2SLGBTQIA+ Middle Grade Fiction

Books with 2SLGBTQIA+ stories written for middle-grade readers.

Updated May 13, 2026
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Brady Mason's Perfect Fit
Melleby, Nicole.
Paper Book
What happens when a sporty foster kid from the suburbs meets her glamorous birth mom in the big city? This slice-of-life novel is perfect for fans of Judy Blume and Wendy Mass. Brady Mason couldn't care less about fashion. She likes what she knows: baseball,...
Chris makes a friend
Gino, Alex
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of MELISSA, a sweet and tart story about unexpected friendship and family reconciliation. THIS IS NOT THE SUMMER CHRIS HAD PLANNED... Chris does not want to be spending the summer with her grandparents and her little sister. Her...
Bea Mullins takes a shot
Deibert, Emily
Ebook
When a 7th grader is forced to join her school's hockey team, she discovers unexpected friendships and a budding crush on the team captain. This fierce and heartfelt queer romance explores the courage to face your fears, even when your dreams are on thin ice. Some goals are...
Mountain Upside Down
Ryan, Sara.
Paper Book
A funny and heartfelt LGBTQIA+ middle grade novel set against the backdrop of family drama and a library funding campaign in a small town. Alex Eager lives in Faillin, OR with her grandmother, a retired librarian. Life should be great for Alex, since she finally worked up the...
13 ways to say goodbye
Fussner, Kate
Paper Book
A novel-in-verse about life after loss, 13 Ways to Say Goodbye beautifully renders the power of sibling bonds, the depth of grief, and the strength of learning to love again, perfect for fans of Everywhere Blue and The Distance to Home, from the author of The Song of Us. Nina...
World Worth Saving
Lukoff, Kyle.
Paper Book
A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST . A groundbreaking, action-packed, and ultimately uplifting adventure that intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an unflinching examination of the impacts of transphobia, from Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff. "Rare and beautiful-a novel...
Mallory in Full Color
Paper Book
A funny, poignant middle grade novel about a tween who navigates questions of identity and friendship when her anonymous web comic goes viral, from the acclaimed author of Tethered to Other Stars. Mallory Marsh is an expert at molding into whatever other people want her to be...
School for Invisible Boys
Paper Book
What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies. Sixth grade takes a turn for the weird when Hector Griggs...
Small town pride. [online electronic book]
Stamper, Phil.
Paper Book
From acclaimed author Phil Stamper (The Gravity of Us and As Far as You'll Take Me) comes a poignant and heartfelt coming-of-age, contemporary middle grade debut novel about finding your place, using your voice, and the true meaning of pride. Perfect for fans of Rick...
Alice Austen lived here.
Gino, Alex
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of Melissa, a phenomenal novel about queerness past, present, and future. Sam is very in touch with their own queer identity. They're nonbinary, and their best friend, TJ, is nonbinary as well. Sam's family is very cool with it... as long as Sam...
The language of seabirds.
Taylor, Will (Children's literature author)
Ebook
Too bright to see.
Lukoff, Kyle.
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book . Winner of the Stonewall Book Award . A National Book Award Finalist "A gentle, glowing wonder, full of love and understanding." -The New York Times Book Review It's the summer before middle school and eleven-year-old Bug's best friend...
Rabbit chase / [graphic novel]
LaPensee, Elizabeth
Paper Book
A BookRiot Don't-Miss 2022 Queer Graphic Novels & Memoirs * "Rabbit Chase is a welcome intersectional work for today's youth."--Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Still Here! and At the Mountain's Base Anishinaabe culture and storytelling meet Alice in...
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy.
Leali, Michael
Paper Book
An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Selection * Golden Kite Award Winner * New York Public Library Best Books for Kids * ALA Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth * Jane Addams Award finalist * Lambda Literary Award Finalist A heartfelt debut novel about a boy's attempt to find himself in the...
The best liars in Riverview.
Thompson, Lin
Paper Book
In the woods of a small Kentucky town, Aubrey sets off on a journey about growing up, self-discovery, and acceptance while searching for their missing best friend--perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and Three Times Lucky. Aubrey and Joel are...
To Night Owl from Dogfish.
Sloan, Holly Goldberg, 1958-
Paper Book
From two extraordinary authors comes a moving, exuberant, laugh-out-loud novel about friendship and family, told entirely in emails and letters. Avery Bloom, who's bookish, intense, and afraid of many things, particularly deep water, lives in New York City. Bett Devlin, who's...
In the key of us.
Lockington, Mariama.
Paper Book
STONEWALL HONOR BOOK ● From the author of the critically acclaimed novel For Black Girls Like Me and the Schneider Family Book Award Winner Forever Is Now, comes a coming-of-age story surrounding the losses that threaten to break us and the friendships that make us...
King and the dragonflies.
Callender, Kacen.
Paper Book
A 2021 Coretta Scott King Honor Book! Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature! Winner of the 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry! In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him...
Different kinds of fruit.
Lukoff, Kyle.
Paper Book
In this funny and hugely heartfelt novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Too Bright to See, a sixth-grader's life is turned upside down when she learns her dad is trans Annabelle Blake fully expects this school year to be the same as every other- same teachers,...
Pet.
Emezi, Akwaeke
Paper Book
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER * ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by The New York Times * Time * Buzzfeed * NPR * New York Public Library * Publishers Weekly * School...
Alan Cole is not a coward.
Bell, Eric, 1985-
Ebook
Perfect for fans of Tim Federle and Gary Schmidt, this is a hilarious and poignant tale about the trials of middle school when you're coming of age--and coming out. Alan Cole can't stand up to his cruel brother, Nathan. He can't escape the wrath of his demanding father, who thinks he's...
Better Nate than ever.
Federle, Tim
Audiobook
A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical. Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he' s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he' d settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he' s stuck in...
Cattywampus.
Van Otterloo, Ash.
Audiobook
Drum roll, please.
Bigelow, Lisa Jenn.
Ebook
Find the confidence to rock out to your own beat in this big-hearted middle grade novel. One of Time Out's "LGBTQ+ books for kids to read during Pride Month," this is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Drama and Tim Federle's Better Nate Than Ever!...
Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world.
Blake, Ashley Herring
Paper Book
In the wake of a destructive tornado, Ivy Aberdeen develops feelings for another girl in this stunning, tender novel about emerging identity, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish. When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house...
The Pants Project.
Clarke, Cat
Ebook
Hazel's theory of evolution.
Bigelow, Lisa Jenn.
Ebook
Winner of the Lambda Literary Award! The Thing About Jellyfish meets Raymie Nightingale in this tender middle grade novel from Lisa Jenn Bigelow, acclaimed author of Drum Roll, Please. Hazel knows a lot about the world. That's because when she's not hanging with her best friend,...
The real Riley Mayes. [graphic novel]
Elliott Rachel
Paper Book
A Stonewall Book Award Honor * A Sid Fleishman Humor Award Honor Funny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.   Fifth grade is just not Riley's vibe. Everyone else is...
The best at it.
Pancholy, Maulik, 1974-
Paper Book
From award-winning actor Maulik Pancholy comes a hilarious and heartfelt middle grade debut about a gay Indian American boy coming into his own. One of Time Out's "LGBTQ+ books for kids to read during Pride Month," this is perfect for fans of Tim Federle's Nate series. A ...

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