Here are some fantastic new stories to enjoy during Pride, all lushly illustrated. MS = middle school
In Balazs Lorinczi’s book A Bite of Pepper, a skateboarding vampire falls for a human artist whose attraction to her might be enough to make her commit to turning this human into a vampire and becoming immortal herself.
Dan in Green Gables, by Ray Terciero, follows a queer teen in 1995 after his mother abandons him with his old-fashioned grandparents in rural, conservative Tennessee. MS
Forgive-Me-Not, by Mari Costa, tells of human princess Aisling captured by Forgive-Me-Not, a servant of the fae, on her eighteenth birthday. Intending to return Aisling to her father in exchange for freedom, Forgive-Me-Not discovers Aisling is not her adversary at all, and could be her friend.
Adeline Kon’s story Just Between Us follows two Olympics-level figure skaters, Lydia and Elaine, who begin the story as fierce competitors but learn they have more in common than they realize. MS
Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (in Love), by Laura Gao, tracks Kirby as she joins the newspaper club and is assigned a matchmaking job using reader requests and astrology. Though she and her coeditor clash at first, their attraction grows, and Kirby wonders how she can be true to herself and still respect her conservative community. MS
In Low Orbit, by Kazimir Lee, Azar keeps her queerness to herself after seeing how her mother misuses her friend Tristan’s pronouns, but when Azar discovers a famous novel by Tristan’s father, a journey to a New York comic con opens her eyes to relationships and possibilities.
J.D. Glass’s 2006 novel Punk Like Me has been adapted into a graphic novel, telling the story of Nina, who likes punk rock and comic books and is in love with her best friend Kerri. Nina’s family will never approve of Kerri, but as her feelings grow stronger, she realizes she must choose between her family’s views and her own heart.
In Nora Neus’s book Renegade Girls, aspiring journalist Nell and photographer Alice investigate the working conditions in a New York City garment factory in the 1880s. As their friendship deepens, so does the trouble they face as the rich and powerful object to their revealing news stories. MS
In This Place Kills Me, by Mariko Tamaki, new student Abby has trouble fitting in at her all-girls boarding school until stage star Elizabeth befriends her and warns her of the dangers of getting in with the popular crowd. When Elizabeth is found dead in the woods the next day, people suspect Abby may know more than she should.
Derek Charm’s book Toxic Summer follows best friends Ben and Leo, whose perfect summer at the beach is nearly ruined when they learn their lifeguard jobs no longer exist because of a massive toxic spill. Can they clean up the beaches and still find time to hook up with hot guys?
