It's not always easy to direct teens towards good LGBT books. Some books are kid stuff, explaining LGBT issues in terms for teens' younger siblings. Some are too racy, geared toward adults. These books are just right for teens-- packed with enough romance, action, adventure and whatever else you can imagine.
is sure to be a favorite of dystopian YA fiction readers. Seventeen-year-old Pen has just lost every part of her LA life to an earthquake, but she's determined to find her family. Led only by a beat-up copy of Homer's The Oddysey, she sets out into the ruins, meeting other survivors, avoiding dangers and discovering her own love and abilities in the process.
Outside of America, the issues faced by members of the LGBT community can be more than difficult, they can be life-threatening. In If You Could Be Mine, Sahar and Nasrin are seventeen and secretly in love. It's not always easy to keep their love a secret, until Nasrin's parents announce her impending marriage arrangement-- to a man. Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin and comes up with a risky plan that even she isn't sure she could carry out.
If You Could Be Mine is available in multiple formats.
J has never quite felt like all the other little girls in the neighborhood and at school. That's because J believes that he is a boy trapped in a girl's body. I Am J tells his story, one that encourages teens to stand up for themselves and fight for what they believe in, a message that goes beyond LGBT topics to anyone who has ever felt different.
I am J is available in multiple formats.
Whether you're a facing some of these issues or simply want to learn more about them, these books and more at CPL can paint a surprisingly mature picture of life as an LGBT teen.
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