This blog post was written by Caitlyn Colman-McGaw, Manager of Young Adult Programming and Sarah Sculnick, Young Adult Librarian

This June, as many people have taken to the streets to march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to combat systemic racism, Pride is alive and thriving. Pride exists because of protest and in a nod to celebrating beautiful people, identities, and ideas, here are some new and upcoming YA books with LGBTQIA+ characters we’re so excited to read! 

Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London, who always struggled with understanding where he belonged. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finds a place where he fits in, and the “Black Flamingo” is born. Written in verse, this novel also won the Stonewall Book Award. 

 

 

 

 

Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

Pony wants to keep a low profile after transferring to a new school for his senior year. After receiving attention at his old school for coming out as transgender, he’s looking for a fresh start. Georgia, a cisgender cheerleader, is counting down the days until graduation, and decided that she wasn’t going to date anyone during senior year. When Pony and Georgia realize they have a connection, they both reconsider the expectations they set for their last year of high school. 

 

 

 

We Unleash the Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Meija 

In the much-anticipated sequel to Meija’s fantasy novel We Set the Dark on Fire, we now follow the perspective of Carmen Santos. Carmen has devoted her life to working for the resistance group La Voz, and is one of their best agents. After forming a connection with Daniela Vargas, Carmen must choose between the girl she loves and the rebellion that she’s worked her entire life to help orchestrate. 

 

 

 

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callendar

Felix, a Black, queer, transgender teen, has never been in love. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages, he decides to create a plan to get back at the person who is harassing him. What he doesn’t plan on, however, is becoming involved in a quasi-love triangle. 

 

 

 

 

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

Nishat struggles with being open about who she is, while also maintaining a good relationship with her family. This becomes harder for her when her childhood friend, Flávia, comes back into her life. Nishat instantly falls for her, but a school competition might put a wedge in their blossoming romance. Encouraged to create their own businesses, both Nishat and Flávia decide on the same idea: henna. As they begin a competition with each other, Nishat must also grapple with her feelings for Flavía. 

 

 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Liz Lighty has always felt out of place in her small town in Indiana, but she has a plan to attend the elite Pennington College, and escape her hometown forever. When her plan falls through, she remembers that the prom queen receives a scholarship. Even though she doesn’t want to put herself in the spotlight, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. The only thing making her year more bearable is new girl Mack, but Mack is also running for prom queen. Liz is worried that falling for the competition could get in the way of her dreams, but could it also make them come true?

 

 

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George Johnson

In his memoir, journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson explores his childhood, teen, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. Through a series of personal essays, Johnson discusses his relationship with his grandmother and peers, and delves into his experience of being Black and queer. 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee

Skye Shin has spent her life hearing that she doesn’t have the right body type for dancing or for becoming a K-Pop star, but she’s determined to prove that she has what it takes. When she gets the chance to audition for a new K-Pop competition, she aces her audition and enters the world of reality TV. What she doesn’t expect, however, is how hard it would be to navigate the fat-phobic beauty standards upheld in the Korean music industry, or how the competition would put her life under intense scrutiny. As she competes, makes friends, and begins to develop feelings for a fellow contestant, Skye works to stay true to herself. 

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 

It’s been 200 years since Cinderella found her prince, but now instead of falling in love with their own princes, teen girls must attend an Annual Ball where all the men of the kingdom come to shop for their wives. Sophia would prefer to marry Erin, her childhood best friend, and decides to run away. After her escape she meets Constance, the last living descendant of Cinderella. They decide to work together to fight against the king’s patriarchal rule, and they quickly learn that there is more to Cinderella’s story than they originally realized. 

 

We've highlighted some of these titles at @nyplteens on Instagram and we are always featuring new books and resources on our social media pages—follow us! Happy Pride! 

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!