2SLGBTQIA+ Middle Grade Fiction

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

Updated June 13, 2023
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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)
Paper Book
A sweet, tender middle-grade story of two boys finding first love with each other over a seaside summer. Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and his uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It's the first summer after his parents' divorce, and he hasn't...
Rabbit chase
LaPensée, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Anishinaabe culture and storytelling meet Alice in Wonderland in this coming-of-age graphic novel that explores Indigenous and gender issues through a fresh yet familiar looking glass. Aimée, a non-binary Anishinaabe middle-schooler, is on a class trip to offer gifts to ...
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...
Star-crossed
Dee, Barbara
Paper Book
"Star-Crossed delighted me! Barbara Dee has a light touch and a pitch-perfect middle school voice. This book will have you laughing and groaning in sympathy with crush-addled Mattie and eagerly turning pages. Mattie and her classmates charmed me with their kindness, their humor, their...
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...
The fabulous Zed Watson!
Sylvester, Basil.
Paper Book
FINALIST FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD FINALIST FOR THE OLA SILVER BIRCH AWARD The literary scavenger hunt of a lifetime, starring an endlessly endearing non-binary tween Zed Watson loves a few things: their name (which they chose themself!), their big...
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...
Zenobia July.
Bunker, Lisa
Paper Book
The critically acclaimed author of Felix Yz crafts a bold, heartfelt story about a trans girl solving a cyber mystery and coming into her own. Zenobia July is starting a new life. She used to live in Arizona with her father; now she's in Maine with her aunts. She used to...
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...
Alan Cole is not a coward.
Bell, Eric, 1985-
Paper Book
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...
Hurricane season.
Melleby, Nicole.
Paper Book
"Fig Arnold is an original and irresistible heroine in a story full of hope, art, and love." --R. J. Palacio, author of Wonder "A thoughtful portrayal of mental illness with queer content that avoids coming-out clichés." --Kirkus Reviews<...
Better Nate than ever.
Federle, Tim
Paper Book
Soon to be a Disney+ Original movie! "The Nate series by Tim Federle is a wonderful evocation of what it's like to be a theater kid. Highly recommended." --Lin-Manuel Miranda, star and creator of the musical, Hamilton A New York Times Notable Book of the...
Kenzie kickstarts a team.
Rosewater, Kit.
Paper Book
A highly illustrated middle-grade series that celebrates new friendships, first crushes, and getting out of your comfort zone Ever since they can remember, fifth-graders Kenzie (aka Kenzilla) and Shelly (aka Bomb Shell) have dreamed of becoming roller derby superstars. When Austin's city league...
Cattywampus.
Van Otterloo, Ash.
Paper Book
The magical story of a hex that goes haywire, and the power of friendship to set things right!In the town of Howler's Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill's skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family's secret book of hexes, she's...
Drum roll, please.
Bigelow, Lisa Jenn.
Paper Book
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! Melly only...
My life as a diamond.
Manzer, Jenny.
Paper Book
A heartwarming, funny, fast-paced story about the bravery it takes to live as your true self, no matter the cost. Ten-year-old Caspar "Caz" Cadman loves baseball and has a great arm. He loves the sounds, the smells, the stats. When his family moves from Toronto to a suburb of Seattle, the...
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
Paper Book
A touching, humorous story of strong-willed eleven-year-old Liv, who is determined to challenge his school's terrible dress code and change his life. Inspire empathy and compassion (and a few laughs!) in young readers with this stunning middle-grade novel. "My name is Liv (Not Olivia)... I...
Hazel's theory of evolution.
Bigelow, Lisa Jenn.
Paper Book
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....
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 ...
The accursed vampire
McGrane, Madeline
Paper Book
*Named a Rainbow Book List Title* A spooky and funny graphic novel perfect for fans of The Witch Boy and Real Friends Dragoslava is a vampire kid. It has its perks, but sometimes being stuck as a kid forever can be a pain in the neck. And that's not even the worst part. A few...

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