Trans & Non-binary Stories for Teens

A non-exhaustive list of teen books featuring, and written by, trans+ and/or non-binary folks

Updated January 27, 2025
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The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester
MacGregor, Maya 
Paper Book
An Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction Nominee "Look no further for your next favorite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all- a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a...
Canto contigo : a novel
Garza Villa, Jonny
Paper Book
STONEWALL BOOK AWARDS - MIKE MORGAN & LARRY ROMANS YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE AWARD WINNER When a Mariachi star transfers schools, he expects to be handed his new group's lead vocalist spot--what he gets instead is a tenacious current lead with a very familiar, very kissable...
Felix ever after
Callender, Kacen
Paper Book
A Stonewall Honor Book * A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All Time From Stonewall and Lambda Award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time. Felix Love has...
Lucy, uncensored
Hammond, Mel
Paper Book
A road trip through gender identity, self-expression, and the thorny process of figuring out where you fit after high school as an out-and-proud transgender teen. Lucy imagines college as more than a chance to party with other drama nerds and be roommates with her best friend...
Compound fracture
White, Andrew Joseph
Paper Book
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches--following a trans autistic teen who's drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them. The INSTANT New York Times, USA Today, and Indie...
The spirit bares its teeth
White, Andrew Joseph
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature! A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare. New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White...
Hell followed with us
White, Andrew Joseph
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. "A long, sustained scream to the various strains of anti-transgender legislation multiplying around the world...
Transmogrify! : 14 fantastical tales of trans magic
Davis, G. Haron
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys, this anthology claims a seat at the table of fantasy literature for trans and gender nonconforming stories. Transness is as varied and colorful as magic can be. In Transmogrify!, you'll embark on fourteen different...
The heartbreak bakery
Capetta, A. R.
Paper Book
A Lambda Literary Award Winner Teenage baker Syd sends ripples of heartbreak through Austin's queer community when a batch of post-being-dumped brownies turns out to be magical--and makes everyone who eats them break up. "What's done is done." Unless,...
Act cool
McSmith, Tobly
Paper Book
*Named a Rainbow Book List Title and one of Bank Street Children's Best Books of the Year* A trans teen walks the fine line between doing whatever it takes for his acting dream and staying true to himself in this moving, thought-provoking YA novel from the acclaimed author of...
Stay gold
McSmith, Tobly
Paper Book
Debut author Tobly McSmith delivers a coming-of-age teen love story about a transgender boy who's going stealth at his new Texas high school and a cisgender girl who is drawn to him, even as she's counting down the days until graduation. Perfect for fans of David Levithan, Becky...
All out
Mitchell, Saundra
Paper Book
Take a journey through time and genres to discover stories where queer teens live, love, and shape the world around them. Seventeen young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of beautifully written diverse historical fiction for...
Out now : queer we go again!
Mitchell, Saundra
Paper Book
QUEER WE GO AGAIN! Fans of Becky Albertelli, Adam Silvera and Nina LaCour will eat up this delicious anthology of romantic and adventurous contemporary and speculative stories featuring LGBTQ+ teens. A follow-up to the critically acclaimed All...
Out there : into the queer new yonder
Mitchell, Saundra
Paper Book
Into the queer new yonder! To conclude the trio of anthologies that started with critically acclaimed All Out and Out Now, Out There features seventeen original short stories set in the future from fantastic queer YA authors. Explore new and...
Meet cute diary
Lee, Emery 
Paper Book
Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen's first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships. * A 2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist Selection * A Junior Library Guild Selection * Noah Ramirez thinks...
I wish you all the best
Deaver, Mason
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, Mason Deaver's stunning debut will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process."Heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking. This book will save lives." -- Becky Albertalli,...
Lark & Kasim start a revolution
Callender, Kacen
Paper Book
From National Book Award-winner Kacen Callender, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution is a contemporary YA that follows Lark's journey to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution. "A hilarious and bold love story...
The evolving truth of ever-stronger Will
MacGregor, Maya
Paper Book
Will, an agender teen, struggles with the haunting aftermath of parental abuse as they forge a new life and love in this novel that is perfect for fans of If These Wings Could Fly and Last Night at the Telegraph Club. Will is a 17-year-old on the cusp of freedom-...
The passing playbook
Fitzsimons, Isaac
Paper Book
Love, Simon meets Bend It Like Beckham in this feel-good contemporary romance about a trans athlete who must decide between fighting for his right to play and staying stealth. "A sharply observant and vividly drawn debut. I loved every minute I spent in this...
Okay, Cupid
Deaver, Mason 
Paper Book
From the bestselling author of I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, the story of a cupid who thinks they know everything about love... until they fall in love themselves. As a cupid, Jude thinks they understand love a little bit more than the average human. It makes sense -- Jude's been...
Cemetery boys
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's New York Times-bestselling paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys, described by Entertainment Weekly as "groundbreaking." ...
The Sunbearer Trials
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys. "Only the most...
Out of the blue
Jason June
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! From Jason June, author of the breakout teen debut novel Jay's Gay Agenda, comes Out of the Blue, a stand-alone dual POV queer rom-com that asks if love is enough to change everything you've grown up believing. Perfect for fans of...
Flyboy
LeBlanc, Kasey
Paper Book
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets The Night Circus in this standout debut YA novel, about a boy who visits a magic-filled circus in his dreams in order to escape reality, where his trans identity remains a secret. An ideal next read for fans of Cemetery Boys. After an incident at his...
And they lived . . .
Salvatore, Steven
Paper Book
From the author of Can't Take That Away comes a sex-positive, fairytale-inspired YA novel that celebrates first love and self-acceptance, perfect for fans of What If It's Us. "My heart didn't stand a chance. I loved it from once upon a time all the way...
Man o' war
McCarthy, Cory
Paper Book
A Stonewall Honor Book An achingly honest and frequently hilarious coming-of-age novel about an Arab American trans teen fighting to keep their head above water in a landlocked Midwestern town. Man o' wars are not jellyfish, and River McIntyre is not happy....
Just happy to be here
Kanakia, Naomi
Paper Book
In this YA standalone perfect for fans of Tobly McSmith and Meredith Russo, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school must choose between keeping her head down or blazing a trail. Tara just wants to be treated like any other girl at Ainsley Academy. That is, judged on her...
Losing Hit Points
Mielke, Kristopher
Paper Book
Trans teen Journey has the chance to play an epic game of Dungeons & Dragons. Surprise encounters are common in D&D, but what Journey doesn't expect is to reconnect with an ex-friend who they still love and have wronged in the past. Equal parts touching and laugh-out-loud funny, Losing Hit...
If I was your girl
Russo, Meredith
Paper Book
Meredith Russo's award-winning, big-hearted novel If I Was Your Girl is about being seen for who you really are, with a love story you can't help but root for! Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But...
The ghost of you
Bulla, Michael Gray
Paper Book
From the author of If I Can Give You That comes an emotional novel that follows a transgender teen who must grapple with a friendship fracturing and a new romance blossoming, all while being haunted by a devastating loss. A must-read for fans of How It Feels to Float and The Ghosts...
Beyond the gender binary
Vaid-Menon, Alok
Paper Book
Winner of the 2021 In The Margins Award "When reading this book, all I feel is kindness."-- Sam Smith, Grammy and Oscar award-winning singer and songwriter "Thank God we have Alok. And I'm learning a thing or two myself."--Billy Porter, Emmy award-winning actor,...
Continuum
Man, Chella, 1998- author. 
Paper Book
Pocket Change Collective was born out of a need for space. Space to think. Space to connect. Space to be yourself. And this is your invitation to join us. "Chella chronicles the value in creating your own mold in order to reclaim your space and to feel represented in this always ever...
Gender explorers : our stories of growing up trans and changing the world
Roche, Juno.
Ebook
'I believe that children who are questioning and exploring their gender are the gender bosses that we all so desperately need. I believe that they are our future.' In this life-affirming, heartening and refreshing collection of interviews, young trans people offer valuable insight...
Trans teen survival guide
Owl
Paper Book
'I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up' PARIS LEES 'Wonderful and ground-breaking' MERMAIDS Frank, friendly and funny, the Trans Teen Survival Guide will leave transgender and non-binary teens informed, empowered and armed with all the tips,...
Trans mission : my quest to a beard
Bertie, Alex
Paper Book
A brave firsthand account of online personality Alex Bertie's life, struggles, and victories as a transgender teen, as well as a groundbreaking guide for transitioning teens.   Long before he became known for his YouTube videos, Alex Bertie was an isolated, often-afraid...
Beyond magenta transgender teens speak out
Kuklin, Susan, author, photographer. 
Paper Book
A 2015 Stonewall Honor Book A groundbreaking work of LGBT literature takes an honest look at the life, love, and struggles of transgender teens. Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used...
Queer, there, and everywhere : 23 people who changed the world
Prager, Sarah
Paper Book
World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals--and you've never heard of many of them. Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own...
Girlmode
Visaggio, Magdalene
Paper Book
A recently transitioned girl tries to figure out who she is--while trying to manage who everyone else wants her to be--in this funny, unexpected, and affecting new graphic novel from Eisner-nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio and artist Paulina Ganucheau. The last thing...
Bad dream : a Dreamer story
Maines, Nicole
Paper Book
The never before told origin story of DREAMER- the first trans superhero ever to appear on TV! Nia Nal's spent her whole life taking a back seat to her older sister, Maeve, who's expected to inherit their mother's Naltorian powers--the ability to see the future through dreams....
The prince and the dressmaker
Wang, Jen
Paper Book
A fairy tale for any age, Jen Wang's The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart. Winner of the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens Winner of the Harvey Award for Best Children or Young Adult Book Paris, at the...
Dreadnought
Daniels, April (Young adult author)
Paper Book
An action-packed series-starter perfect for fans of The Heroine Complex and Not Your Sidekick. "I didn't know how much I needed this brave, thrilling book until it rocked my world. Dreadnought is the superhero adventure we all need right now."--Charlie Jane...
Stars in their eyes
Walton, Jessica
Paper Book
A Stonewall Honor Book In this lighthearted YA romance, Maisie and Ollie discover that nothing beats the feeling of falling in love for the first time. Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She's looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her...
I shall never fall in love
Conner, Hari
Paper Book
The Prince and the Dressmaker goes to Austenland in this historically inspired, joyfully queer, stunningly romantic graphic novel mash-up of Jane Austen novels--where two friends discover their feelings for each other and find a space in their world for their love and identity. George...
Stage dreams
Gillman, Melanie
Paper Book
In this rollicking queer western adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman (Stonewall Award Honor Book As the Crow Flies) puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace, a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway, as they team up to thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory. When...
Mooncakes
Walker, Suzanne
Paper Book
"Mooncakes is spellbinding. It had everything I love in a story--magic that felt inventive, characters that became my friends, and a romance that felt truly authentic. It was one of those books that I was sad to see end. Luckily, I can always reread." --Tillie Walden, creator of Spinning and On a...
Becoming who we are : real stories about growing up trans
Lisel, Sammy
Paper Book
Becoming who you are is a journey, and all journeys start somewhere.
Breathe : journeys to healthy binding
Kobabe, Maia
Paper Book
A graphic guide to chest binding with real-life stories and research-backed advice from bestselling Gender Queer author MAIA KOBABE and University of Michigan professor SARAH PEITZMEIER. Breathe arose from the need for a resource for folks considering chest binding...
Homebody
Parish, Theo
Paper Book
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist In their comics debut, Theo Parish masterfully weaves an intimate and defiantly hopeful memoir about the journey one nonbinary person takes to find a home within themself. Combining traditional comics with organic journal-like interludes, Theo...
Welcome to St. Hell : my trans teen misadventure
Hancox, Lewis
Paper Book
A groundbreaking memoir about being a trans teen, in the vein of FUN HOME and FLAMER... and at the same time entirely its own. Lewis has a few things to say to his younger teen self. He knows she hates her body. He knows she's confused about who to snog. He knows she's really a he and will...
Escape from St. Hell : my trans teen life levels up
Hancox, Lewis
Paper Book
In this sequel to the Indie bestseller WELCOME TO ST. HELL, Lewis Hancox tells the hilarious, inspiring story of coming into his own as a trans man For Lew, figuring out he was a guy and wanted to live life as a guy was the end of our journey... and the start of a whole other...
Gender queer : a memoir
Kobabe, Maia
Paper Book
In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns,thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographicalcomic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortablewith strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's...
A quick & easy guide to queer & trans identities
G, Mady
Paper Book
In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonistsMady G and JR Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world!Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, andnavigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human...

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