
LGBTQ+
National Coming Out Day October, 11th
EARLY ELEMENTARY READS
HARRIET GETS CARRIED AWAY BY JESSIE SIMA
Available in Sora.
When Harriet dons her special penguin errand-running costume and sets out to find the perfect ones, she finds something else instead--real penguins! Harriet gets carried away with the flock. She may look like a penguin, but she's not so sure she belongs in the arctic. Can Harriet manage her way back to her dads (and the party hats!) in time for her special day? --Publisher
PRIDE : THE STORY OF HARVEY MILK AND THE RAINBOW FLAG BY ROB SANDERS
Available in Sora.
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Pride Flag with the very first picture book to tell its remarkable and inspiring history!
In this deeply moving and empowering true story, young readers will trace the life of the Gay Pride Flag, from its beginnings in 1978 with social activist Harvey Milk and designer Gilbert Baker to its spanning of the globe and its role in today's world. A story of love, hope, equality, and pride. --Publisher
JULIAN IS A MERMAID BY JESSICA LOVE
Available in Sora.
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julian notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julian gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julian sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love's author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality. --Publisher
UPPER ELEMENTARY READS
IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD BY ASHLEY HERRING BLAKE
Available in Sora.
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World exquisitely enriches the rare category of female middle-grade characters who like girls--and children's literature at large. --Publisher
HURRICANE CHILD BY KHERYN CALLENDER
Available in Sora.
Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and twelve-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She's hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won't stop following her, and -- worst of all -- Caroline's mother left home one day and never came back.
But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline's first and only friend -- and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush. --Publisher
CARDBOARD KINGDOM BY CHAD SELL
Available in Sora.
In the Cardboard Kingdom, you can be anything you want to be--imagine that! The Cardboard Kingdom affirms the power of imagination and play during the most important years of adolescent identity-searching and emotional growth. --Publisher
MIDDLE SCHOOL READS
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE BY LISA JENN BIGELOW
Available in Sora.
Melly only joined the school band because her best friend, Olivia, begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It's the only time she doesn't feel like a mouse. Now she and Olivia are about to spend the next two weeks at Camp Rockaway, jamming under the stars in the Michigan woods.
But this summer brings a lot of big changes for Melly: her parents split up, her best friend ditches her, and Melly finds herself unexpectedly falling for another girl at camp. To top it all off, Melly's not sure she has what it takes to be a real rock n' roll drummer. Will she be able to make music from all the noise in her heart? --Publisher
JIGSAW JUNGLE BY KRISTIN LEVINE
Available in Sora.
Claudia Dalton's father has disappeared. What began as a late night at work has spiraled into a missing persons case--one that's left twelve-year-old Claudia questioning everything she's ever known about her father and their family.
Told through the pages of Claudia's scrapbook, The Jigsaw Jungle is a moving story of a family lost and then found, with a dash of mystery and loads of heart, from award-winning author and middle-grade master Kristin Levine. --Publisher
ONE TRUE WAY BY SHANNON HITCHCOCK
Available in Sora.
Welcome to Daniel Boone Middle School in the 1970s, where teachers and coaches must hide who they are, and girls who like girls are forced to question their own choices. Presented in the voice of a premier storyteller, One True Way sheds exquisite light on what it means to be different, while at the same time being wholly true to oneself.
Through the lives and influences of two girls, readers come to see that love is love is love. Set against the backdrop of history and politics that surrounded gay rights in the 1970s South, this novel is a thoughtful, eye-opening look at tolerance, acceptance, and change, and will widen the hearts of all readers. --Publisher
HIGH SCHOOL READS
DEAR RACHEL MADDOW : A NOVEL BY ADRIENNE KISNER
Available in Sora.
Then Brynn is confronted with a moral dilemma. One student representative will have a voice among administration in the selection of a school superintendent. Brynn's nemesis John believes only honors students are worthy of the committee seat. Brynn feels all students deserve a voice. She asks herself: What would Rachel Maddow do? --Publisher
PICTURE US IN THE LIGHT BY KELLY LOY GILBERT
Available in Sora.
Danny Cheng has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family's blessing to pursue the career he's always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny's lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can't stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.
When Danny digs deeper into his parents' past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him. --Publisher
QUEER, THERE AND EVERYWHERE : 23 PEOPLE WHO CHANGED THE WORLD BY SARAH PRAGER
Available in Sora.
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 terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn't make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.
By turns hilarious and inspiring, the beautifully illustrated Queer, There, and Everywhere is for anyone who wants the real story of the queer rights movement. --Publisher
– LORD OF SHADOWS by Cassandra Clare
Need more resources for finding recommended LGBTQ+ lit?
Denver Public Schools OverDrive eBooks/audiobooks: LGBTQ+ Reads Collection
For DPS Library Staff: In Titlewave, use Tag Explorer to search for titles using the LGBTQ tag.
Denver Public Schools Library Services
Email: libraryhelpdesk@dpsk12.org
Website: etls.dpsk12.org/library_services
Location: 1617 South Acoma Street, Denver, CO, USA
Phone: 720-423-1842