Hello Friends,
I’ve always been a fan of young adult fiction. The formation of identity – how we define ourselves, why we become who we become and how that’s always changing has always been a focal point of my work. These issues are never so resonant or important or obvious as they are in young adult fiction. One of my favorite Madeleine L’engle quotes is, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” Indeed, it seems like young adult fiction is always pushing the boundaries of what we can and should talk about publicly, particularly when it concerns youth.
I’m dedicating this post to some of the incredible queer YA fiction I’ve read over the years.
The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
This book is usually my first queer YA fiction recommendation, partially because I feel like there’s something in here for everyone and partially because I’m pretty sure everything David Levithan touches turns to gold. A series of interwoven stories from the perspective of teenagers, some queer, some not, The Realm of Possibility beautifully humanizes teen stereotypes. Whenever I loan out this book to friends I suggest they write in the margins or underline whenever they find a passage or story particularly relevant to them. My copy is now full to the brim of comments like ‘This is me in high school!’ Or, ‘My first straight girl crush, to the letter.’ From a girl buying pot for her terminally I’ll mother, to the unrequited love for a best friend, to a boy whose girlfriend is in love with Holden Caufield, it’d be hard not to find a character you see yourself in.
Sister Mischief by Laura Goode
It’s a common critique if queer ya fiction (and indeed fiction of all genres) that the main characters are overwhelmingly white. Sister Mischief is no different but with one distinction, the white characters in it actually recognize their whiteness. The four main characters, (three white, one Indian) come together with a common love of hip-hop and a desire to queer the expectations of their wealthy, white, high school. They openly struggle with how their ethnicity, gender, class, religion, privilege and sexuality play into their relationship with hip hop and each other. Ideally, we’d have enough representation of queer people of color that this book could offer just one of multiple perspectives on the intersections of race and sexuality in queer YA fiction, alas, those books are still few and far between. But hopefully, this book will open the door to more important and interesting perspectives of intersectionality, interracial relationships and queerness.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Aristotle and Dante has won a crazy number of awards, which set my expectations pretty high going into it. Upon reading it, I was thrilled to find this book lives up to its many commendations. Sáenz depicts two thoughtfully intense Mexican-American teenage boys whose circumstances and emotions never seem forced or trite. I’m not one to benignly jump on a bandwagon of a book that’s been lauded by critics and award-givers alike, but I’m more than happy to recommend a book that works for a complex and fresh representation of queer youth like Aristotle and Dante.
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger
Along with more protagonists of color, we need way more trans protagonists in our queer YA lit. What’s more, I can’t wait till the representations move beyond the traditional ‘coming out as trans’ narrative. That said, if you’re looking for engaging, YA trans lit, Parrotfish is a pretty good place to start. For one, unlike its (incredibly important but also problematic) predecessor, Luna by Julie Anne Peters, it’s actually told from the perspective of the trans character. Coming out narrative aside, it avoids a lot of the hyper dramatic, sensationalized plot lines possible for LGBT characters, without making the coming out process unrealistically ‘easy’ for the protagonist.
Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
Dangerous Angels is actually a compilation of five books by Francesca Lia Block. In spite of only one of the books really focusing on LGBT- specific themes (Baby Be-Bop), Francesca Lia Block’s books are the epitome of queer. As a teenager, I devoured this series, drawn in by the characters who felt so incredibly real in spite of the fantastical things that happened around them. Block manages to upend reality in a way that perfectly queers your perceptions of what is, and what should be in our unpredictable and frustrating world.
These are only five examples of a vast and ever-expanding genre. Some other recommended queer ya fiction includes: The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George, I Am J by Cris Beam, Orphea Proud by Sharon Dennis Whyeth, Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Wildthorn by Jane England and Hero by Perry Moore.
What are your favorite queer YA fiction books? What stories are you still waiting for queer YA fiction to address?
Live, Love, Learn,