Adult resources: Books & bookstores

Some initial notes:

• I used Goodreads as the place to link for a summary of and reviews on each book listed in this website. I wanted a user-focused site that wasn't associated with Amazon because, goodness knows, most of us spend way too much money there. But then, after i'd already linked probably 100 books to it, i found out that Goodreads is, in fact, owned by Amazon. Sigh. So i kept using Goodreads to be consistent and because there really are some great book reviews there.
• Some of the books here are part of a series. In that situation, i've generally either included only the relevant book or, if more than one book in the series has queer or trans content, have linked to the first book.
• FYI, "et. al." means there are more than 2 authors to a book. In those situations, i've generally included the first person’s name and then inserted "et. al." instead of pasting in more names.
• Whether i put a book here or in the youth section was sometimes clear (e.g., when a book was written for younger readers it went in the youth section). Sometimes, however, that decision was somewhat arbitrary. For instance, non-fiction books written for adults are often here. But sometimes i put them in the youth section, especially those about history since few to no queer or trans folx learn our history until maybe when we go to college. But even then, we have to take the "right" classes to get this kind of content.
• Also, a great way to buy books and support local bookstores that i found in researching for this site: Bookshop.org. Check 'em out.
• More ideas about buying books for young people can be found on the "Choose books that reflect LGBTQA+/ SGL lives" page of R2T2.

In addition to what's below, check out the lists of books for teens, many of which can also be enjoyed by adults.

1. * My Brother's Husband, by Gengoroh Tagame and Anne Ishii (Translator) 弟の夫 [Otouto no Otto]
2. When the Moon Was Ours, by Anna-Marie McLemore

In addition to what's below, check out the lists of books for teens, many of which can also be enjoyed by adults.

1. Becoming Nicole, by Amy Ellis Nutt
2. The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation, by Jodie Patterson
3. How to Be a Girl: A Mother's Memoir of Raising Her Transgender Daughter, by Marlo Mack
4. * Love Without Limits: A Grandparent's Guide to Supporting and Advocating for Transgender Grandchildren, by Laura Hoge
5. One Day I’ll Grow Up and Be a Beautiful Woman, by Abi Maxwell
6. Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son, by Lori Duron
7. Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T with Transgender Teenagers, by Cris Beam
8. Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, by Julia Serano

In addition to what's below, check out the lists of books for teens, many of which can also be enjoyed by adults.

1. The Advocate Educator's Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive, by Vanessa Ford and Rebecca Kling 
2. American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era, by Nico Lang
3. * Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families, by Peggy Gillespie (editor)
4. Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender, by Kit Heyam
5. Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lesbians and Gays Talk About Their Experiences, by Carolyn Welch Griffin, et. al.
6. Beyond Pronouns: The Essential Guide for Parents of Trans Children, by Tammy Plunkett
7. * Beyond the Gender Binary, by Alok Vaid-Menon
8. Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity, by C. Riley Snorton
9. Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity, by James Martin
10. Drifting Toward Love: Black, Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York, by Kai Wright
11. The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves, by Shawn A. Ginwright, PhD
12. Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity, by Jack Turban
13. Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children, by Diane Ehrensaft
14. The Gender Creative Child: Pathways for Nurturing and Supporting Children Who Live Outside Gender Boxes, by Diane Ehrensaft
15. * How to They/Them: A Visual Guide to Nonbinary Pronouns and the World of Gender Fluidity, by Stuart Getty
16. How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide to Exploring Who You Are, by Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker
17. Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America, by John D'Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman
18. * Let's Talk About Being Trans: Your one-stop guide for everything transgender related, whether you’re trans, questioning or intrigued, by Jamie Raines
19. * Listen, Learn and Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints, by Richard Ostler
20. The Lives of Transgender People, by Genny Beemyn and Susan Rankin
21. Myths of Gender: Biological Theories about Women and Men, by Anne Fausto-Sterling
22. OtherWise Christian: A Guidebook for Transgender Liberation, by Chris Paige
23. Our Children Are Your Students: LGBTQ Families Speak Out, by Tara Goldstein
24. * Out!: How to Be Your Authentic Self, by Miles McKenna
25. Queer: A Graphic History, by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele (Illustrator)
26. * Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality, by Eliot Schrefer
27. * A Queer History of the United States, by Michael Bronski
28. * A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities, by Mady G. and J.R. Zuckerberg
29. * A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson
30. * Rainbow History Class: Your Guide Through Queer and Trans History, by Hannah McElhinney
31. Rainbow Parenting: Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies, by Lindz Amer
32. Raising Kids beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children, by Jamie Bruesehoff
33. Raising the Transgender Child: A Complete Guide for Parents, Families & Caregivers, by Michele Angello and Ali Bowman
34. * Read This to Get Smarter: About Race, Class, Gender, Disability, and More, by Blair Imani
35. * Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression, by Iris Gottlieb
36. Sex Positive Talks to Have With Kids: A guide to raising sexually healthy, informed, empowered young people, by Melissa Pintor Carnagey
37. Sex Talks with Tweens: What to Say & How to Say It, by Amy Lang MA
38. Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality, by Anne Fausto-Sterling
39. Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults, by Finn V. Gratton
40. * The T in LGBT: Everything you need to know about being trans, by Jamie Raines
41. Teen World Confidential: Five-Minute Topics to Open Conversation about Sex and Relationships, by Kim T. Cook
42. * This Book Is Gay, by Juno Dawson
43. Trans Allyship Workbook: Building Skills to Support Trans People In Our Lives, by Davey Shlasko and Kai Hofius (Illustrator)
44. Trans Like Me: Conversations for All of Us, by CN Lester
45. The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals, by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper
46. Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition, by Elijah C. Nealy
47. Transgender Students in Elementary School: Creating an Affirming and Inclusive School Culture, by Melinda Mangin
48. The Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens, by Stephanie Brill and Lisa Kenney
49. Transgender Voices: Beyond Women and Men, by Lori B. Girshick
50. TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly (This is an academic journal, not a book. But this section is where this fits the best.)
51. Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child, by Telaina Eriksen
52. * Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, by Devon Price [If the inclusion of this book seems bizarrely random to you, check out this Hot Topics page.]
53. * What's Your Pronoun?: Beyond He and She, by Dennis Baron

I'm including this section here since middle schoolers are probably less likely than high schoolers to be checking this website out for themselves and, hence, visiting the youth resources section.

If you have an advanced middle grades reader who's ready for high school-level social content, feel free to check out the books in the youth section.

When you're looking at the options below, it's great to choose some books (and movies) that include LGBTQA+/SGL characters where their sexual orientation or gender identity isn’t the focus of the book. As one of my survey-takers wrote, "We need more media with lgbtq+ representation that doesn't focus a lot on the lgbtq+ aspect. Like, it's part of the story without it being a plot point or a big deal."

Notation reminder (*):

• Everything that’s preceded by a red asterisk (*) is a source recommended by my survey-takers.

1. 99% Chance of Magic: Stories of Strength and Hope for Transgender Kids, by Amy Eleanor Heart, et. al.
2. Alan Cole Is Not a Coward, by Eric Bell
3. Alice on the Outside, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. Ana on the Edge, by A.J. Sass
5. The Best at It, by Maulik Pancholy
6. The Best Liars in Riverview, by Lin Thompson
7. The Best Man, by Richard Peck
8. Better Nate than Ever, by Tim Federle
9. Birdie and Me, by J.M.M. Nuanez
10. Birthday, by Meredith Russo
11. Blanca & Roja, by Anna-Marie McLemore
12. Both Can Be True, by Jules Machias
13. The Boy in the Dress, by David Walliams and Quentin Blake (illustrator)
14. A Boy Like Me, by Jennie Wood
15. The Cardboard Kingdom, by Chad Sell, et. al.
16. The Cartoonists Club, by Raina Telgemeier
17. The Case of the Stolen Scarab (A Candlestone Inn Mystery), by Nancy Garden
18. Cattywampus, by Ash Van Otterloo
19. A Costume for Charly, by C.K. Malone and Alejandra Barajas (Illustrator)
20. Crane, by Jeff Stone
21. The Deep & Dark Blue, by Niki Smith
22. Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee
23. Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
24. Ellen Outside the Lines, by A. J. Sass
25. Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror, by Jennifer Finney Boylan and Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)
26. Felix Yz, by Lisa Bunker
27. Freeing Finch, by Ginny Rorby
28. Glitch Girl!, by Rainie Oet
29. Going Overboard, by Caroline Huntoon
30. Gracefully Grayson, by Ami Polonsky
31. Guide to the Crystal Gems, by Rebecca Sugar
32. Halfway to Somewhere, by José Pimienta
33. Hazel's Theory of Evolution, by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
34. A High Five for Glenn Burke, by Phil Bildner
35. House of Hades, by Rick Riordan
    • While Goodreads isn't very helpful in this instance, the book’s description from "30 LGBTQIA Kids' Books That Make The World Better" makes it clear why it's on this list: "In the fourth installment of superstar Rick Riordan's best-selling The Heroes of Olympus series, Demigod Nico comes out and admits he is in love with Percy. Riordan has said on the subject of Nico's sexuality[,] 'The idea that we should treat sexual orientation itself as an adults-only topic, however, is absurd. Non-heterosexual children exist. To pretend they do not, to fail to recognize that they have needs for support and validation like any child, would be bad teaching, bad writing, and bad citizenship.' The gay subplot is woven into the ongoing action and adventure in the book in a way that is forthright without overdoing it."
36. The House You Pass On the Way, by Jacqueline Woodson
37. Hurricane Child, by Kacen Callender
38. If You Believe in Mermaids... Don't Tell, by A.A. Philips
39. In Search of the Pinmaker: A Fantasy Pin World Adventure: Fantasy Pin World, Book 2, by Briana Lawrence
40. Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World, by Ashley Herring Blake
41. King and the Dragonflies, by Kacen Callender
42. Kiss, by Jacqueline Wilson
43. Lily and Dunkin, by Donna Gephart
44. Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy, by N.D. Stevenson, et. al.
45. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, by Rick Riordan
46. The Manny Files, by Christian Burch
47. Marco Impossible, by Hannah Moskowitz
48. Melissa, by Alex Gino
49. The Moon Within, by Aida Salazar
50. Moonflower, by Karen Callender
51. My Dad Thinks I’m a Boy?!: A Trans Positive Children's Book, by Sophie Labelle
52. My Life as a Diamond, by Jenny Manzer
53. My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer, by Jennifer Gennari
54. Newsgirl, by Liza Ketchum
55. No Castles Here, by A. C. E. Bauer
56. Not Your Sidekick, by C.B. Lee
57. Obie Is Man Enough, by Schuyler Bailar
58. Ollie In Between, by Jess Callans
59. One Half from the East, by Nadia Hashimi
60. The Other Boy, by M.G. Hennessey
61. The Pants Project, by Cat Clarke
62. Pepper's Rules for Secret Sleuthing, by Briana McDonald
63. Pet, by Akwaeke Emezi
64. A Possibility of Whales, by Karen Rivers
65. Princeless: Raven The Pirate, by Jeremy Whitley
66. * Princess Princess Ever After, by Kay O'Neill
67. Redwood and Ponytail, by K. A. Holt
68. Rick, by Alex Gino
69. Riding Freedom, by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Also available in Spanish: Un Caballo Llamado Libertad)
70. Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson
71. The Ship We Built, by Lexie Bean
72. Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, by Esme Symes-Smith
73. The Skull of Truth: A Magic Shop Book, by Bruce Coville
    • While Goodreads isn't very helpful here, the book's description from "30 LGBTQIA Kids' Books That Make The World Better" makes it clear why it's on this list: "In a subplot of Coville's fourth Magic Shop book, Charlie's Uncle Bennie explains that he is gay. The two are able to have an open conversation about love, honesty, and respect, and the takeaway message is a beautiful one: ‘Love is nothing to be ashamed of.' " This might be a great place to start if your tween reader isn’t ready for a full-on queer book.
74. Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh
75. A Song for You & I, by Kay O'Neill
76. Spin with Me, by Ami Polonsky
77. Stage Dreams, by Melanie Gillman
78. Star-Crossed, by Barbara Dee
79. Symptoms of Being Human, by Jeff Garvin
80. Thanks a Lot, Universe, by Chad Luca
81. Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff
82. Totally Joe, by James Howe
83. Two Weeks With The Queen, by Morris Gleitzman
84. The Whispers, by Greg Howard
85. The Witch Boy, by Molly Knox Ostertag
86. Zenobia July, by Lisa Bunker

I'm including this section here since middle schoolers are probably less likely than high schoolers to be checking this website out for themselves and, hence, visiting the youth resources section.

If you have an advanced middle grades reader who's ready for high school-level social content, feel free to check out the books in the youth section.

When you're looking at the options below, it's great to choose some books (and movies) that include LGBTQA+/SGL characters where their sexual orientation or gender identity isn’t the focus of the book. As one of my survey-takers wrote, "We need more media with lgbtq+ representation that doesn't focus a lot on the lgbtq+ aspect. Like, it's part of the story without it being a plot point or a big deal."

Notation reminder (*):

• Everything that’s preceded by a red asterisk (*) is a source recommended by my survey-takers.

1. The Big Book of Pride Flags, by Jessica Kingsley and Jem Milton (Illustrator)
2. Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain, by Trevor Romain
3. The Every Body Book: The LGBTQ+ Inclusive Guide for Kids about Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families, by Rachel E. Simon and Noah Grigni (Illustrator)
4. the GENDER book, by Mel Reiff Hill and Jay Mays (This book isn't geared toward children. But the authors says it's appropriate for any age.)
5. The Gender Identity Workbook for Kids: A Guide to Exploring Who You Are, by Kelly Storck, LCSW, and Noah Grigni (illustrator) (This book is best done with kids and adults working together.)
6. A House for Everyone: A Story to Help Children Learn about Gender Identity and Gender Expression, by Jo Hirst and Naomi Bardoff (Illustrator)
7. How to Handle Bullies, Teasers and Other Meanies: A Book That Takes the Nuisance Out of Name Calling and Other Nonsense, by Kate Cohen-Posey
8. It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender, and Sexual Health, by Robie H. Harris, Michael Emberley (Illustrator)
9. It's So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families, by Robie H. Harris, Michael Emberley (Illustrator)
10. LGBTQIA+ Pride Sticker Book, by Jessica Kingsley Publishers (Author) and Ollie Mann (Illustrator)
11. Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community, by Robin Stevenson
12. The Pronoun Book: She, He, They, and Me!, by Cassandra Jules Corrigan and Jem Milton (Illustrator)
13. Puberty Is Gross but Also Really Awesome, by Gina Loveless and Lauri Johnson (Illustrator)
14. Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes From Past and Present!, by Arabelle Sicardi and Sarah Tanat-Jones (Illustrator)
15. Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU, by Fiona Smyth
16. Superheroes on a Medical Mission: Medikidz Explain HIV, by Chilman-Blair and Tony Lee
17. Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution!: The Story of the Trans Women of Color Who Made LGBTQ+ History, by Joy Michael Ellison and Teshika Silver (Illustrator)
18. This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us, by Katherine Locke
19. Trans Pride: A Coloring Book, by Fox Fisher
20. Wait, What?: A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up, by Heather Corinna and Isabella Rotman (Illustrations)
21. You Be You!: The Kid’s Guide to Gender, Sexuality, and Family, by Jonathan Branfman and Julie Benbassat (Illustrator)
22. You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body, by Trish Hutchison, et. al.

Books for adults:

1. 12 Black Queer Books You Need to Read During Black History Month
2. Bookshop.org
3. JKP books on gender diversity
4. LGBTQ Books for Adults
5. LGBTQ Reads
6. Social Justice Books: LGBTQ+
7. Trans and Nonbinary Reads for Adults
8. Trans Youth Equality Foundation book lists
9. Transgender Reading List for Adults
10. TransParent bookshop.com page

Book lists for multiple ages:

1. Allstora
2. GLSEN's Rainbow Library

Books for middle grades readers:

1. 17 Great LGBTQ Middle Grade Novels You Need In Your Life
2. 23 Highly Recommended LGBT Books for Teens and Tweens
3. Ace Stories: Middle Grade
4. Fabulous LGBTQ Books for Middle Schoolers
5. LGBTQ+ Books for Kids & Tweens
6. LGBTQ+ Books for Tweens
7. LGBTQ Books for Kids, Tweens, & Teens
8. LGBTQ Reads
9. Middle Grade LGBTQ Reads
10. Pride Month: A Banned Book Reading List
11. Queer Joy: Tweens
12. Social Justice Books: LGBTQ+ Middle School
13. Stonewall Book Awards - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award

Not a book but related:

1. Queer Authors Share Pride Advice for Middle Schoolers (YouTube)

If you have one in your area, patronize them! Not only will they have fantastic suggestions and connections with the community, but you'll be supporting a business that is likely struggling against the black-hole, soulless pull of Amazon.

You’ll find several lists of such bookstores below. The lists were all created/updated in 2021 or later. But no guarantee that a bookstore hasn't closed in the interim. Give them a call or check their website before stopping by, just to be sure. If you're not local to these shops, see if they ship. And, of course, you can also Google bookstores in your particular location.

1. 6 Fun, Funky, and Important Queer Bookstores to Shop Your Reading List
2. The 8 Best LGBTQ-Owned and Affirming Bookstores in the US
3. 56 LGBTQ-Owned Bookstores You Can Be Proud to Support
4. Bookshop.org
5. LGBTQIAP+-Owned Bookstores to Support
6. Practice Pride: Shop at these Queer Owned Bookstores
7. Queer Liberation Library
   • This is actually an online lending library with a ton of relevant books. You can view books for tweens and teens. You can also join for free, although there may be a waiting list.
8. Queer-Owned Bookstores to Support