simple - boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy tries to win boy back - the book is pretty extraordinary, especially considering the context of when it was published. Read it for the romance, for the high-school drama, and for the heartwarming laughs. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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In 'Boy Meets Boy', author David Levithan imagines a utopia of a small town in America that is accepting, diverse, celebratory, and fabulous. So while the...Show more
In 'Boy Meets Boy', author David Levithan imagines a utopia of a small town in America that is accepting, diverse, celebratory, and fabulous. So while the story might be simple - boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy tries to win boy back - the book is pretty extraordinary, especially considering the context of when it was published. Read it for the romance, for the high-school drama, and for the heartwarming laughs. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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'Skim' is a graphic novel about an outcast at a private girls' school. Kimberley ("Skim") stands out for a number of reasons, and when her class...Show more
'Skim' is a graphic novel about an outcast at a private girls' school. Kimberley ("Skim") stands out for a number of reasons, and when her classmates' ex-boyfriend commits suicide, the collective mourning of the people around her only pushes her further away. With the added pain of an overwhelming first crush, this book is a deeply personal, simply and beautifully illustrated exploration of grief, sexuality, and mental health. #ownvoices
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'Skim' is a graphic novel about an outcast at a private girls' school. Kimberley ("Skim") stands out for a number of reasons, and when her class...Show more
'Skim' is a graphic novel about an outcast at a private girls' school. Kimberley ("Skim") stands out for a number of reasons, and when her classmates' ex-boyfriend commits suicide, the collective mourning of the people around her only pushes her further away. With the added pain of an overwhelming first crush, this book is a deeply personal, simply and beautifully illustrated exploration of grief, sexuality, and mental health. #ownvoices
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Two strangers who share the same name cross paths one cold Chicago night and their lives intertwine in totally unexpected ways. Will Grayson and Will Gray...Show more
Two strangers who share the same name cross paths one cold Chicago night and their lives intertwine in totally unexpected ways. Will Grayson and Will Grayson may be the names on the cover, but the true hero of this book is the flamboyant, musical-loving, star football player, out-and-proud Tiny Cooper, whose giant personality and charm changes both the Will's lives for the better. Bitingly funny and charming, this early collaboration between two of YA's biggest authors is a delight. Also available as an eBook.
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Two strangers who share the same name cross paths one cold Chicago night and their lives intertwine in totally unexpected ways. Will Grayson and Will Gray...Show more
Two strangers who share the same name cross paths one cold Chicago night and their lives intertwine in totally unexpected ways. Will Grayson and Will Grayson may be the names on the cover, but the true hero of this book is the flamboyant, musical-loving, star football player, out-and-proud Tiny Cooper, whose giant personality and charm changes both the Will's lives for the better. Bitingly funny and charming, this early collaboration between two of YA's biggest authors is a delight. Also available as an eBook.
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Reece is away from home with her debate partner David, and their coach when disaster strikes across the country - birds fly into planes, crashing dozens. ...Show more
Reece is away from home with her debate partner David, and their coach when disaster strikes across the country - birds fly into planes, crashing dozens. With planes grounded, they are forced to road trip home, and things get weirder from there. After a car crash, a stay in a military hospital in the middle of the desert, and home to a city that feels totally transformed, Reece begins to ask questions that throws her deep into a government conspiracy. Add to the mix a bisexual love-triangle between her, David, and a mysterious and beautiful woman who knows more than she's letting on, and you get a wild story that's thriller, romance, and sci-fi all rolled into one. #ownvoices
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Reece is away from home with her debate partner David, and their coach when disaster strikes across the country - birds fly into planes, crashing dozens. ...Show more
Reece is away from home with her debate partner David, and their coach when disaster strikes across the country - birds fly into planes, crashing dozens. With planes grounded, they are forced to road trip home, and things get weirder from there. After a car crash, a stay in a military hospital in the middle of the desert, and home to a city that feels totally transformed, Reece begins to ask questions that throws her deep into a government conspiracy. Add to the mix a bisexual love-triangle between her, David, and a mysterious and beautiful woman who knows more than she's letting on, and you get a wild story that's thriller, romance, and sci-fi all rolled into one. #ownvoices
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Set in the 80's in Texas, about Aristotle, an angry teen with a brother in prison, and Dante, a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world...Show more
Set in the 80's in Texas, about Aristotle, an angry teen with a brother in prison, and Dante, a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But a friendship - intense and joyful and challenging - develops slowly between them, and it becomes a real protective factor in a difficult world. Also available as an eBook and as a downloadable audiobook. (And we're finally getting a sequel! Coming Oct 2021 - nearly a decade after the first one!) #ownvoices
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Set in the 80's in Texas, about Aristotle, an angry teen with a brother in prison, and Dante, a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world...Show more
Set in the 80's in Texas, about Aristotle, an angry teen with a brother in prison, and Dante, a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But a friendship - intense and joyful and challenging - develops slowly between them, and it becomes a real protective factor in a difficult world. Also available as an eBook and as a downloadable audiobook. (And we're finally getting a sequel! Coming Oct 2021 - nearly a decade after the first one!) #ownvoices
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Set in the early 90's, this story follows a young woman, Cam, who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents alongside the guilt because of the relie...Show more
Set in the early 90's, this story follows a young woman, Cam, who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents alongside the guilt because of the relief she experienced knowing they'll never know she had been kissing a girl when they died. When her sexuality is later discovered by her conservative aunt, she's sent to conversion therapy camp. Despite the heavy topic, the book is a wonder - it is a long, slow burn that really captures the details of the Cam and her journey of discovering her identity and the ways it might be threatened. It has wonderful representation and doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of peoples opinions and beliefs. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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Set in the early 90's, this story follows a young woman, Cam, who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents alongside the guilt because of the relie...Show more
Set in the early 90's, this story follows a young woman, Cam, who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents alongside the guilt because of the relief she experienced knowing they'll never know she had been kissing a girl when they died. When her sexuality is later discovered by her conservative aunt, she's sent to conversion therapy camp. Despite the heavy topic, the book is a wonder - it is a long, slow burn that really captures the details of the Cam and her journey of discovering her identity and the ways it might be threatened. It has wonderful representation and doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of peoples opinions and beliefs. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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Former boyfriends Harry and Craig attempt to beat the world record of longest kiss, and work out where their feelings for each other are going as they do ...Show more
Former boyfriends Harry and Craig attempt to beat the world record of longest kiss, and work out where their feelings for each other are going as they do so. Meanwhile, they become a focal point in the lives of other young, queer folks navigating their identities. Narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS, this book is a poignant and gripping novel about so much more than two boys kissing - it's about the history lost, and how far we've come. A beautiful classic that will stay with you long after the last page. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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Former boyfriends Harry and Craig attempt to beat the world record of longest kiss, and work out where their feelings for each other are going as they do ...Show more
Former boyfriends Harry and Craig attempt to beat the world record of longest kiss, and work out where their feelings for each other are going as they do so. Meanwhile, they become a focal point in the lives of other young, queer folks navigating their identities. Narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS, this book is a poignant and gripping novel about so much more than two boys kissing - it's about the history lost, and how far we've come. A beautiful classic that will stay with you long after the last page. Also available as an eBook. #ownvoices
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